This is James Watkins' dream, but resurrecting the lion has been a true "family affair".

Since mid-April, his family has been renovating the Red Lion to it's old self, while James' fulfills his military duty in Afghanistan. Many members of the family have a special tie to the Pub.

It was one of James' favorite hang-outs in the 1980's. His future wife Emily grew up nearby in Harrisburg and her family often passed by the building to and from activities.

James' parents had their engagement party in the second floor in the early 1960's.

...The 1936 icon had been vacant for more than a year, when the Watkins' went to work. Here is a list of improvements made almost exclusively by family members:

• Cleaned all original globes, lanterns, and paintings and re-mounted
• Laminated album covers of table tops
• Ripped out old solid black paneling and replaced it with brick paneling to match outside structure
• Re-painted entire building, installation of Pergo on dance floor
• Mounting of lights on dance floor, new electrical and plumbing work
• Coolers re-done and re-mounting of new counter top bars
• Purchased chairs and tables used at the old Michael's Restaurant
• Purchased bar stools from Rome, Georgia

Here's a recent comment from the owner James Watkins from Afghanistan:

"Absence makes the heart grows fonder. When my friends and I get together for drinks and conversation, the conversation always end up talking about the past. Especially the clubs we used to go to, Katmandu, Stonehenge, Studio 7, The Georgia Moon, Tarzans, The Safari, Our friends Place, New York, New York, DW Fries, Pogo's, and many more, all which are gone except the Red Lion Pub.

We always enjoyed the place and its atmosphere. I started out bar backing for the Continental Lounge and The Good Ale Inn when I was 15 years old, and been in love with in industry every sense.

I decided that I wanted to own my own bar. I imagined how it might look and started writing down ideas and notes on it. I realized that every design that I came up with was some version of the red lion. The Red Lion is what I picture a Pub should be. I never wanted a mega complex that holds 700-1000 people. (The capacity is 300 at The Red Lion)

I wanted a small intimate place with plenty of atmosphere and character, where I can be personal with everyone. When I decided to go after my dream, I had certain criteria's that I was looking for, I wanted it to have roots to Old Augusta, it had to have character and atmosphere, so why not re open the bar that inspired it all to begin with. If I was financially able to chase my dream when I was twenty, I would have still picked the Red Lion."

Do you remember that show 30 something? Middle age parents that get so caught up in the day today family things, that they forget that they where lovers long before they where parents. Parenting is a full time job and it's easy to forget that parents need time off to. So I would like for them to feel like they can meet a few friends, have a few drinks, good food, let their hair down for a few hours and feel safe about it.

Music embraces all people and so shall we, but there are a lot of places that cater to the young and we will also give them a warm welcome, but I don't want the older crowd to feel-well, old and out of place. They should feel comfortable and safe and be able to get rowdy if the mood should hit them."