GROVE CITY — Richard Baker and Jim Nicholson will open the borough's first restaurant with a bar, the Blue Ribbon Tavern, since a referendum overturned the community's dry status more than a year ago.

Baker is originally from West Middlesex, Mercer County, and has owned a construction business for five years. Before that, he was a bartender for eight years.

Nicholson is from Grove City and wanted to open the first bar here. The tavern at 131 S. Broad St. will open in mid-August, Baker said.

"It's a unique opportunity," Baker said. "I saw it happen when Slippery Rock went wet and thought it would be a good financial decision."

The business partners began their search for a liquor license and a space downtown Grove City more than a year ago. The pair bought and transferred the license from the Blue Ribbon Grille in Farrell, Mercer County. They liked the name and decided to go with it.

Since Mercer County already hit its quota on licenses, anyone interested in licenses for Grove City needs to buy them from another business in the county.

Two licenses can be transferred to Grove City, said Francesca Chapman, deputy press secretary for the Liquor Control Board. Clubs and beer distributors don't count against the borough's quota, she said.

The borough has two beer distributors and two private clubs that sell alcohol, she said.

Chapman said the transfer of the liquor license is awaiting LCB approval, which is expected in a few weeks.

Baker, who would not comment on how much the license transfer cost, said, "I think we have a lot of things going for us here with the revitalization. We are within walking distance of USIS, and I am sure we will get a good lunch crowd."

Baker said the response from the community has been 99 percent positive, with a few worried residents voicing their opinions.

"We have had way less opposition than I thought and way more support than I thought we would have," he said. "A couple of the community members are just against alcohol."

In addition to serving alcohol, Baker said the restaurant will have a varied food menu.

Lisa Pritchard, manager of Olde Town Grove City, said now the community has "something for everybody" downtown.

"A full-service restaurant helps to create more of a destination for people and it complements the Guthrie Theater," Pritchard said. "I got to meet the chefs and the food sounds great. I'm excited that I can leave my money in Grove City."

While the owners of Genova's Italian Restaurant on Broad Street showed interest in getting a liquor license about a year ago, they said the cost of a license prohibited them from actually applying for one.