— A Dayton bar will soon have a 16,500 watt gift from the sun.
Colin Pohlman, the owner of Flanagan’s Pub has been plugging away on plans for solar rooftop since buying the legendary Dayton bar nearly two years ago.
If all goes as planned, Icon Solar of Milford will soon begin construction on the 60-panel system soon at the establishment located at 101 E Stewart St. near the University of Dayton.
The permits were approved today.
“Within two weeks time we could be operational,” Pohlman said.
He said the company can install the panels in as little as a day.
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“We pretty much pulled out all the stops. This is going to be an massive array,” Pohlman said. “It going to be impressive when it is done.”
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Pohlman did not disclose the cost, but said the expense was in the five figures.
The project is expected to pay for itself in about seven years and save the bar roughly 20 percent in its electricity costs annually.
“Over time, the savings really add up,” Pohlman said.
Flanagan’s is the first bar to take on a solar roof project of this large of a scale, its owner said.
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Besides saving money, the project also continues in the tradition of giving back, started by pub founder Pat Flanagan, Pohlman said.
“I think it is also inspiring,” he said. “People like to patronize businesses they know are paying back to the community and the environment.”
Pat Flanagan supported police and firefighters’ causes.
The solar panel project is partly funded by the sale of hundreds and hundreds of “Solar sandwiches,” a combination of steak on Texas toast topped with provolone, cheddar and nacho cheeses for just $6.50.
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The solar panels are just one of the improvements Pohlman has made to Flanagan's.
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“We are kind of upgrading at a breakneck pace, but I am always happy to put money back into the building and business to see it succeed,” Pohlman said.
The last change came yesterday when Flanagan’s closed for a day to replace its old bottle cooler system.
“The old one was a relic from the ‘60s. I am surprised it survived this long,” Pohlman said. “They were tanks. They were very difficult to get out, but they served their purposes. They were good to us.”
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