‘The place to go in Muncie:’ Roho’s martini bar is more than a nightlife spot

In 2006, one of Matt Howell and Angie Rogers-Howell’s first dates was at a now extinct Muncie martini bar in the village. The pair said they loved the ‘vibe’ of the location and began to frequent the spot.

20 years later, their experiences in that bar are still fresh in their mind, and six months ago, they decided to act on it.

Following the closings of the Fickle Peach and the Mark III Taproom over the past few years, Angie said she and Matt wanted to bring back a community gathering space once lost.

After months of planning, work and community collaboration, Roho’s Martini Bar opened last week, June 11, in downtown Muncie.

“This is our passion project,” Angie said.

Named after a blend of their last names, the bar is meant to symbolize shared love and celebration of this vision. The two agreed that Roho’s is a family affair.

“It’s definitely a family affair to get it going and I can’t say enough about our staff here, we couldn't do it without them,” Matt said.

‘A great place to start your night’

Angie and Matt call Rohos an elevated experience, aesthetically and through what they have to offer on the menu. Matt said, “It's a great place to start your night.”

As you walk into the intimate bar, there is seating on the left illuminated by neon lights, accompanied by local artists' work on the wall. To the right, there is a custom-painted mural from local artist Samantha Chatwin, next to a full bar and back-wall mirror.

A photo of a mural inside Roho's, a martini bar, in Downtown Muncie, June 17. Trinity Rea, DN

Behind the space's tables and chairs, which are topped with bedazzled alcohol bottles — including Roho’s own branded Vodka — is a fireplace mantle turned bookcase designed by a friend, connecting the room and encouraging gathering.

Martinis and cocktails are the highlight of Roho’s menu, which also includes a comprehensive mocktail list for those who are sober or choose not to drink. Along with this, the menu features a limited selection of beer and wine, or as Angie calls it, “a little bit of everything for everybody.”

For food, the bar has barbecue, flatbreads, charcuterie and crostinis. Dessert-wise, cheesecakes, crème brûlée and macaroons are available to order.

Once unveiled, Roho’s will also be a part of the “Dora” program or designated outdoor refreshment area, where customers will be able to come and get a drink and food to go.

While the space itself is inviting and provides inclusive non-alcoholic and vegan menu options, Angie and Matt wanted to make sure that members of the community know they’re welcome. This resulted in a plague of rules placed right at the entrance of the bar, reading, “Roho’s rules.” On the list are rules like “Don’t be a Jerk” and “Be Cool to our neighbors,” but one rule Angie thinks is important to highlight is rule number five, ‘Inclusivity is the Vibe.’

“We love everybody. We celebrate everyone,” Angie said. “Because next door used to be where the Mark was for a long time, I really wanted to pay respect to the fact that it was here before us. We want everybody to be welcome and included.”

Additionally, before putting up the awning above the entry to the bar, Matt and Angie met with the mural artists, alongside Muncie Queer Aliance and Munice Outreach, to ensure that decisions were made with the best care and intent.

“We told them, you know, this is what we would like to do and we’d love your blessing, that sort of thing, and they gave it,” Matt said. “We designed it not to be a focal point around our door; we just kind of focused on our door to give it a little bit of visibility.”

A neon sign of Roho's logo hangs on the wall of Roho's, a martini bar, in Downtown Muncie, June 17. Trinity Rea, DN

A space for community

The pair has been active in the community for years with their business, Farmhouse Marketing and Branding, and they said it's “kind of our job” to know everyone in town. When it comes to Roho’s, they see it as an opportunity to know even more people.

Moving forward, the duo has a lot planned for the location, including potential for special menus, themed movie/event nights, and even the opportunity for businesses to rent the place out for various team-bonding events or parties.

Matt and Angie said it has been great to see the community show up within the first week of business and they are excited to see how Muncie continues to support them.

“We want to be the place to go in Muncie, of course, be a hot spot, but we want to make it beyond the ‘it's new and shiny in Muncie.’ We want to be that place you go to because you want to go to it, because all your friends go to it,” Matt said. “It's that ‘Cheers’ mentality where everybody knows your name.”

For more information, head here to Roho’s website.

Contact Trinity Rea via email at trinity.rea@bsu.edu or on X @thetrinityrea.