- Stephen Hutyra, 42, built a personal pub he calls The Thirsty Goat in his backyard.
- He loves the space, but wishes he'd installed a hot-water heater for the bathroom and sinks.
- He also could have benefited from a little more space behind the bar area.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stephen Hutyra, a 42-year-old program analyst living in the small town of West, Texas. It's been edited for length and clarity.
In November 2020, I was inspired to build a pub in my backyard after seeing a Facebook post.
We have a saying that everything is bigger and better in Texas, so I wanted our pub to be bigger and better than the one I saw in the pictures online.
I spent three years and $61,000 building the space we call The Thirsty Goat on half an acre of land. A construction team built the structure, and I finished the work with my family's help.
My family, friends, and I find ourselves sitting out here in the middle of the week until midnight, or until 2 or 3 a.m. on the weekends. We've thoroughly enjoyed it since finishing back in August, but we're only just starting to see how much we'll use it.
Still, there are a few things I wish I'd done differently.
I should've connected a hot-water heater
The main mistake I made is something that my wife reminds me of all the time: I didn't hook up hot water to the bathroom or the bar.
There's only cold water coming out of both sinks.
I didn't think I'd have the space for a hot-water heater, but I probably could have gotten one of those little tankless ones and put it on the outside.
It wouldn't have taken much to add that on, and it's been very cold washing hands and dishes in the winter, so I regret not doing that.
Unfortunately, I didn't install a dishwasher either
It's another thing my wife reminds me of all the time. I should have planned to install a small dishwasher below the cabinet that sits behind the bar.
I either have to wash dishes with cold water in the bar sink or load dirty glassware into a tub I haul into the house to wash in the dishwasher.
Having a dishwasher would really come in handy to load dirty dishes and cutlery throughout the day and night. But with the compact floor plan I mapped out, I just didn't have the room.
A little extra space behind the bar would have been nice
Initially, I only planned to put one mini fridge behind the bar. After I installed it, though, I measured the space left and realized I had enough room for a second fridge.
Having two has really made a big impact. I frequently use the second to store juices, lemons, limes, and other items for mixed drinks.
If I didn't have the fridge, I'd probably have to use a small cooler with ice packs.
What I didn't realize, though, is that because the countertop edge extends into that corner, the door to the second mini fridge can only open about halfway.
If I had installed shelves there as I initially planned, there wouldn't be an issue.
Thankfully, there's room for other appliances on top.
A microwave, coffee maker, and ice maker have taken about 40% of the empty counter space I had built behind the bar. The ice machine saves space, the microwave is good for guests to quickly reheat items, and adding Keurig single-serve coffee has been nice as well.
We no longer have to walk back into the house to make a cup of coffee in the mornings when we're enjoying the pub.
I've had to adjust to a smaller workspace, but it's worked out.
