Kennewick’s longtime favorite ‘Bullpen’ bar is back in the game again after 3 years

Dwayne Woodard just could not deal with retirement.

Neither could his wife, Billi.

With Dwayne’s retirement, that is.

“He’d been retired and driving me nuts,” she said. “I thought I’d have to kill him if he didn’t do something. He’s a doer.”

Well, he’s done it.

Shooting for a Feb. 27 opening, Woodard is ready to greet customers at Woody’s BullPen Bar & Grille.

The new tavern will be at a familiar spot in the building that once housed Billy’s Bull Pen Tavern, at 4128 W. Clearwater Ave.

The BullPen part of the name is an ode to the late Billy Harris — the legendary former professional baseball pitcher who owned the establishment for decades.

In fact, Woodard — whom everyone in the bar business knows as just Woody — is keeping a glass case of Harris’ baseball mementos, including photos of his days with the Brooklyn Dodgers and autographed baseballs.

“I used to come here (Billy’s Bull Pen) all the time,” said Woody. “I first came down to the Tri-Cities from Yakima in 1993, working as a manager for the Budweiser distributor.”

One of the first people Woody met on his route was Harris.

“He was so nice,” said Woody. “I would come in here, have some coffee with him and talk about horses.”

When Harris passed away, another owner took over.

But a few years ago a fire damaged the tavern nearly three years ago and it never reopened.

Owned Richland restaurant

Woody and Billi owned and ran the Uptown Restaurant in Richland for seven years, until they closed it in 2014.

That’s when Woody stepped into retirement, periodically helping out Sports Page Bar & Grill owner Teri Rullman.

But it wasn’t enough to keep Woody busy.

Then a couple of years ago, the owner of the Billy’s Bull Pen building called Woody.

“He asked me if I’d be interested in owning a bar there,” said Woody. “I told him I needed to talk to my wife.”

Billi Woodard couldn’t say “yes” fast enough.

But that was over two years ago. It’s been a grind.

Health issues for Billi, who still suffered from a fall at the Uptown Restaurant, and then Woody had a heart attack, postponing the work on the bar that he felt it needed.

“I spent two years working on it,” he said. “I did most of the work myself. I took away some square footage by adding an office in the building, and expanding the kitchen.”

Woody also remodeled the bathrooms and enlarging the bar.

They’ve kept one pool table, but added 16 TVs.

Neighborhood sports bar

“I look at it as your neighborhood sports bar,” Woody said.

Some Jessica Frost artwork that was at their Uptown Restaurant adorns a wall in the bar, too. Of course, there will be beer, wine and spirits sold, and pull tabs should be available.

With the expanded kitchen comes a new menu.

“It will have barbecue, burgers and fries, salads,” he said. “Breakfast will eventually happen, but not yet.”

Hours are 9 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.

Woody expects to have 10 employees, including Billi, himself and at least one of the couple’s three kids.

Son Jackson, in his 20’s, will be involved in the business.

“I come from the coffee industry. It’s a different challenge. But it’ll be fun,” said Jackson.

He’ll also take care of Woody’s social media.

“A lot of people my age are excited about this place opening. My friends are excited,” said Jackson.

He said many of his friends constantly ask him when the place would be open.

So the Woodards are expecting to customers of all ages.

That includes the older regulars who used to frequent the old Billy’s a few years back.

“It’ll be fun to see all of the people again,” said Woody. “People scattered when Billy’s closed. I want this to be seen as your hometown local bar.”

This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 12:45 PM.