Jared Stier 0 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 So my buddies and a few very rich investors have gotten together and have started a bar! There is a brand new start of the art arena that was just built in downtown Louisville and we were able to acquire the building right next door to the main exit. Its almost right under second street bridge so we figured calling it the troll would be best. Its a basement bar in a building that was made in 1820. The walls are two feet thick brick in all directions. As far as my part in the development of the concept and getting construction underway I have also been in charge of furniture build out and trade dress. So here is the pub as things stand now. LOGO We have an 8' troll that is hanging in our stair well These pictures were taken before construction started. One thing that is neat about this building is its 7 stories but there is an open air courtyard in the middle of the building which we will use for out door seating We are going to be ready to open up on October first so I will have more photos of the place once it gets more completed. The furniture is made from old poplar beams that had to be removed from the building. These beams in place when the building was built and with the size they had to have started growing the very late 1700's so we could not let them go to waste. I cant show a whole lot of the stuff we have made, mainly our two giant trolls that we carved out of poplar ( 4 feet tall that are going to hold up our back bar ) for trademark reasons but once that gets resolved I will show four person table six person table and you can see to the right some tree trunk table tops. two person table These are the beams and timbers we took from the building. My foot is there to give you a sense of size. The shortest one is 20 feet Here is some concept art that Dave D of the Mad Dwarf Workshop did for us Practice random acts of Viking Link to post Share on other sites
Jared Stier 0 Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 And here is some knot work carvings I have done I used Purple Heart, Bloodwood, African Mahogany, and Curly Maple. the purple heart design is taken from a church door in norway, the blood wood is a norse design, and the other two celtic ones were in my head which I am sure I have seen around somewhere. These will go on either side of a doorway. Well thats all she wrote for now. If you have facebook you can check us out here http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Troll-Pub-Under-the-Bridge/116895821676427 thanks for looking and if any of you are going to be stopping through louisville just let me know and you will get the bladesmiths beer discount ( on the house ) Practice random acts of Viking Link to post Share on other sites
Howard Clark 6 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Might have to think about going to Louisville again, just to visit. Looks very cool to me. I wish you the best of luck. Is it downtown in the area that is the lively night spot ? Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Furrer 56 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Purple heart oxidizes brown over time...keep that one inside with a clear coat on it. I wish you success in this Jared! My dad had a small tavern for 40 years..bartender before I could drink. so...ya gonna have an axe mounted somewhere..for those unruly customers? Ric Richard Furrer Door County Forgeworks Sturgeon Bay, WI Link to post Share on other sites
Jens M. Strassegger 0 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 This is fantastic! Holyjelly how cool! I probably never will get the priveledge to travel to Kentucky, but if it happens sometime in the future I´ll remember to get myself over to your bar. The sad thing is that if someone would put up a troll like that here in Norway, some drunks would probably try lighting it on fire or destroy it otherwise... But yea COOL! And wish you the best! Link to post Share on other sites
B. Norris 13 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Congratulations! May fortune bless your undertaking. That is a huge amount of work that you have already done still have to accomplish, and I wish you well in it. You are off to a great start. Also, the offer of a free beer is a great way to meet other, fellow, bladesmiths. Hopefully, one of these days, I will meet you face to face. ~Bruce~ “All work is empty save when there is love, for work is love made visible.” Kahlil Gibran "It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them." - Alfred Adler Link to post Share on other sites
Ethan P. 0 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 I'm excited for you, Jared. I'm not of drinking age, and probably won't be drinking anyway, but sometime during my wanderings downtown I'll try to check it all out. We still have to forge something, anyway. And Howard, I saw you at the Knifemaker's Guild show two years ago, but your table was too busy (and I was slightly intimidated), so yes, you should certainly come back! -Ethan Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff Keyes 672 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Hey, we've got a relative of yours who lives here in Seattle, under the Aurora bridge in Fremont. It looks like we're going to have to put Louisville on the travel list! Geoff "The worst day smithing is better than the best day working for someone else." I said that. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. - - -G. K. Chesterton So, just for the record: the fact that it does work still should not be taken as definitive proof that you are not crazy. Grant Sarver Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 3,788 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Truly awesome and inspirational! I wish you all the best, and for once I'm almost sorry I don't live in KY anymore. I predict an interesting clientele... And with that decor I'd bet a few magazine spreads may just happen as well! There definitely needs to be a large axe and an even bigger nail-studded club securely fastened to the wall above the bar. Link to post Share on other sites
Jared Stier 0 Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 thanks everyone! Alan and Ric, I know we need some massive weapon there but its just a matter of finding the time to make it . Practice random acts of Viking Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Green 18 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Way cool!!! I hope it is a big success! Maybe Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givins will shoot someone there. hehe Mark Mark Green I have a way? Is that better then a plan? (cptn. Mal) Link to post Share on other sites
