Brandy Puczylowski and Anthony Jackson, owners of downtown staple Circa 1800, have expanded their business portfolio and opened a bar next door to their popular restaurant. Open since November, The Waiting Room at 106 serves as a top-tier bar with unique offerings and a flexible menu designed to keep patrons returning for new tastes.

The name reflects its purpose, a laid-back space for patrons to pass the time, complete with tabletop games, cozy seating options and a fireplace. Jackson shared that Circa 1800 often has a long wait time on weekends, and now their bar offers a place for guests to gather and enjoy drinks and snacks before their table is ready, or to come to if they are looking to go out but aren’t hungry for a full meal. 

“We've been thinking about a bar for a while… and this space came available. It has a full kitchen so we can [serve food], we're more like a tapas bar, which I think we're the only one in Fayetteville now,” shared Jackson. “So you come over here while you're on the wait list, hang out, have a drink, have a couple appetizers and when your table is ready you just run over to Circa. Or if you're not necessarily in the mood for a full meal, you can come out here, have we call them our bar snacks. You come over here, have bar snacks, have a drink and just relax for a while.”

The menu at The Waiting Room is dynamic, changing weekly. The drink menu showcases innovative cocktails, with a particular emphasis on variety and creative flavors. Regular standouts include the crowd-favorite “girl dinner” and inventive martinis. By the end of November, the bar aims to feature 125 different bourbons and scotches.

Since opening, The Waiting Room at 106 has consistently welcomed a growing clientele, supported by Circa 1800’s established reputation. While the space is adults-only, the bar regularly accommodates private parties and events, benefiting from its full kitchen facilities.

“We've consistently been getting busier since we opened. We just hit our 13 year anniversary for Circa, so I think people know that we're going to be doing quality things [and] that we've been there for a while, so we have that word of mouth from having Circa and I think that has really helped, but it has been great. It has been a lot of fun. I've been wanting a bar for a few years, and this is exactly the type of place I was wanting. So it's really worked out well for us,” added Jackson.

Operating hours are slightly staggered from Circa 1800, with The Waiting Room at 106 open from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for the winter season and from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sundays.