A favorite neighborhood bar is changing hands next week, but the current and future owners are promising a smooth transition and plenty of perks.

Varsity Blues, 1616 S.W. 17th St., will become College Hill Tavern on March 10. Owner Kim Galey said she decided to sell the bar when she got sick of juggling the demands of business ownership with her first love – cooking.

“I’m just tired,” Galey said. “I’m tired of turning my life upside down trying to take care of everything.”

Galey sold the bar to Paige Dickeson, a 25-year industry veteran who returned to Topeka seven years ago after a decade spent in New York City’s notoriously competitive bar and restaurant scene. Galey will be staying on to manage the kitchen, and the two women are planning a lot of changes to the tavern’s food offerings.

The new menu will veer away from fried “bar food” staples, instead focusing on homemade dishes with lots of fresh ingredients. Dickeson said she planned to go back to the basics including salads, steaks, pasta and fish, as well as burgers and sandwiches.

Renovations to the outdoor patio are scheduled to be complete by St. Patrick’s Day, and the TVs throughout the interior have already been updated. The bar boasts nine 40-inch or larger HD flat screen TVs that are independently programmed –nine different events could be shown at once.

“It’s a great place to watch sports,” Dickeson said. “Last night we were packed for the K-State/KU game. Word is getting out.”