Andy Massoth, co-owner of The Royal Mile and Buzzard Billy’s, has a knack for introducing one-of-a-kind venues to downtown Des Moines and he hopes his latest business venture will have the same kind of success those two establishments enjoy.

Massoth, who is president of Rayon Redevelopment, owner of Buzzard Billy’s, announced last week the company’s four owners plan to open a German bar and restaurant at 101 Fourth St. in downtown Des Moines, in a restored railroad depot that formerly housed Club Ibiza. The group took possession of the building in mid-May and hopes to open the eatery by October. Hessen Haus, named after a region Massoth’s ancestors hailed from in Germany, will offer patrons as many as 16 German beers, German food and a beer hall environment complete with authentic décor and attire for its 30 employees seven days a week.

Massoth, who is also president of Full Court Press Inc., owner of The Royal Mile, said the success of his businesses is predicated on their ability to offer customers a unique experience.

“The only places we want to open are niche-type places,” he said. “That’s the success of downtown. We’re very pro-downtown and we don’t want to divide the market. We want to expand it.”

Chris Coppola, principal of the Coppola Partnership, which is leasing the building to Rayon, said he is confident in Massoth’s ability to succeed. Club Ibiza’s lease expired in April, and he knew Massoth was looking for a building to start another business when the two entered into an agreement about the building. He said Massoth and a handful of workers have been toiling around the clock to renovate the building.

“We’re really excited about what they’re going to do with it,” he said. “We’re tickled to get them in there. You’re going to see a real transformation.”

Massoth said the building’s vaulted ceilings will help create a German beer hall atmosphere. He plans to install a new bar and large plank tables and expand the building’s outdoor deck. To further enhance the theme, Massoth is considering having employees dress in traditional German attire. Beers will be served in a variety of mugs, glasses and steins, including a “beer boot,” a boot-shaped glass that holds up to three pints of beer and is shared by a large group.

The Hesson Haus will feature four traditional foods: wiener-schnitzel; sauerbraten; kassler rippchen, a smoked pork chop dipped in sauce; and rindsrouladen, a thinly-pounded steak wrapped around onion, pickle and mustard. Also, a variety of German treats will be available at the bar, and for those who want to grab lunch on the run, Massoth said a lunch counter with a promise of fast service will offer bratwursts and other easily prepared foods for dine in or carry out.

Massoth said the business will appeal to a wide demographic and hopes it will spark the creation of an Oktoberfest in downtown Des Moines next year.

“We want to come across as a beer hall with good food,” he said. “Eventually we want it to tie in with a significant Oktoberfest. Hopefully this will get people thinking about it.”

Massoth said he hopes Hessen Haus will be one of several niche businesses that will blossom in downtown Des Moines to help make it a destination location.

“We need to create businesses that are good enough to draw people from the suburbs,” he said. “The most exciting part about working in this business is adding one more piece to the puzzle for downtown.”