Denver-based Stoney’s Bar & Grill is expanding southward.

The locally owned, Colorado-themed sports and music bar that debuted in Denver in August 2010 will open its first Colorado Springs location: downtown inside the former Oskar Blues space in the DeGraff building at 118 N. Tejon St.

Owners and founders Stoney Jesseph and Will Trautman have signed a 10-year lease to occupy 15,000 square feet of the building’s first floor and basement area.

They’ll upgrade the existing audio-visual system to support the panoramic experience the sports and music bar is known for, Jesseph and Trautman said.

They expect to open “by football season,” Jesseph said.

Jesseph and Trautman founded Stoney’s “with the idea of creating a neighborhood sports bar that has something for everyone,” according to the website for its Winter Park location.

The pair were drawn to downtown Colorado Springs for its vibrancy, high foot traffic, lower business-related costs and proximity to Colorado College.

Other Denver-based concepts including Atomic Cowboy, Fat Sully’s Pizza and Denver Biscuit Co., all part of the Atomic Provisions restaurant group, and Dos Santos Tacos have also been successful in downtown Colorado Springs.

“All of that was just a great fit for what we do,” Trautman said.

The sports and music bar is known for its local feel, its full-service bar and grill, and its immersive, “highest-quality” game day experience. Stoney’s boasts dozens of high-definition TVs at each of its locations and carries all sports packages.

With a focus on creating an electric atmosphere, watching a game at Stoney’s is an event in itself, owners said.

Stoney’s Bar & Grill offers a menu sporting bar favorites like fried chicken tenders and wings, french fries, macaroni and cheese, nachos and a variety of burgers, sandwiches and wraps. It carries a wide selection of beers, cocktails and mocktails, as well as select desserts.

Stoney’s Bar & Grill currently has three locations throughout Denver and one in Winter Park.