DT’s Down Under may still be “down under,” but it is no longer “DT’s.”

Instead, meet its latest incarnation – Rye Bar.

The location was recently purchased by business partners Aaron Musgrove and Jason Mann, who is also an owner of Farm 255.

Mann was inspired to buy the bar because of its cultural significance to Athens.

“This space played a critical role in the development of the Athens music scene,” he said. “Before it was DT’s, it was called the Downstairs. It was the first place people started hanging out downtown before Athens was what it was.”

However, the years had not been kind to the location, Mann said. After it came under new ownership around 10 years ago, everything went downhill, he said.

“The scene totally changed down here. Over the last 10 years, it was run down into the ground,” Mann said. “It was really sad. People wouldn’t come down these stairs because it smelled so bad.”

Mann wasn’t alone in his thinking.

“(It was) not the best music scene and kind of smelled bad,” said Katie Halley, a senior English major who frequented the bar during her freshman year. “We went because it was 18 and up, but it was not a good experience.”

Nowadays, Mann hopes to completely revamp the bar’s image and restore its reputation.

With rustic wood finishing, stained glass windows, and exposed brick and concrete, the bar has undergone a complete makeover. Going for an organic look, Mann said he wasn’t trying to make the place something other than what it is – a dark basement.

“Athens lacks small intimate bars,” he said.

Also, music will be brought back to the forefront of the bar, hosting live acts six nights a week.Monday will be an open mic night. Tuesdays will focus on reggae music, while the rest of the week will be “power-packed” with DJs and local acts.

“As a music venue we want to be very inclusive, a place where diversity rules,” Mann said.

Another aspect Mann hopes the bar will be known for is its high-end bourbons.

“Bourbon is really the drink of the Southeast,” he said. “It’s like wine almost.”

Rye Bar will feature bourbon-tasting specials in which a customer can purchase a “flight” of quarter shot samples.

“We want to educate the consumer about the complexity and potential of bourbons,” Mann said, “so you can learn to differentiate from Tennessee and Kentucky bourbons.”

However, people on a short financial leash shouldn’t be discouraged. Rye Bar still will offer a range of differently priced drinks.

“We’ll have $1.50 PBRs,” Mann said. “At the same time, we want to offer a selection of high-end materials that no one else has in town.”

Unlike DT’s, Rye Bar is now 21 and up. Mann emphasized they will still cater to students looking “to experience the music legacy of Athens.”

“We want to be a dynamic place, a place where all the different faces of Athens feel welcome. The future will tell what type of clientele we get,” he said.

With high hopes for the location, Rye Bar has become a labor of love for Mann.

“DT’s was a spot that needed someone to give it some attention and love,” he said. “Anyone that knew about DT’s in its previous incarnation will appreciate what we’ve done.”