Apr. 30—THE PANDEMIC brought an end to the prohibition-style entrance at 815 Cocktails & Provisions on Elm Street in Manchester, which for years required customers to reveal a password from inside a 1920s-era phone booth before an employee offered entry through a hidden door.
The reality of COVID-19 and restrictions placed on restaurants made it impossible to maintain the speakeasy mystique.
To accommodate "much needed renovations," the cocktail bar will close for a few months starting May 6.
Ryan McCabe and Sarah Maillet had a goal of opening a "cigar-like bar, without cigars" with top-shelf whiskeys when opening in the second-floor space at 815 Elm St. in 2015.
"Craft cocktails really hadn't been around, at least in New Hampshire," McCabe said. "You'd go to cities like Boston or Portland to find a cocktail."
McCabe said business has returned to pre-pandemic levels, but a new look is needed.
The entire space on the second floor will be gutted and completely redesigned to create a more streamlined, modern and comfortable space.
"We made the space our own as much as possible as far as the decor and murals on the walls," McCabe said.
In an interview, McCabe didn't want to spill all the details of the renovations, but said the restaurant will likely be a little bigger. The menu will also be expanding.
"We are completely remodeling the bar, so it will be shaped differently," he said. "There will be new flooring, new furniture and a new layout entirely."
McCabe and Maillet are also taking offers for an antique sectional and other furniture.
"We are creating a different experience from when we initially opened," McCabe said.
The bar is expected to reopen just after the Fourth of July.
Piccola changes owner
Below 815, a new owner took over Piccola Italia Ristorante, which opened more than 20 years ago on the ground level of the building.
Francesco Mannino, owner of Pizzico in Merrimack and Nashua, bought the restaurant last month. The name will remain Piccola and previous owner, John Paolini, will stay on as an employee.
On Fridays, the restaurant will open at 11:30 a.m. for lunch. Eventually, the restaurant will open seven days a week. Pizza and some happy hour specials will be added to the menu.
Another special — buck-a-shuck ($1 oysters) — will be available all day on Sunday and Monday, excluding holidays.
The sale comes after Campo Enoteca, a farm-to-table Italian restaurant on Elm Street in Manchester, reopened under the ownership of Eric Maxwell of Nashua.