Downtown restaurant The Ice House now open to the public
Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/33765/
BENTONVILLE — With a cascading waterfall and ice bar, the Ice House is like no other restaurant in Benton County — and that was owner Christy Martin’s goal from the beginning.
The Ice House at 406 S. E. Fifth St. opened Monday.
Martin has spent the last three years renovating the old ice house downtown, transforming it into a place to eat, hang out and hear live music — simply because she recognized a need.
The 15,000-square-foot space has four large rooms attached by brick arches, an enclosed patio for private dinner parties, and a large foyer with bright red couches. One room holds a stage for live music and a dance floor. The primary ice bar fronts two pool tables.
No detail went untouched. The velvety blue booth fabric was shipped from Europe. Unique lights hang from the ceiling, accentuating the faux-finished walls in varying degrees of purples, blues and silvers. "I’ve had several people from Chicago or Atlanta tell me they feel at home here because it feels like something in Chicago, Atlanta or New York," Martin said.
Co-owner Derek Rowell created the mirrored waterfall. He and his brother, Shannon, built the two concrete bars. Both men are in the band Cold Front, which will play at the Ice House Friday and Saturday.
The 73 employees spent nearly two weeks training with the extensive alcohol list and varying menu — from burgers and salad with chicken to Sterling Silver-brand steak. Martin hired two consulting managers, Mike Roach from Fayetteville and M. D. Rahman. "We are all about the quality right now," Rahman said Wednesday. The consultants are setting procedures, training employees and training "me how to run it," Martin said.
German correspondents Thomas Jahn and Martin Dowideit, both of New York City, visited the Ice House on Tuesday, after a conference. "This place would fit right into New York," Jahn said, mentioning the cascading waterfall behind the bar. "We have had nothing but good responses. People are just excited," Martin said.
The city issued a temporary certificate of occupancy Friday, providing the management with 30 days to finish several cosmetic changes outside the restaurant — paving the parking lot, adding landscaping and adjusting exterior lighting. "We do understand the capital it takes to get a business up and running," Community Development Director Troy Galloway said. "We want to encourage entrepreneurship in the city, and encourage commerce. I hope they’re wildly successful. We want everybody that comes into this city to be as successful as they possibly can."