Photo: Rob Gibson

A new sign now hangs above the old Doc’s.

The newest restaurant on Bernard Avenue, Bernie’s Supper Club and Cinema, is starting to come together.

The new sign was placed on Wednesday afternoon. Jill Jarrett, spokesperson for Nixon Hospitality, tells Castanet, “we’re still hoping to open by the end of the month.”

The former Doc Willoughby’s is undergoing a complete transformation, including a new ‘Bernie’s Supper Club and Cinema’ sign

“We were in there today doing training and tasting with the staff, but there’s still people painting on ladders everywhere.”

The former Doc Willoughby’s was purchased by Kyle and Carolyn Nixon, who also own BNA and Skinny Duke’s. The pair loved the cinema and decided to pay homage to Bernard Ave and the old cinemas that were once located in downtown Kelowna.

"It's our love letter to Bernard. It's the heartbeat, I think of our downtown and our city and we're so excited to be a part of it," Jarrett says.

The transformation is a big job, not only has the appearance inside and out been completely changed, but there’s also a new menu. Jarrett describes the vibe as, "sort of a Southern California style. But there's a lot of, Spanish Italian influences, and a fairly eclectic menu."

The drink menu will also feature wine and martinis. As for the space itself, it will be more open than the old design and will include windows that slide out of the way to make the patio wide-open, "it'll just be this really open, welcoming space."

Bernie's will also be much larger than the old Doc's, with almost twice as many seats on three levels.