Water Street Bar and Grill changes hands

<span>An Evansville establishment is seeking rebirth under new ownership as a new corporation.</span>

<span>The former Water Street Bar and Grill, whose former owners are included in two wrongful death lawsuits regarding a tragic car accident in January 2015, has been purchased by Clint Kempfer to become Water Street Inc.</span>

<span>The owner of Marissa-based Pour House Bar & Grill Inc. bought the business from former owner Wally Terry at the end of November and has a series of meetings during the next two weeks to try and lay the groundwork toward getting it reopened.</span>

<span>"I've got a meeting with the Kaskaskia Regional Port District on Feb. 2," Kempfer said. "We had to redraw the contract a couple of times, but hopefully, we get everything squared."</span>

<span>Kempfer told the Herald Tribune the port district, which owns the barge the business sits on, meets Feb. 8 to discuss whether to approve the contract with Water Street Inc.</span>

<span>"We're trying to get the boaters back down there," Kempfer said. "We're going to have entertainment and that, but we're not going to have it like it was. We've just got to get it back on its feet."</span>

Water Street's new general manager, April Wright, told the Herald Tribune the focus is to make the business more family-friendly, while also reserving a time for the older crowd.

<span>"We are going to clean the place up," she said. "It's a disaster right now. The last party that was held, the trash wasn't taken out. We're hoping to remodel the inside of the bar and do some stuff outside.</span>

<span>"There's safety concerns with the boat ramp and we're going to make sure those are going to be taken care of before we even open."</span>

Plans under consideration for Water Street include boat races, a waterslide and a concert series, along with an overhaul of the menu.

<span>"We're going to try and get more concerts down there and more bands," Wright said. "We're wanting to give them opportunities to have all different kinds of music and events."</span>

<span>"I've got the land in front of Water Street right up to the bridge," Kempfer said. "We're just trying to get it open. If you can't make money, you can't do anything like that."</span>

<span>Kempfer said he is hoping to reopen the business in time for a grand opening on Memorial Day.</span>

<span>"I've got some plans I want to do, but I've got to see how things run for the first year," he said.</span>

<span>In terms of staff, Wright said the business is starting anew with new employees.</span>

<span>"It's going to be all-new staffing," she said. "We have already had a lot of people who have hit us up for jobs.</span>

<span>"I need to make sure my staff is going to be there to give our customers good service and make sure everything is taken care of."</span>

<span>One challenge to Water Street's rebirth is the public perception of the lawsuits. As </span>Water Street Bar and Grill - along with its then-operator KBB Growth LLC - it is one of three Evansville establishments named as defendants in each suit, with the others being Michael J's Saloon and Just Sue's.

Steinheimer was charged in Monroe County last year for aggravated DUI and reckless homicide in the deaths of 20-year-old Hannah Porter and 19-year-old Abby Liefer in a January 10, 2015 two-vehicle, head-on collision on Route 159 south of Hecker.

Steinheimer, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, was 20 years old at the time of the accident and the suits allege the businesses named served her alcohol on the night of the crash.

The Illinois Dram Shop Act allows individuals to seek compensation against owners of businesses that sell liquor for physical injury or death of a person and damage to property caused by an intoxicated person.

The first lawsuit was filed Aug. 20 by Dawn Porter - Hannah's mother - and the second was filed Dec. 3 by Daniel Liefer, Abby's father.

Porter's 12-count suit seeks more than $75,000 for each count, while Liefer's 17-count suit seeks more than $50,000 for each count.

A trooper with the Illinois State Police has testified that Steinheimer's blood alcohol content on the night in question was 0.179 - more than twice the legal limit.

Wright, who will handle the day-to-day operations of the business, was asked how Water Street can change the public perception of the business after the Steinheimer incident.

"I suggested to Clint that all of our bartenders are going to learn how to card," Wright said. "And I would like all our bartenders to take classes to learn how to spot a fake ID so that we don't have another situation like that."

In July 2015, the signing of Public Act 99-046 requires alcohol servers (and those checking IDs for alcohol service) to successfully complete a Beverage, Alcohol Sellers/Servers Education and Training (BASSET) class every three years.

The mandate takes effect in Randolph County on July 1, 2017.