The Alley celebrates grand opening in Clyde

By Bret Nye Staff Writer bnye@advertiser-tribune.com CLYDE – The Sandusky County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of The Alley's front bar Monday, Dec. 30. Jonathan and Christina Waugh purchased The Alley August 5, 2019, a release from the Sandusky County Chamber of Commerce states, and have operated the business out of the back bar since August 12. After many questions from patrons about the opening of the front bar, the release states, the front portion of the establishment opened for additional business last Monday. "There are two bars in The Alley, and we continued operating one while we fully renovated the front bar," Jonathan Waugh said. "We're fans of the speakeasy theme, so we wanted to stay with that in our renovation," he said. "We want to offer unique cocktails and a unique experience for customers, so people can try spirits and get exposure to things they may not normally have ventured to try." Waugh said he and his wife also aim to provide a place where people can relax while having a drink. "Multiple people who have come in have said they feel really comfortable and safe here, that there's no pressure," he said. "We want to keep that feeling going for people." "We want the community to know that we want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our establishment," Christina Waugh added. Jonathan said he had wanted to own a bar like The Alley for a long time, and after finding an opportunity to buy a place that seemed to work for him and Christina, they finally took their chance and bought The Alley last August. "You only have one life to live, so you have to do the things you want to do now, so you don't have any regrets later," he said. The location used to be a bowling alley, and Jonathan said they wanted to respect the history of the building in their renovation and opening of The Alley. "Many people who have come in remember working in the bowling alley as pinsetters or bowling there years ago," he said, "so we wanted to be able to pay tribute to that history." "Blood, sweat and literal tears have gone into creating this beautiful space," the Waughs added. For more information about The Alley, visit the bar's Facebook page or contact The Alley by phone at (567) 855-5080.