Jun 14, 2021

Iconic Hays hotspot under new ownership; remodel underway

Posted Jun 14, 2021 11:01 AM

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

The Wild Rose, 109 W. Seventh, a longtime bar in Hays, is set to get a new life after being sold to a prominent Hays businessman.

While the location will remain a bar, owner Wes Rathbun plans to bring a new atmosphere to the location that it had before, adding food and a variety of activities.

"It's going to be more a style that I appreciate from bigger cities," Rathbun said.

He said his idea stems from travels outside of the area, bringing a type of establishment not currently available in Hays.

"I'm trying to bring stuff that's not here, here," Rathbun said.

He said trying to compete against established Hays businesses is not his intention, but instead wants to complement the downtown area.

"I'd rather have something new, exciting and different that way it also attracts different people," Rathbun said. "The Rose, for example, it had its heyday, but it was past."

He said as the Hays culture has changed, the way businesses operate must change as well.

"It's just not the same," he said. "You don't see the lines out the door like you used to."

He said the space was also in need of some rehab and will spend the summer remodeling the facility.

While many of the details of what will be included in the new location are yet to be finalized, Rathbun said the location will serve food and have unique features to Hays.

Among those new features will be ax-throwing lanes and a pet-friendly patio area.

Other features are being finalized, but Rathbun said they will be unlike what is currently available in Hays.

And while the remodel continues, he said he is optimistic it will become a new favorite location for locals and people traveling through Hays alike.

"I think it will appeal to a lot more people," Rathbun said. "It's going to be a relaxing nice area to hang out, have a few drinks, maybe do a few activities."

He said the remodel is proceeding with the interior set to be completed in late July or early August with an expected opening before Fort Hays State University students arrive for the fall semester.

Rathbun and his family are quickly becoming prominent fixtures in the Hays business community, as owners of the Golden Q, 8th Street Liquor, Something Blue, as well as a trolly party bus.

But even with the other business, Rathbun said the new location will operate independently.

"It's something I have been wanting to do for years," he said. "Even before I owned all of these, I had dreams back when Walmart built the Super Walmart and left their space, of putting in a go-cart place, things like that, something more entertainment-wise."

With the entertainment piece, Rathbun said he sees a bright future for the new location.

"I see it going very well," he said. "I see people loving the concept and taking advantage of it.

"We have a great town, and we have great people that live here," Rathbun said. "It would just be nice to have some more things to do or some more places to go to and so that's what we are trying to offer."

And he sees another new business in downtown Hays as being good for all of downtown Hays.

"It's going to bring more people down here, which is great for everybody," Rathbun said. "More people down here means more business for eating sushi, more people shopping in the boutiques, more people doing other stuff instead of just up by interstate and just traveling through."