J.Arthur Loose 180 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Groovy. jloose.com Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Sheffield 5 Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Oh now that is some cool stuff!!! Next time I'm in Louisville I'll have to see if its open. Is smoking in bars allowed in KY? If so then I'll bring my favorite pipe. My life is like shaving with a razor sharp machete. It's a bit awkward and I feel a sting every now and then, but in the end I'm happy with the results. Link to post Share on other sites
Troy Christianson 3 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I will put your joint on my "Places to Visit" when I am in Louisville again! My visage will fit in with your trolls rather nicely. Troy Allen Christianson is NOT a "Licensed Bladesmith" so you may treat his posts with the contempt they deserve. Link to post Share on other sites
Jared Stier 0 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Oh now that is some cool stuff!!! Next time I'm in Louisville I'll have to see if its open. Is smoking in bars allowed in KY? If so then I'll bring my favorite pipe. No you cant BUT you can in the courtyard which is right outside of the bar area Practice random acts of Viking Link to post Share on other sites
Kristopher Skelton 1 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Road trip! Good luck with this endeavor. Kristopher Skelton, M.A. "There was never a good knife made from bad steel" A quiet person will perish ~ Basotho Proverb Link to post Share on other sites
Dick Sexstone 30 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Jared, Very cool.... you have done a huge amount of really cool work already... I hope it becomes an Establishment Best of luck to you and everyone involved... Dick Link to post Share on other sites
B. Norris 13 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Just the odd thought that occurred. The knotwork carvings, especially that last one, look rather delicate. Might be a good idea to put them behind some plexiglass and prevent the overexuberent patron or two from taking a souvenir home or damaging them accidentally. Like the shirt says "Never underestimate the power of stupid people... In large groups." ~Bruce~ “All work is empty save when there is love, for work is love made visible.” Kahlil Gibran "It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them." - Alfred Adler Link to post Share on other sites
Jared Stier 0 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Just the odd thought that occurred. The knotwork carvings, especially that last one, look rather delicate. Might be a good idea to put them behind some plexiglass and prevent the overexuberent patron or two from taking a souvenir home or damaging them accidentally. Like the shirt says "Never underestimate the power of stupid people... In large groups." ~Bruce~ Haha that is a very true statement. How we are attaching them is with bolts. In the back of them I have installed threaded bungs and we are going to run bolts through the 2' thick walls and tighten them that way. I mean there is always the chance someone will go drunk chimpanzee on it and take it out but then that person has to deal with me and the auto locking castle doors im building. Shit would not be pretty inside of there once I was done Practice random acts of Viking Link to post Share on other sites
Bill Hoffman 6 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 ROAD TRIP!! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Sheffield 5 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 No you cant BUT you can in the courtyard which is right outside of the bar area Sweet. My life is like shaving with a razor sharp machete. It's a bit awkward and I feel a sting every now and then, but in the end I'm happy with the results. Link to post Share on other sites
David D. 0 Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 A couple months ago Andy & I had the pleasure of hangin out with Jared for a whole day in his home town. Visited the Frazier Historical Arms Museum, grabbed lunch at a great pub nearby, and visited the Troll pub amidst the chaos of construction work. Jared was like some sort of excited ancient miner who stumbled across an ancient underground cave system that he planned to refurbish into a subterranean mead-hall... The passion energy and vision he has behind this project is inspiring, and even though he's working on it with a big group of guys, I get the feeling he has the most vision for the project... In my spare time between the chaos of life I'm sketching/painting a few big pictures for them to display on the walls of the pub. So I'll be sure and post the finished results on here when they are done. Thanks for sharing this with all of us Jared! I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend" J.R.R. Tolkien www.CedarloreForge.com Link to post Share on other sites
hankknickmeyer 0 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Isn't the Knifemakers' Guild Show now in Louisville? Hank henry knickmeyer Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Furrer 56 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 thanks everyone! Alan and Ric, I know we need some massive weapon there but its just a matter of finding the time to make it . At carnivals you have the sledgehammer with the bell to ring....what do you have to make the strong folk with more muscle than brain feel good about themselves? Axe throwing is not going to pass the insurance...but maybe and axe lift will.....a massive double bit axe with a telephone pole handle...do a once every three month lifting contest. One end secured to the building and the head on the ground...whomever can lift it the highest wins..something. It favors the tall, but...who cares. Or something with billy goats? Ric Richard Furrer Door County Forgeworks Sturgeon Bay, WI Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 3,788 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Or something with billy goats? Ric That's still legal in Kentucky, from what I heard when I lived there ten years ago... Link to post Share on other sites
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