It hasn't been very long since The Boiler Room in Deep Ellum closed down, but we've just received word that it is being reopened by someone with quite a bit of history with Deep Ellum.
Drowning Pool bassist Stevie Benton and a few other investors have just purchased the place, and, with it, they acquired everything left behind from the previous owner -- the sound system, the kitchen equipment, and just about everything else you need to run a bar.
So, soon as Benton got the keys, the place was open for business -- just as it was last night as the venue hosted a well-attended Dallas Mavericks watching party.
Still, Benson plans to make a few changes to the Deep Ellum spot that once housed Daddy Jack's at the intersection of Elm and Crowdus streets. The room's name is at the top of the list.
"There's a 75 percent chance we're going to have to keep it as The Boiler Room," says Benton. "The whole thing depends on whether or not we can have our name changed
on our liquor license."
For now, Benton and his investors are tossing
around potential names like The Sin Bar (named after the band's first album, Sinner)
and The Nightmare. Benton was, however, surprised to learn that there was a bar
called The Nightmare located just up the street only a few months ago.
As far as other matters go, Benton plans to put the kitchen equipment to good use, with a full
menu that should be ready in just a few weeks. In addition to a food menu, he hopes
to bring in bands.
"At some point soon, it'll be a live music venue," he says. "We'll have bands,
but before we do that we'll have to get in there and remodel the stage
and sound and lighting."
Benton hopes to get the stage up and
running by end of summer.
With so many memories of himself playing live music in Deep Ellum, there's little wonder why he wanted to open a bar there.
"[Drowning
Pool] got our start down in Deep Ellum," Benton says. "We owe that area
pretty much our entire career. That's what launched us."
