LAURA TARANTELLA/THE EXPRESS The former Northwest Bank location, near the intersection of Vesper and Main streets, is pictured above.

LOCK HAVEN — With Lock Haven City Council’s approval of a resolution on Monday night, the new owner of the former Northwest Bank, 104 E. Main St., is a step closer to developing the space into a new and unique restaurant/bar experience.

Parker Everett, sole proprietor of The Haven Exchange, LLC, and Attorney Paul Ryan attended council’s meeting Monday night and took part in a public hearing regarding a request to transfer a liquor license from Porter Township into the City of Lock Haven.

The liquor license, according to Ryan and Everett, is currently under Parker Everett Enterprises, LLC — of which Everett is the sole proprietor. Even with council’s approval of the request, Everett will still need to get approval from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

During the public hearing, Everett offered a rundown of what he hopes to turn the space into. The building, up until the merger of Northwest Bank with Jersey Shore State Bank, has housed banking institutions over the years until now.

According to Everett, he wants to bring a new concept to the area.

“It’s going to be a self-pouring tap system,” he said.

If the plans come to fruition, the business would allow those 21-years-old and older to purchase an RFID card or wristband and load a certain number of drinks onto the device.

Once that’s completed, customers will be able to go to the self pouring tap system and pour a drink between 1 to 4 ounces and sample beverages available.

“You can pour up to two drinks (total),” at a time, Everett said. Once the card is emptied, he said a customer would need to come back to the bartender or server and reload the card. This system allows employees to monitor a customer’s alcohol consumption.

The venue will also include a small menu of appetizers and food for people to sample along with their drinks.

That, too, would be mostly self service.

“There will be QR codes on all the tables. There will be waitresses to help take your order as well. But I want it to be something that you can go, sit down, easily order an appetizer to the table,” Everett told council. “Each code will be coded to that specific table. So you scan the code on your phone (and) it will also tell you when it’s ready.”

Everett said he anticipates the venue to initially have a capacity of 40 customers at a time and noted he would be utilizing Keystone Security for the building.

The business would be open at the start from Thursday through Sunday with hours of 4 p.m. to midnight. He noted the hours on Friday and Saturday could be subject to change.

He’s expecting to have about eight to 10 employees, with one RAMP certified manager and other employees to have their server certification through the PLCB.

“There will be one person at the front door to greet people, check them in and get their cards set up and then someone who monitors the tap system because sometimes people don’t know how to do it properly,” Everett said. “Then there will be someone who helps clean up around the venue, cleans tables and checks on people.”

Everett said he hopes to create a new, open concept space with the business.

“It’ll be an open space, with a lot of standing tables. It’ll be more of a social atmosphere,” he said. “We want to do more events than a bar/restaurant.”

He noted his plans include a game room on the second floor as well, though he is determining what games could be included in the space.

He added the remaining portion of the second floor, if he receives approval from the city, would be turned into an apartment space/AirBnB rental that isn’t part of the liquor license footprint and would be separate from the tap room.

“These are preliminary,” he said of the plans presented to council. “I think I’m going to try an AirBnB there. It’s going to be a two bedroom, if it’s all approved by the city. It would have its own porch with private access out the back.”

Members of council expressed their excitement at the potential business coming to Main Street in the future.

Council Member Tami Brannan said she moved from Boise, Idaho, to Pennsylvania and said the city had a similar place that used RFID cards.

“It was an excellent venue in Boise, there were always people there and it was such a fun time. I’m excited for it to come downtown,” Brannan said.

Council Member Steve Stevenson offered his positive feedback as well.

“This is sort of exciting, it’s something new and can bring people downtown,” he said.

Council Member Rick Conklin wished Everett luck and said he hoped his venture goes well.

Following discussion, council approved the resolution unanimously.