From Cougar Quarters to Comeback Project
Jake’s Apartment: Where It All Began
Every project has a story—and some are better than others.
Jake’s Apartment is one of those.
Before we get into what it has become, we’re going to start with where it began.
A long time ago, the apartment behind the bar served as housing for the original owner. And yes… that included space for Thor—the pet cougar.
Over the years, Jake also used the bedrooms as rentals, offering a place for patrons to safely crash after a long night at the bar. It was part of the culture, part of the building’s story.
Then things changed.
The bar shut down.
The building sat.
Time took its toll.
At one point, a new owner stepped in and began demolition with plans to revive the property—but life had other plans, and once again, it sat vacant.
We had driven by it for years.
In 2020, we finally tracked down the owner, learned the story, and made the decision to purchase it during the middle of the COVID pandemic. That kicked off the transformation of Jake’s Bed & Bar.
The bar itself was a massive undertaking—and a successful one—but the apartment in the back?
That became the “next year project.”
Fast forward to 2025.
New relationships, new momentum—and Ark Renovations stepping in ready to take this project head-on.
And they’ve delivered.
What started as:
- Studs
- Clutter
- Open gaps to the outside
Is now becoming:
- Fully insulated
- Fresh drywall
- Updated bathroom
- New doors
- And soon… fully furnished living space
We’re going to share pieces of this transformation over the next couple weeks as the final touches come together.
Because honestly…
It’s amazing what this space has become.
And we can’t wait to show it off and give our guests even more options when they come back to stay.
👉 Did you ever visit Jake’s back in the day—or hear stories about it?
👉 What’s the wildest “before” transformation you’ve seen on a property?
Drop a comment—we’d love to hear it.
Stay tuned… this one’s just getting started.