Experienced restaurateurs Michelle Vanderwalker and Sean Umstead have a new concept in the works for Downtown Durham. They are planning to open E.O.’s Athletic Club in a 3,200-square-foot space at 341 W. Main St., targeting an early November opening.
“Sean is an avid sports fan and has wanted to do a sports bar for a long time,” Vanderwalker told What Now Charlotte. “I am admittedly not so much of a fan and more of a player, but it just seemed like a good time to get on board and partially focus on women’s sports.”
The team is behind other local concepts like Kingfisher, QueenBurger, Queeny’s and Killer Queen. They said that in all their businesses, they aim to build community and forge connections. For E.O.’s Athletic Club, the mission will be no different.
“We like to find our community through our food and beverage projects,” Umstead said. “So when we see an avenue that we think is a little underdeveloped in our market and we can bring this come-together attitude in this era of loneliness, I think there’s a lot of opportunity here. I think a sports bar can be that for Durham.”
Customers can expect a warm, welcoming design with nostalgic elements. Vanderwalker is planning to collect old childhood sports photographs from people throughout the community to feature in the bartop design.
“I’m hoping to design it in a way that if all the TVs are off, it’s still a bar you would want to be in,” Vanderwalker said.
The menu will feature classic sports bar food, focusing on Northeastern-style offerings. Key offerings will include buffalo wings, bar pies — a thin-crust, crispy style of pizza out of the Connecticut and New Jersey area — and loaded baked potatoes. Other offerings will include sandwiches, salads.
“I find sports to be such a natural space of connection,” Umstead said. “I’m really excited to see the micro-communities we can find, whether it’s WNBA fans, or pickleball fans, or people who want to get up early to watch Wimbledon. I think all these communities exist, and the people who want to do those things need a place [like this].”
