WATERLOO - Every town has a main street of some kind.

In Waterloo, Main Street is downtown between Park Avenue and Fifth Street. Except it is not called Main Street. It is called Fourth Street.

For approximately a three-block stretch from the Cedar River northeast to Franklin Street, Fourth Street has become the unofficial Main Street.

"Fourth Street is our Main Street," said Main Street Waterloo executive director Terry Poe Buschkamp. "It is a magical mix of places to work, live and play."

In the past two years, four new businesses have opened their doors along the aforementioned corridor along Fourth Street, which has become the retail, cultural and entertainment hub of the city's downtown. In just over a month, another new business is expected to open its doors, and it could be a cornerstone of Waterloo's unofficial Main Street.

The Screaming Eagle American Bar and Grill is nearing completion on the bottom floor of the historic Fowler Building, at the southeast corner of the intersection of Fourth and Lafayette Streets. It is the brainchild of Ivan Wieland, best known as co-owner of Toad's Bar and Grille on the Parkade in Cedar Falls.

Just as Toad's helped to rejuvenate the entertainment scene in downtown Cedar Falls, Wieland believes the Screaming Eagle could push Fourth Street into the upper-eschelon of Main Streets in the state. The project is grand in scope, but has taken less than a year to move from conception to being just weeks away from opening its doors to the public.

When rumors started brewing he was planning to open an establishment in downtown Waterloo, it was widely circulated that Wieland, an avid motorcyclist, was planning a Harley Davidson-themed biker bar. Although there will be three actual Harleys in the bar, Wieland promises the Screaming Eagle will be much more than "just a biker bar."

"Only in America could a guy like me end up with an opportunity like this," said Wieland, who has vowed not to cut his hair until the Eagle opens in early April. "That is why I chose an American theme."

The Eagle will encompass all things America - rock 'n' roll, sports, movies and, of course, Harley Davidson. But Wieland's vision for the bar is centered around more than its theme, and his previous experience in the industry is evident when he explains the bar's layout.

"When I first walked in the door and saw the staircase in the middle of the room, I thought, 'What am I going to do with that?'" said Wieland. "Suddenly I saw a bar wrapped around it, and everything started to fall into place."

The main bar is in the middle of the first floor of the Fowler Building. It does not have the traditional bar-back with bottles of alcohol displayed as decoration. Instead the bar is designed as both a centerpiece - Wieland plans to hoist his current Harley on top of the bar - and a vehicle of function.

"The goal is to allow everyone to interact with one another," said Wieland. A stage on one side of the establishment can be seen from the far side through the free-standing bar, and all of the chairs and booths are elevated to increase sight lines.

Everyone should be able to hear performers on the stage, as well; Wieland said his sound system is state-of-the-art.

"It's basically plug-and-play for musicians," he said. "We have everything a band would need. They just need to plug in their instruments and start playing."

He hopes to attract big-ticket performers to the Eagle. Wieland thinks Main Street Waterloo events such as Friday'loo and pub crawls will guarantee big crowds on the weekends. And if his vision comes to fruition, it may only take one visit for first-time customers to become regulars.

With just under 6,000 square feet spread across two floors, including a basement bar Wieland has dubbed "The Pit," Wieland has plenty of room to work his magic. He has left much of the original brick and tile of the building exposed and unchanged, opting for a mix of new and rustic design cues.

Downstairs, The Pit will not stray too far from the theme of the main floor, but will offer games like pool and shuffleboard.

As much work as Wieland has put into the bar, the restaurant could be equally impressive. Wieland said the menu will resemble that of Toad's, but will be a "more modern" rendition. One item from Toad's bar menu will carry over for sure - Wieland's famous Bloody Mary.

Wieland contemplated opening the Eagle for several years, and Chuck Orr and Jim Walsh, the owners of the Fowler Building, pressed him to open a Waterloo version of Toad's for years as well. But Wieland did not want to spend time away from his daughter while constructing and opening a new establishment. Finally, after she overheard him having a phone conversation with Orr and Walsh, Wieland's daughter convinced him to take the plunge.

"She told me, Dad, quit waiting for me to get older," said Wieland. "So I listened to her advice and decided to give it a try."

While Wieland has been toiling on the bottom floor and basement of the Fowler building, Orr has been renovating the upstairs. On the second floor, there will be office and studio space he hopes could some day be occupied by businesses that graduate from the nearby University of Northern Iowa Regional Business Center Incubator Program. The top floor will hold loft-style apartments, and both of the upper levels will be soundproofed from the bar and restaurant scene below.

But even with their thoughts occupied on the upper floors, Orr and Walsh have helped Wieland convert the Eagle from a dream to a reality.

"Chuck Orr and Jim Walsh have been instrumental in helping me with the Eagle," said Wieland. "I certainly could not have done it without them."

According to Orr, partnering with Wieland has been the perfect marriage of vision and means.

"We're very excited about the Screaming Eagle," said Orr. "It's going to be an added niche into the cultural entertainment scene being developed in downtown Waterloo."

The Screaming Eagle American Bar and Grill could open as early as April 1, though Wieland noted that is a tentative date. There will be three Web sites devoted to the Eagle, including theeaglestalon.com, partyattheeagle.com and screamingeaglebarandgrill.com. Though there is no content on the sites yet, the Screaming Eagle logo can be seen on all three.

Contact Drew Andersen at (319) 291-1418 or drew.andersen@wcfcourier.com.