C-Street bar gets new owners

A trio of former employees at a Commercial Street bar that shuttered at the end of last year have purchased the business with plans to reopen it next month.

Corie Godsy, Jesse Mikrut and Teri Perry are the new owners of Moon City Pub after buying it earlier this month from Teresa Emerson. Godsy said the trio, who own the business via Moon City JCT LLC, paid the $300,000 asking price, adding the transaction included the 2,200-square-foot building at 420 W. Commercial St. She declined to estimate additional startup costs, which will include inventory and installation of a stage for live music performances.

A mid-July reopening is planned, Godsy said.

It’s a first-time ownership venture for friends Godsy, Mikrut and Perry, who all have been bartenders at the pub, which opened in 2016. Godsy said she and Perry worked there under Emerson, while Mikrut worked with her under the bar’s first owners, Mike and Glenda Pavia.

“It just kind of fell into place,” Godsy said of the deal, which was first spurred by a conversation she and Perry had with the Pavias, who sold Moon City in 2021. “It just hadn’t really crossed our minds until probably about the end of February.”

The idea quickly gained momentum, she said.

“It was like, well, it’s now or never,” Godsy said, adding the three owners will initially be the only employees. “We’re probably not going to get an opportunity like this again in the future, so we ought to do it.”

While Commercial Street has several restaurants that serve alcohol, as well as a brewery, White River Brewing Co., Godsy said they want to boost the local bar scene.

“We’re just trying to kind of restore that neighborhood pub,” she said. “It’s kind of where everyone knows everybody, and if we don’t know you the first time, we’ll know you the next time you come in.”

Aside from its drink menu of craft cocktails and wine, Moon City Pub will have a mix of locals among its 12 beers on tap, as well as bottled and canned domestic and craft beer. A few food items also will be served, although Godsy said the options, including a meatball sub and Chicago-style, all-beef hot dogs, are still being considered.

“We’re excited. We were kind of nervous at first, but we’ve had just a huge response of friends and family and the neighborhood C-Street organizations and stuff that are really excited about it,” she said. “That just boosts our confidence.”