Billy Ray’s Dive Bar opens Saturday, August 1. From a press release: “After decades in the iconic location at the old red house at 2216 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Billy Ray’s Dive Bar is moving around the corner to 835 NE Broadway.” This is the old Black Water Bar space.
The move’s origins have to do with lease issues. They–owners Mark & Paula Hylland, also of The G.O.A.T. Bar (closed, now part of The Mule Bar), The Mule Bar, and Mousetrap Tavern—bought the business from Billy Ray in 2023 when Billy and his family decided to move to Tennessee. Billy had sold the bar property and surrounding properties to Harder Mechanical and negotiated a 3-year lease for the bar. The Harder Mechanical people were not interested in renewing the lease, so the Hyllands decided they needed to find a new location for the bar.
In late 2025, they found the location on NE Broadway and have been working on it since early 2026. The building was a bar, which was in their favor, but it also needed a lot of work. The age and condition of the building were a concern, so the buildout involved updating major systems to make the place truly functional. “We are excited to combine the aesthetic of the old, while having new mechanical systems that work well,” said Hylland…