‘One-of-a-kind’ Meridian bar to open: 3 patios, ‘huge’ water feature, food, bands, sports

Talie Anchustegui has a few items left on her to-do list.

Need proof? Listen to her describe Maddie’s Wine and Whiskey, a bar coming soon in Meridian.

Maddie’s will take over a reinvented car wash at 835 E. Fairview Ave. — a former full-service Ultra Touch owned by her uncle, Steve Bainbridge.

As operations manager, Anchustegui is tasked with getting the place firing on all cylinders. The hope? Open the first week in May.

“We’re moving along,” she promises, enthusiastically yet calmly.

Bainbridge is naming his 6,500-square-foot bar in honor of a wheaten terrier that brought him joy for 15 years — “the best fishing dog,” explains a media release, which calls Maddie’s a “one-of-a-kind establishment.”

Maddie’s is designed to wag the tail of lots of Idahoans, too.

‘Completely renovated’

With over 30 whiskeys and 200 “varieties, vintages and vines” of wine, Maddie’s should live up to its boozy name. And, yes, beer and signature cocktails also will be slung.

But it’s the “ ’choose-your-own’ guest experience” offered by Maddie’s — indoors and out — that should intrigue bargoers most.

This won’t simply be a dressed-up car wash building.

“We’ve completely renovated the inside of it,” Anchustegui said, speaking by phone.

Yet to envision it? “It’s hard until you get in there,” she added.

The Maddie’s interior will have three individual areas, with a capacity of about 250 people. The main lounge will include a horseshoe bar, a stage, eclectic decor with leather sofas — and a “massive wine wall,” she said. A separate sports bar called The Doghouse will offer multiple TVs. And a private events room will double as a gallery for local artists’ work.

Food trucks, patios

Outdoors, there will be three more spaces. “We have big garage doors around the entire building that we’ll be able to open,” Anchustegui said.

“We have three separate patios. Our east patio has four stone fireplaces. The north patio, that’s going to have another stage and cigar area. There’s going to be a huge water feature that’s going to be fire and water. It’s going to flow into a pool.

“We have AstroTurf on that patio and on the back patio as well. So lots of space for activities, corn hole, yard games.”

“Obviously seating around the fire pits,” she added. “I think there’s a 9-foot fire pit going in on the north patio.”

Are you following all of this?

Bargoers watching games in The Doghouse will be able to cruise out onto the east patio for some air. “Really cool space,” Anchustegui said.

If they’re hungry? Naturally, Maddie’s will have its own permanent food truck and a cold kitchen, too. The menu is still being created, she said, but patrons will be able to order traditional bar fare such as wings and tacos along with wine-friendly charcuterie and cheese boards. Maddie’s also plans to host a second, rotating food truck, probably weekly, Anchustegui said. “We’re still figuring out schedules.”

Live local music will be featured once or twice a week, too — if not more often, she said. Those two stages will need some action, right?

Tastings, events

Maddie’s will be a destination for wine and whiskey tastings. “We are going to have a wine club at some point,” she said. “We plan on doing a lot of classes and a lot of fun things.”

And that private events room? Anchustegui plans to keep it booked and busy.

“We’ll have a chandelier, projector, tables. Bridal parties, rehearsal dinners. We’ll do paint and sips.

“Kind of think about it, name it — we’re going to do it,” she said.

By the first week of May? Really?

“That’s the target,” she said, “but we will be open (by) sometime this summer.”

“In terms of construction materials and all of that, we have all of the big things we need. We’re really at that point where we’re starting to put the inside together and … start moving things in.”

Get ready for Maddie’s, Meridian.

This dog, it appears, will hunt.