Spirits in Willoughby: New owners open train car wine bar (photos)

New dining and bar space in the Train Car Wine Bar at Willoughby Spirits.

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Spirits in Willoughby, on the north end of downtown Willoughby, has a new owner and a romantic new Train Car Wine Bar.

In November, Kirk Swanson took ownership of the seven-year-old tavern and Mary O’Neill Vicic joined him as general manager. Both have deep roots in the hospitality industry, Swanson has operated the Chagrin River Diner, The Pub at the end of Lost Nation Road and Castaways River Tiki Bar, all in Willoughby. Vicic has worked at a number of restaurants.

Dining space in the vintage Train Car Wine Bar at Willoughby Spirits.

The tavern’s name – Spirits — has dual meaning. The bar serves spirits, of course. And the property is allegedly haunted by spirits. Specifically, the 100-plus-year-old Willoughby Coal & Supply Co. building on the site has attracted nationwide attention for paranormal activity.

New decor in Train Car Wine Bar at Willoughby Spirits.

Today, that “haunted” brick building is a storage facility. It will soon find new life as storage for oak barrels to age wine as the facility moves into wine production at some point.

For now, Swanson and Vicic have been focusing on menu improvements and updating the tavern which has 95 seats indoors, 50 seats on the patio and 24 seats on the train car.

The menu includes craft cocktails, sandwiches, including a lobster roll, as well as chicken wings, walleye, perch and much more.

The duo redecorated a vintage train car, which debuted on Valentine’s Day. It is open only on Fridays and Saturdays by reservation.

“We had a vision to create a retro dining car,” said Vicic. The tables are set with grandma’s china. Literally, someone donated their grandma’s vintage china to contribute to the vibe.

“We’re trying to build it to where it has its own elevated menu,” she noted. Until then, diners can choose from the regular Spirits menu or a few dining car specials.

“We want to do wine and food pairings and specialty menu nights for train car diners,” Vicic added. “Right now we’re just building it so people will want to be in it.”

Local lore suggests that Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy may have been passengers in the car. True or not, it’s fun to think about the possibility. The car, probably from the 1950s, was part of Pennsylvania Railroad and was part of the 1975-76 bicentennial Freedom Train.

New sandwiches include a lobster roll.

In Willoughby, it has served as the town’s welcome center in one of its iterations. Now, attached to the Spirits building, it is a whimsical alternative to bar room dining. Reservations are required.