Norwich — When Julio Cancho and his father, Jose, opened Canggio’s Restaurant & Bar at 20 Lafayette St. in August 2017, Julio quietly set a goal for himself to open three businesses within five years.

Canggio’s, a Peruvian restaurant “with a twist” of modern American cuisine, is doing well, so Julio Cancho started thinking about his second venture. A friend had owned the former Water Works tavern at 685 N. Main St. in Greeneville and offered to sell the business to the Canchos.

“I said, ‘sure,’” Julio Cancho said earlier this week. He and his father closed on the sale and hoped for a quick turnaround. After a month of renovations and painting, they will open a new restaurant/bar, staffed mainly by Canggio’s veteran chefs and bartenders in early December. Still awaiting final details, Julio Cancho said Friday the target opening date is Saturday, Dec. 7.

Morgana Vesey, Canggio’s sous chef and co-owner of the new restaurant, came up with the new bar’s name: 86’d. “It’s a kitchen term meaning you’re out of something,” Vesey explained. She added a second meaning that the new owners hope they’ve “86’d their hopes and dreams” of opening the new restaurant.

Vesey and 86’d chef Crystal Roman, who has worked as the chef at Two Wives Brick Oven & Eatery at 45 Huntington St., New London, for the past four years, have been working on a lively menu of “comfort bar food” with daily food and drink themes and specials, bar games and even “the 86er Food Challenge.”

A challenge customer will be given a tower of 86 ounces of food on a bun, and if the person can finish it within 30 minutes, the approximately $40 meal would be free, and the person’s picture placed on the restaurant’s Wall of Fame. If not, Julio Cancho said, of course the customer can take the leftovers home.

Regular menu items will include totachos, which are tater tot nachos; tacos filled with fish or tuna or meat; burgers; jalapeno poppers; fried pickles, and homemade macaroni and cheese with pulled pork.

The new restaurant will be open at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Each day will have a theme, including Taco Tuesday, Wine Down Whiskey Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday, with beer specials, and Freaky Fridays with food and drink specials and bar games.

Three Canggio’s bartenders plan to do double duty between Lafayette Street and Greeneville: Katelyn Wilcox, Jessie Hill, the manager at Canggio’s, and Jarod Doak, who started as a dishwasher at Canggio’s and became a server, then a bartender.

“It’s better that way,” Julio Cancho said. “There’s always someone I can trust at both locations.”

The group also had good words for doing business in Norwich. Cancho said Canggio’s had a great first year in business and a steady second year with good peaks at holiday times.

Cancho called city inspectors and the Uncas Health District “a pain in the neck,” but said he appreciated their thoroughness and helpfulness as the group prepares to open 86’d. Cancho praised Fire Marshal Jim Roberts for explaining in detail what he would need to do in the new restaurant and bar.

Although Greeneville is not part of the city-funded downtown revitalization incentive program, the Norwich Community Development Corp. helped with business tips and advice, as has the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce. The 86’d staff plan to have a chamber-sponsored grand opening celebration once they get on their feet.

“We chose Norwich, because we believe Norwich is growing,” Cancho said.

“I think Norwich in the last 10 years is up and coming,” Roman added.

c.bessette@theday.com