Johnny's Gold Brick Receives the Midas Touch, Plans to Open Soon

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• Johnny's Gold Brick completed hand-painted sign. Jakeisha Wilmore
• Johnny's Gold Brick hand-painted signage. Jakeisha Wilmore

You'll have to wait a while longer for a cocktail from rising star bartender Leslie Ross. Johnny's Gold Brick — the collaborative effort from Chris Cusack (Treadsack), Brad Moore (Grand Prize Bar, Big Star Bar, Moving Sidewalk), Ryan Rouse (Grand Prize Bar, Big Star Bar, Moving Sidewalk) and Ross (Sanctuari, Saint Arnold Brewing Co.) — is behind schedule. The Heights-area bar aimed for a January opening, needless to say that date has come and gone.

Overly optimistic that renovations, painting and other details central to the bar's operations would take a month's time, a more realistic date is on the table. "Our projected opening date is the first week of March," shares Ross who recently participated in Beam Suntory and Treadsack's Kipper Club Test Kitchen's Women of Whiskey Tour.

As the crew readies for a late winter opening, the bar's exterior shows a bit of progress. Shortly after announcing the takeover of now shuttered The Boom Boom Room, the once pistachio colored building received a fresh coat of grey paint. Over the weekend, the bar's name appeared on the building. James "Mac" McIntyre, a neighborhood resident, hand-painted the lettering. Staying with the low-key vibe, Johnny's Gold Brick took the old-school route and included their operating hours on the building as well.