Members of the Reinbeck Development Board gather around owners Heather Eastman (third from left) and Steven Eastman Jr. (with scissors) as they officially and literally cut the ribbon on their new downtown Reinbeck bar, Surly Steve’s on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The Eastmans’ son Steve (‘Surly Steve’) Eastman III and his wife Autumn Eastman operate the new business in the former 405 Lounge footprint. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

REINBECK – While the name might make a passerby ponder, there is certainly nothing at all disagreeable about Reinbeck’s newest bar. In fact, Surly Steve’s features quite possibly one of the most stunning bar tops in all of Iowa.

“This was our signature piece as far as the renovation goes,” Surly Steve’s co-owner Heather Eastman said of the beautiful bar top she designed showcasing more than 4,700 bottle caps. She made her comments to the newspaper back on Wednesday, Nov. 20, during a ribbon cutting held inside the new downtown bar located in the old 405 Lounge footprint.

“We started collecting [bottle caps] in 1999. Even our logo is a bottle cap. We tried to play off that.”

Heather and her husband Steven Eastman Jr. took possession of the building on May 31. They are operating the new business along with their son Steve ‘Surly Steve’ Eastman III — the bar’s name is a playful nickname that mostly describes his curly hair — and his wife Autumn Eastman.

“My husband was actually looking for a house to flip,” Heather explained when asked how the longtime Waterloo couple – who own Steve Eastman Home Services – ended up owning a bar in Grundy County. “[Realtor Kirsten Hart said], ‘I don’t know if you’re interested but there’s a bar for sale,’ and [Steven] scooped it up. We had always talked in jest, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to have a venue.'”

The interior of Surly Steve’s bar pictured on Nov. 20. The new bar, which required extensive renovation work, features a masterpiece bar top designed and created by the owners composed of thousands of colorful bottle caps. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Not only is the newly-renovated venue cool, but it’s also, frankly, beautiful inside – and not just the bar top which took more than a week to hot glue once all the caps were set in place. The space – which has been a bar since at least the 1970s – has been elevated considerably by the Eastmans including Autumn who hails from International Falls, Minn., and curated much of the bar’s look.

“Comfort. Comfy. Inviting. We were going for that Northwoods bar feel,” Heather said when asked to describe the vibe.

It is certainly a comfortable, classically retro space. But it took a lot of work to get there, Autumn told the newspaper in an email.

“We thought that we would just walk right in there on [Day 1] and resume ‘business as usual’ but [soon] learned differently. Due to Mr. Steve’s high standards, he started working on major renovations. Also, the legalities were nearly overwhelming and expensive. Mr. Steve labored 70 hours per week for four-and-a-half months up to the day of Surly Steve’s grand opening.”

From start to finish, Autumn said renovations included a rebuild of the interior walk-in cooler and refrigeration system; replacement of all plumbing; replacement of most of the electrical; roof repair; a complete gut of both bathrooms; extensive repairs to the exterior back wall, flooring, and framing; modifications to the stage; removal of the paneling and plaster to expose the original brick walls (plus reconditioning of said bricks); the addition of ornate 1800s-style woodwork using some of the original trim moldings from the second floor; and cleaning and sealing of the composite concrete floor.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

The Eastmans also installed a new HVAC system, a new pool table light (hand built), a new masterpiece bar top, new bar sinks, new doors, a PA system, a 100-inch screen with projection television, three new TVs behind the bar, internet, and over 200 new ceiling tiles which were painted with a handmade stencil by Heather to resemble the original tin ceiling.

“We were excited to make it our own,” Autumn continued after listing the extensive renovations, “and grow together as a family for this project.”

While the Eastmans undertook much of the work themselves, they contracted with Ryan Weitnauer on the HVAC, Prestige Coatings and Colors LLC for the bathrooms, and Court Anderson for the flooring.

It was nothing short of a ‘labor of love’ to make Surly Steve’s their own, Heather said. For her part, Autumn could not be happier with the results after spending her entire professional career working in other people’s restaurants, mostly in Minnesota. She’s hoping folks will start seeing Reinbeck as “the perfect place to bar hop.”

“Stop at The Dig Inn – try out something new, they offer many specialty beers. [Then] wander around the corner and you’ll find Surly Steve’s [where] we frequently have live music! Just up the street, the R&R bar serves wonderful food with a friendly smile.”

Surly Steve’s owners Steven and Heather Eastman of Waterloo pictured behind their downtown Reinbeck bar on Nov. 20. The thoughtfully curated, spacious bar officially opened its doors back in late October. And while it is owned by the Eastmans, their son Steve (‘Surly Steve’) and his wife Autumn operate the business. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Surly Steve’s currently offers crafted cocktails, mocktails, and a wide selection of both domestic and foreign beers. They also offer a daily special plus seasonal ‘spiced eggnog’ which is served in a signature holiday glass.

For those hoping for a few bar snacks, Surly Steve’s does stock frozen pizzas and chips, while bar patrons are more than welcome to order-in from any one of the nearby restaurants.

Live music twice a month is also on tap plus daily pool, darts, chess, and karaoke.

And on Dec. 14 from 6-11 p.m., the bar will be part of the ‘Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl’ featuring six bars, a plethora of signature drinks, and ‘the ugliest sweater you can find.’ Paul Little will also be performing that night.

After officially opening back on Oct. 24, the Eastmans told the newspaper the response to Surly Steve’s has been tremendous.

The stage at Surly Steve's in downtown Reinbeck. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“We have been very busy trying to keep up with demand,” Autumn said. “We have received many compliments on our bar including the phrases ‘antique feeling,’ ‘spacious library,’ and ‘gothic vintage.’

“It gets better every weekend,” Heather said. “We seem to bring in more interest all the time and it’s awesome.”

“I think everyone’s impressed with how it looks,” bartender Megan Burke added while serving up a few drinks following the Nov. 20 ribbon cutting. “They come in and their jaws drop.”

Surly Steve’s is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 11 a.m. to midnight Wednesday and Sunday; and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

For more information, check out the business’s Facebook page or follow surlysteves on Instagram.

Surly Steve's bartender Megan Burke, left, serves up a customer on Wednesday, Nov. 20. According to Burke who helped design the new business's logo, many of the 405 Lounge's regular customers have returned since Surly Steve's opened its doors in late October including former bar owner Jack Brandt himself. Everyone has been impressed with the new space, Burke said. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

A small section of the bar top pictured on Nov. 20. The masterpiece bar is made of thousands of colorful bottle caps collected by Surly Steve’s owners through the years. Patrons enjoying a pour at the bar can search for not only their favorite brand’s caps but also a tiny plastic baby placed in a corner as a tribute to the film “Dirty Dancing.” PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Members of the Eastman family including (l-r) Steven Eastman Jr., Heather Eastman, and Autumn Eastman pictured at the bar following the ribbon cutting on Nov. 20. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Surly Steve's logo. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER