Some bargoers may have noticed a new spot brewing in Downtown Binghamton.

The Black Sheep Tavern, located at 142 Washington St., opened earlier this month with a menu including casual drinks, as well as standard fare, like hot dogs and popcorn. Signature drinks are beer towers and punches served in fishbowls, which come in 10 different flavors and include an option for a 160-oz. mega size. Open from Tuesday through Saturday, the tavern offers themed nights, like Pong Night and Hot Dog Night.

Operator Chris Kehoe said that he wants The Black Sheep to be a melting pot for students and locals.

“It’s literally popcorn, hot dogs and cheap drinks,” Kehoe said. “It’s a meeting house for your friends to come hang out. You can play a game of pong, you can watch something on the TVs or you can, for lack of a better term, shoot the shit with each other.”

The tavern includes a custom pong table, and bargoers can watch sports on the TVs behind the bar. Multiple lighting setups create a more laid-back “party mode” with black lights and lasers. The music ranges from country to party hits and even jazz, depending on the night and customers. Kehoe also welcomes the occasional student DJ or guitar player to perform their music.

The decor is one of The Black Sheep’s distinguishing features. A collage of decorations and memorabilia — including a 1960s Pepsi plaque that Kehoe bartered for at a flea market and a Schlitz Beer cuckoo clock that chimes every 15 minutes — cover the brick walls from floor-to-ceiling. Vintage beer signs and a few puzzles he assembled in his spare time are also hung. The ceiling is a canvas, and a surfboard and a Natural Light flag hang over the bar. Kehoe obtained these items from garage sales and secondhand markets and helped create the interior, from the custom woodworking to pouring the epoxy that waterproofs the bar top.

“I’m the partner in this space,” Kehoe said. “But I’m also the operator, so from day one I did it. My hands have touched almost every aspect of construction in here, from design, execution, planning and construction, I’ve touched literally everything.”

Kehoe is not the only one responsible for the space’s decor. The tavern features a growing wall of Polaroids behind the bar showcasing new customers in addition to open space on the walls and ceiling so patrons can bring in items and add personal touches. Over time, Kehoe expressed hopes that the ceiling would be fully covered.

Students and locals have already made their way to the Tavern, and The Black Sheep Instagram page has started sharing pictures of nights at the bar.

“I went there [the] first night for their soft opening and it was so much fun,” Chiara Michos, a senior majoring in English, wrote. “The owner gave us some free shots and the atmosphere was super chill. I will actually be painting a piece for them and hanging it in the bar soon.”

Despite being a new establishment, the tavern has roots in the community. Kehoe said he fell in love with the industry nine years ago as a Binghamton University student and has been working different positions in the downtown bar scene ever since, including co-owning Courtside Bar and Grill. He said opening The Black Sheep is his way of giving back to the community.

“We have a cool city here,” Kehoe said. “It’s just got to grow. It starts with taking the paper out of windows and getting the lights turned on.”