Our Story

The Monkey Bar was a design epiphany for me. My husband, Chris, and I purchased the old PNC Bank as a joint venture. The back of the building was a drive-thru teller line without any clear new direction. There were many outside opinions about the space that included tearing it down. As a designer by trade, I had the vision this could be a cool outdoor space for a bar.

The name ‘Monkey Bar’ is a play on my retail stores, Five Gold Monkeys, that I have been operating for the last 20 years. The bar is where the teller station used to be, and the covered area is where you made deposits. The feel of a jungle is where my design inspiration came from. My goal was an upscale space catered to a day-drinking clientele.

As it turns out, the space has become something different. Our peak times have evolved to five o’clock, before and after dinner. We have a beautiful space for an event venue and offer the ability to bring in your catering. We are offering more live music and are a gameday destination during football and basketball seasons. You can rent out the backspace privately and we have hosted several engagement parties there.

Come Join Us at the Monkey Bar!

-Ellen Semple