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PJ Sullivan, 37, a graphic designer and founder of Hardly Square, and Josh Sullivan, 34, bartender and owner of craft cocktail company Post Prohibition, have been looking for a bar space to open for years, but never found the right opportunity.

“We’ve had so many ups and downs trying to acquire a space,” PJ says. “But we came across Bill [Dougherty], who was ready to retire and he was so nice and easy to work with. It was a great fit. We know that Dougherty’s has been a staple in the neighborhood for a really long time, and it was a bar we went to a bunch. But now we need to make it our own since it’s always been a dream of ours.”

The brothers are calling the bar Wet City, which is a nod to Baltimore’s nickname during Prohibition when it defied the rules and continued selling alcohol. The bar will be extremely beer-focused, which makes sense since Josh and his friends have been home brewing for the past five years. In fact, his beers have won a few local competitions, including the home-brew contest at the Baltimore Craft Beer Festival (for a cherry sour) and Mash Bash at Parts & Labor (for a session IPA that PJ says is likely to be one of the bar’s first beers on tap.)

“Right now, the plan is to contract-brew one or two of our beers at first,” PJ says. “But once we get all the permits, we want to set up a small brew system at the bar. We’ll have small batches and frequent runs, so it’s more of an experimental focus.”

Wet City, which will have 20 taps and offer beer flights and half-pours, will also feature small cocktail and food menus (though the owners are still in the process of finding a chef). The owners plan to get rid of the back pool tables and use that as an event space, rip up the floor tiles, refinish the wood floors, and modernize the bar top. The two are hoping for an opening of March or April.

“My brother and I have been best friends forever and this bar has been a long time coming,” PJ says. “We’re playing off that narrative that Baltimore is a unique city, one that isn’t afraid to experiment, and knows that rules are meant to be broken.”

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Zoë’s Kitchen: Featuring staples like kabobs, hummus, and pita sandwiches, this Texas-based eatery is a one-stop shop for Mediterranean classics. Zoë’s Kitchen unveiled a new spot on York Road in Towson earlier this week, marking the chain’s third location in Maryland. In addition to Greek-inspired dishes, the menu also lists gourmet soups, grilled Reuben sandwiches, kid-friendly offerings like quesadillas and grilled chicken fingers, and a wide selection of gluten-free options. 6300 York Road, Towson, 410-323-4795

COMING SOON:

Colette: In the midst of getting Bottega back up and running in Station North, owner Adrien Aeschliman has announced plans to open this new French concept just around the corner. Taking over the former Red Parrot Asian Bistro space, Colette will feature a polished interior complete with a granite bar and black wood chair rails. The 80-seat space will emphasize French comfort cuisine with dishes crafted by executive chef Stefano Porcile, whose previous stints include working at local hotspots like Fork & Wrench and Woodberry Kitchen. 1709 N. Charles St.

B-More Kitchen: This yet-to-open incubator will house more than 50 local food startups upon its reveal in Govans this spring. The communal food hub from co-founders Eben Altmann and Jonathan Fishman will feature a 10,000 square-foot commercial kitchen, its own bakery, a wealth of shared cooking supplies, plenty of storage, and an upstairs catering venue. Slated to open in April 2016, the space will allow its members 24/7 access to all of the amenities in order to mass-produce their gourmet goods. 5604 York Road

Blacksauce Kitchen: Known for his claim-to-fame barbecue biscuits, chef Damian Mosley has been making his mark on the local farmers’ market scene for years, and soon, his barbecue brainchild will settle in its first brick-and-mortar space. Blacksauce Kitchen will set up shop in the former home of Sterling’s Crab and Oyster House in Remington, using the kitchen to continue production for farmers’ markets and catering. No word yet on an opening date. 401 W. 29th St.

La Cakerie: Jason Hisley, owner of La Cakerie and a previous Cupcake Wars champion, is bringing his creative confections to Hampden in 2016. La Cakerie currently operates locations in Towson and Mt. Vernon, and this winter it will expand with a new spot on The Avenue. The shop will feature the bakery’s signature morning pastries, an assortment of donuts and muffins, coffee and espresso, and, of course, plenty of elegant cupcakes with flavors ranging from red velvet to raspberry limeade. 1027 W. 36th St.

