Johnny V’s in Jeffersontown will close its doors for good March 31, but the building that housed the casual Italian restaurant on the downtown square won’t be empty for long.

That’s because the entrepreneurial duo behind the RecBar, located just out the back door of Johnny V’s, plans to open and operate Mac’s Dough House, a pizza restaurant, in that space beginning in June.

RecBar has plenty of pinball
RecBar has plenty of pinball

Johnny V’s occupied its spot on the square for eight years, and had become a popular place for watching TV sports.

In a Facebook post on the Johnny V’s page, owner Jimbo Schaffer explained it this way:

It has been an absolute pleasure serving the J-town community since 2009! We have loved every single minute of serving you, getting to know you and your families and being apart of so many wonderful memories of your lives! Each one of you have brought such joy to all of our hearts and we are more than grateful for your support through these years! Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and Johnny V’s last full day will be Friday March 31st. So please….stop in and see us this week! We will miss you more than you could ever imagine, but please know new things are on our horizon to serve this amazing community! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything!!! Until we meet again…CHEERS!!

At the same time, owners Corey Sims and Tony Thomas, who opened RecBar last April, created the Mac’s Dough House Facebook page, and Thomas wrote this post:

I am excited to announce we will be opening our second venue. Mac’s Dough House will open in June. Grateful to team up with Corey Sims and Jimbo Schaffer for this adventure. I am thankful for the support from all of our friends and families. Big thanks to my wife Emilee Thomas for the endless support and encouragement, love you. The Schaffer’s, Sims, and Thomas families going to do big things.

RecBar, which took over a spot that had housed a series of bars and most recently Ann Marie’s Bacon Bar, has enjoyed success catering to people who enjoy a video game or two with their beer. Thomas and Sims, both of whom previously worked at Fourth Street Live! venues, made the break to open their own place last year. RecBar has more than 35 video games and 25 pinball machines. 

Sims and Thomas had conflicts today and couldn’t be interviewed, but Sims said in an email that the opening of Mac’s Dough House was 6-8 weeks away.

Sims appeared on the Jeffersontown Chamber podcast last April.