CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- If your idea of a good time is sipping frozen daiquiris, watching football on widescreen TV and listening to soft piano jazz, Neil Patel has just the place for you.

Patel is the managing partner of Dak-a-Reez, a piano bar he plans to open soon at 808 Kanawha Blvd. E., until recently the home of Julie J's.

If that doesn't ring a bell, think Crawdaddy's, a mainstay in the downtown club scene for years. If you drive by today, you'll see the temporary "Coming soon - Dak-a-Reez" sign over the door of the gray and maroon building, between Legends and the Segal Law Firm, two doors down from the Sound Factory.

As you might imagine from the name, tropical drinks figure heavily in the bar's theme.

"We're going to have a wall of daiquiris," Patel said. He plans to install eight daiquiri machines on the long wall behind the bar, in between the three 50-inch, flat-screen TVs.

He ripped out the old bar, along with most of the traces of the old interior, and started over. "All new bar, new floor, new fixtures. We redid the bathrooms, all tile now. We've got some bright colors coming in here. The ceiling's going to be orange and red."

The piano will go in front, on the low stage. He plans to have live music five nights a week. "We've got five entertainers lined up. We're looking for more."

Bob Thompson and Mark Scarpelli will play several nights a week, he said. "We're going to try for a more mature crowd in here."

However, to keep his options open, he's keeping the upstairs pool table and plans four video lottery machines downstairs.

Patel said he'd like to be open in time for the WVU-Auburn football game on Oct. 23, but might miss that deadline. "It's taking longer than anticipated. We started 30 days ago and had hoped to be open by now."

He estimates that the renovations, including labor and equipment, will cost $150,000. "We don't want to cut corners."

Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 348-5102.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- If your idea of a good time is sipping frozen daiquiris, watching football on widescreen TV and listening to soft piano jazz, Neil Patel has just the place for you.

Patel is the managing partner of Dak-a-Reez, a piano bar he plans to open soon at 808 Kanawha Blvd. E., until recently the home of Julie J's.

If that doesn't ring a bell, think Crawdaddy's, a mainstay in the downtown club scene for years. If you drive by today, you'll see the temporary "Coming soon - Dak-a-Reez" sign over the door of the gray and maroon building, between Legends and the Segal Law Firm, two doors down from the Sound Factory.

As you might imagine from the name, tropical drinks figure heavily in the bar's theme.

"We're going to have a wall of daiquiris," Patel said. He plans to install eight daiquiri machines on the long wall behind the bar, in between the three 50-inch, flat-screen TVs.

He ripped out the old bar, along with most of the traces of the old interior, and started over. "All new bar, new floor, new fixtures. We redid the bathrooms, all tile now. We've got some bright colors coming in here. The ceiling's going to be orange and red."

The piano will go in front, on the low stage. He plans to have live music five nights a week. "We've got five entertainers lined up. We're looking for more."

Bob Thompson and Mark Scarpelli will play several nights a week, he said. "We're going to try for a more mature crowd in here."

However, to keep his options open, he's keeping the upstairs pool table and plans four video lottery machines downstairs.

Patel said he'd like to be open in time for the WVU-Auburn football game on Oct. 23, but might miss that deadline. "It's taking longer than anticipated. We started 30 days ago and had hoped to be open by now."

He estimates that the renovations, including labor and equipment, will cost $150,000. "We don't want to cut corners."

Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 348-5102.