Mother’s Grille: This Federal Hill fixture is expanding into Baltimore County this winter with a new location off of Padonia Road. The 195-seat space, which was formerly an Applebee’s, will boast a renovated interior with open ceilings, reclaimed wood, and a 65-seat bar. While the restaurant will be a bit more family-inclusive than the Federal Hill flagship, Mother’s signature pub menu full of hefty burgers and sandwiches will carry over in the new space. 2450 Broad Ave., Timonium

Yard House: Pending liquor board transfer approval, this California-based restaurant chain plans to move into Harborplace in the coming months. Yard House, which operates more than 20 locations nationwide, hopes to settle in the former home of longtime Light Street Pavilion tenant J. Paul’s Restaurant. The pub emphasizes 100 brews on tap and an expansive menu with offerings ranging from sushi to grilled Korean pork belly street tacos. 301 Light St.

SHUT:

Dougherty’s Pub: After 33 years in business, this Chase Street pub is closing its doors. Husband and wife owners Bill and Sherry Dougherty are expecting a packed house this weekend, as the bar’s last night will be December 19. Known for its handmade copper-top bar, pool tables, and plethora of pub snacks, the haunt will soon see a completely different aesthetic under new ownership. No word yet on the name of the new space, but Sherry confirms that Dougherty’s has been sold to a MICA grad who plans to reveal a more modern concept in 2016. 223 W. Chase St., 410-752-4059

Chiaparelli’s: This spinoff of the 75-year-old Chiaparelli’s flagship in Little Italy closed its doors in Havre de Grace earlier this week. Rumor has it that the space, situated inside the historic Old Chesapeake Hotel, will be revamped into a seafood restaurant in the coming months. Chiaparelli’s in Little Italy is still going strong. 400 N. Union Ave., Havre de Grace

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But, after a combined 33 years on Chase Street, the owners of Dougherty’s Pub have decided to sell. Their last day will be December 19.

“My husband is 65, he’s just done,” says Sherry Dougherty with a laugh about her husband, bartender and co-owner, Bill. “But really any business is for sale at anytime for the right price. We started being serious about selling a year or so ago.”

The new owner, Sherry says, is a MICA grad in his early 30s, who is going to completely renovate and modernize the space.

“We keep saying he’s going to make it hipster,” she says. “I’ve heard plans of a cocktail menu and locally brewed beers. They may even put some brew tanks where the pool tables are now.”

Back in 1994, people thought it was a little nutty that Bill and Sherry were moving The Irish Pub, a Baltimore landmark since the ’80s, down the block into an old warehouse he was renovating. Not only that, but they were changing the name. That was more than 20 years ago and, since then, Doughtery’s has become a staple in its own right.

The handmade copper-top bar has been a meeting place for all sorts of people in the city—whether it was civil servants from the nearby State Center office, art students from MICA, future lawyers from University of Baltimore, or neighborhood locals alike. The clack of pool balls from the back billiards room became as ubiquitous as the local art on the walls. You came for one drink, but stayed for many more. In 2010, we quoted a regular at the bar who said, “This is more like going over to someone’s house.”

“The tears have been flowing daily for us,” Sherry says. “We’ve known the same people for more than 30 years now. They, quite literally, helped us move down the street by picking up barstools and walking them over to the new location. They helped us paint, strip furniture. We’ve had this amazing customer loyalty. It’s like a death in the family for us, so it’s extremely emotional.”

We have long been a fan of Dougherty’s, whether it’s scarfing down a Pub Burger at the bar or playing a round of pool in the back. In fact, we named it one of the 25 best bars in the city in our December 2011 issue. The following sentiment still hold true:

Dougherty’s sits at a very interesting cross section of the city. It’s sort of a MICA bar, but also attracts Mt. Vernon locals. It’s near the Lyric, but also MLK Boulevard. This diversity is reflected in the patrons on any given night—and the place always feels welcoming and relaxed. While the pub is technically Irish (we had a Magners and a Reuben the night we went), it means more to regulars than just that. There are couples here on dates, a girl by herself at the bar, friends catching up over pitchers, a professor grading papers in the corner, and art students playing pool in the back. Dougherty’s doesn’t try hard to be anything, except just comfortable. And everyone—on any end of the spectrum—can agree it succeeds.

While there’s no planned party, per se, in true Dougherty’s fashion, its loyal regulars are all banning together for one last hurrah on December 19. The new place, Sherry estimates, won’t be open for at least two months.

“A lot of our old customers, even some who have moved away, are going to come back for the last night,” she says. “It will be packed, which seems fitting. We’ve had all walks of life come in here—from government workers to hookers and drug dealers. We’ve never cared what people do, as long as they’re cool while they’re in here.”

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