B Active, an outdoor apparel and activity supplier located at 86 Main Street, has
recently added breakfast beverages and craft cocktails to their current offerings, which also include E-bike rentals, and hiking, golf cart or ghost tours. The new Refresh Bar officially opened its doors two months ago; however, the big celebration took place this past Friday and Saturday inside the store (and outside as the night went on when the diehard dancers took the party to the street).
Curious customers were met with free champagne on the first night to kick off the grand opening (sorry Saturday celebrators- the Friday crowd drank it all!). There were also drink specials for everyone going on over the weekend, which included organic smoothies, Bloody Marys and Modelo beer. The staff was pleasantly surprised with the strong turnout and worked hard pumping out smoothies and adult beverages for many to taste for the first time.
The first night kicked off with local favorites (and St. Elmo’s “house band” from 2-4:30 p.m. on Thursdays), Tonky Honk, and they brought the party. With the approximately 8 feet x 12 feet hinged windows that are typically open in the summer to showcase the shop’s E-bike rentals, the fresh spring air was coming in, and the big sounds of the funky country band were going out.
With acoustic music and community camaraderie flowing, the second night saw local musicians, Beca Reyes and Scott Muhleman, take the weekend celebration to the finish line. Although there was a little bit smaller of a crowd, it made for more of a “stay and linger” type vibe (maybe Friday night was more of the champagne crowd anyway). Whether you went the first night, second night or both nights, it’s safe to say the Refresh Bar’s open-air atmosphere makes it attractive for both connoisseurs to want to consume beverages there and for musicians to want to play there. It’s like a smaller version of the stage at St. Elmo’s, with a few tables and a handful of bar stools available to imbibe and enjoy music or conversation.
Bonnie and Steve Ball, owners of B Active/Refresh Bar, are excited to be able to give the town a concept that fills a different niche in the community for both locals as well as tourists. As advocates and members of the Bisbee Tourism Coalition, their new venture fits the mission to promote healthy tourism in this area. “Look, Bisbee does bars very well already,” said Steve Ball. “So, the idea of the Refresh Bar is to meet our guests where they want to be and to be unique.“
Offering juice, coffee, tea, mocha or caramel latte, as well as the perennial fan favorite- the smoothie (and much missed staple in Bisbee since the beloved The Grass Stop closed last year). “We’ve already been beginning to see repeat customers for smoothies and beverages,” said Steve Ball. “Our plan is to stay open seven days a week, and having locals support us during the slower times will be essential.”
The bar offers four flavors of (mostly) lower calorie, healthy smoothies: Berry Blast,
Coffee Blast, Mango Banana and ChocoNana, which are made with various
fruits/vegetables, yogurt and almond milk (dairy-free substitutions and add-ins available on request). No matter what flavor you order, I think it’s safe to say the verdict is in- the community is excited to have smoothies back in town.
For the later afternoon and nighttime crowd, the bar is a great place to congregate for happy hour, a pre-dinner drink, a nightcap or a safe place to wait for the shop’s ghost tours to begin. The Refresh Bar has put their own spin on the small-batch barrel-aged craft cocktails with historic roots, such as the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Negroni, Sazerac, Rusty Nail, Martinez, Boulevardier, Classic Martini and more. You can choose a flight of three cocktails (one-ounce pours) for $10 or a barrel to-go for $29 (nine ounces). They also offer beer, wine and booze in addition to their specialty drinks.
The newly constructed bar, which is made from steel and wood (and complete with old newspaper clippings from back-in-the-day Bisbee newspapers mounted on the top of the bar under plexiglass), also serves as a place for sports fans to congregate and cheer on their favorite teams together. “I’m a sports fan, and we provide some good viewing options for folks who want a good spot to catch an event,” said Steve Ball. “We see the Refresh Bar as a fun hangout where you can enjoy one or two beverages and then move on to enjoy all that Bisbee offers.”
B Active/Refresh Bar is open Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., with extended evening hours when ghost tours are booked, and Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m-8 p.m.
