The GOAT Bar opens in Latonia, bringing a new neighborhood hangout

The GOAT Bar, nestled at the corner of Huntington and E. Southern avenues in Latonia, is co-founder Matt Johnson’s take on the neighborhood bar.

The corner bar hosted a grand opening ceremony on Thursday evening in conjunction with a ribbon-cutting ceremony courtesy of the City of Covington.

Vice Mayor Ron Washington thanked Johnson for taking a chance on Latonia, touting the neighborhood’s walkability and sense of community.

“We want you to succeed because if you succeed, our city succeeds, so it’s extremely, extremely important,” Washington said.

Johnson and his business partner purchased the building in June for $200,000, according to Kenton County property records. Prior to the sale, the space was home to Mic’s Pub, an Irish bar that operated out of the space from 2012 until 2022.

The bar’s name, “The GOAT” is a reference to the acronym for ‘Greatest Of All Time” coupled with Johnson’s affinity for the animal, which he said is good to use for marketing and branding.

Johnson said he chose Latonia because of its neighborliness, and aesthetically, he liked the building for its brick exterior.

“I love Latonia,” Johnson said. “I think the people here are great. They have a great sense of community and are just really, really down-to-earth great people, and I love the idea of being a neighborhood bar that just brings people together.”

The bar features all of the classics inside, including a small live music space, three dart boards, countless televisions, charity machines, a Golden Tee machine and KENO.

For Johnson, the bar’s opening is the culmination of years of investment. Johnson explained that the previous owner helped rehab the bar’s interior before he bought the property. The prior work made it easier for Johnson to pull the trigger on the sale.

“It feels like a very casual place to hang out and have affordable drinks and a snack like a hot dog and nachos,” he said.

At the moment, managing the bar will be a side project as he continues his full-time career as a real estate appraiser.

“It’s a part-time gig for both of us,” he said. “It’s something we’re doing that was a side project that we think would be fun and interesting. We’ll be working here as our time allows.”

Starting out, the bar will open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to midnight. Johnson said the hours will adjust accordingly as the business becomes more established.