In the shadow of the old Hamm's Brewery, a historic brick building is coming back to life. This time with cocktails, color and a heavy dose of nostalgia.

CrowBar, a new pop-up cocktail bar, has opened inside the brewery's 1919 blacksmith shop. The concept is built around pairing modern spirits with the character of a century-old space.

"There are legends in these bricks. There's life that breathes out of these bricks," Liza Sterletske, co-owner of Volaire Spirits, said.

Every corner of the bar offers a nod to the past. An original Metrodome speaker, a vintage radio sign and other pieces of local history line the walls. The goal, Sterletske says, is to spark memories the moment guests walk in.

"We want to create this memory moment where you remember a moment, a thing in your past and it inspires something, some emotion inside of you," Sterletske said.

CrowBar also includes pieces salvaged from restaurants and bars long gone, including doors from the iconic Palmer's Bar. The team says it's their way of honoring places that once helped shape the Twin Cities.

"Those memories of the places we miss started to fall into the idea of how we bring light to them again," Sterletske said.

The drink menu is designed with the same creative energy as the décor, combining bold flavors with artistic presentation. Nonalcoholic options are also a focus.

"We want to welcome our non-drinkers just as much as we welcome the people that imbibe," Sterletske said.

"We try to bring out different characteristics of what already exists and make them sing in a way we think people would be excited by," Director of Libations Grete Bergland said.

Every alcoholic drink is crafted with Volaire Spirits, the first all-women-owned whiskey distillery in Minnesota.

Whether guests come for the craft cocktails, the vintage pieces or the historic setting, Sterletske says CrowBar is ultimately about connection, a reminder that the real spirit comes from people gathering together.