The Original Barrel House Is Coming Back to Downtown Davenport

The original Barrel House is coming back.

Quad Cities businessman, longtime broadcaster, software entrepreneur and real estate investor Fletcher Ford and his family will reopen and operate the original Barrel House location on Second Street in downtown Davenport later this year.

"We believe in downtown Davenport, and we're putting our businesses, our people and our investment behind that belief," Ford said. "Barrel House gives us an opportunity to add something completely different while becoming part of a brand that already has deep roots in the Quad Cities."

The Second Street restaurant isn't simply another Barrel House location. It's the original.

Where the Barrel House story began

Jimmy Holt founded Barrel House in downtown Davenport in 2011, at the start of downtown's revitalization, and grew the concept from its original Second Street home into the restaurant brand it is today.

The restaurant occupies the main floor of the former Paragon Commercial Interiors building, which Ford purchased as part of his downtown real estate investment. That made Ford Barrel House's landlord, and eventually opened the door to conversations about operating the original location.

"I didn't buy the building because I wanted to get into the restaurant business," Ford said. "Barrel House was already here. Jimmy had built a successful brand, and it was an important part of the building. As our investment in the property grew, I started looking at the restaurant differently. The opportunity to become part of Barrel House, especially at the location where Jimmy started it all, became something I got genuinely excited about."

"Jimmy is the guy who had the vision for Barrel House and built the brand," Ford said. "We're not coming in to reinvent Barrel House or rewrite its history. We're joining something that already works and asking what we can do to make this particular location really special."

The downtown restaurant will remain part of the Barrel House system, keeping the brand, menu and identity guests know, while receiving significant new investment in the space, technology, sports viewing, entertainment and the overall guest experience.

"I want somebody who has loved Barrel House for years to walk in and immediately feel like they're back at Barrel House," Ford said. "Then I want them to look around and say, 'Wow, look what they did with this place.'"

"Downtown Davenport is where Barrel House started, and this location will always be special to me," Holt said. "I'm incredibly proud of what we built there and what Barrel House has become. Fletcher doesn't think small. When he believes in something, he goes all in. I know he'll respect the Barrel House brand while bringing his own energy, investment and ideas to this location. I'm excited to have Fletcher and his family become part of the Barrel House family and excited to see what they do with the original location."

A Davenport-born brand that keeps growing

Barrel House continues to grow beyond its Quad Cities roots through its franchise system, reaching new markets including Bloomington, Illinois; Frisco, Texas; and Richmond, Virginia.

"I love the fact that Barrel House started right here," Ford said. "This is a local brand that proved itself, grew and is now being introduced to people in completely different parts of the country. There's something pretty cool about becoming part of that growth while operating the restaurant where it all began."

A commitment tested by fire

About 24 hours before Ford was scheduled to close on the former Paragon property, the building was struck by the downtown fire. Ford completed the purchase anyway.

"A fire 24 hours before you're buying a building has a way of testing how committed you really are," Ford said. "We had a decision to make. We closed."

Ford has since invested extensively in rehabilitating the property and moving more of his companies and employees downtown, including the world headquarters of Workflow Corporation (home of Radio Workflow) and Regional Media, with the live studios of Planet 93.9.

"We could have looked for a way out," Ford said. "Instead, we bought it, rolled up our sleeves and went to work. We believed in the building and we believed in downtown Davenport."

Experienced restaurant leadership

The downtown Barrel House will be led day to day by a new general manager with more than 30 years of restaurant experience, who will be announced closer to opening. The restaurant will also be part of a new hospitality investment group led by Ford that includes longtime business partners Darren Brown and Shane Zammit.

Kyle Carter, Executive Director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership and Vice President of Place Management for the Quad Cities Chamber, said: "Fletcher's continued investment in this property is a great example of the private-sector commitment we want to see downtown. Moving forward after the fire, bringing companies and employees downtown and now investing in the original Barrel House adds another layer of activity to an important downtown property."

Opening later this year

The original Barrel House on Second Street is expected to reopen later this year. More announcements are coming: the general manager, hiring, the opening date and a first look at the redesigned space.

"We're going to respect where Barrel House came from," Ford said, "and then see just how great we can make its original home."

Barrel House Downtown Davenport · 211 E. 2nd St, Davenport, Iowa · Reopening later this year