Bob Knutsen and his son John Knutsen of Warrenton are taking over the storefront formerly known as Latitudes Tavern and turning it into a new sports bar at 1313 Marine Drive in Astoria.

They’re also changing the name back to a local favorite.

Bob Knutsen, president of Astoria-based Knutsen Insurance, said locals 50 years and older will know the location as Hazel’s Tavern, named after Hazel Hageman.

“We’re going back to the roots of Astoria,”?he said.

The Latitudes bar has been closed after changing hands from John and Tonya Nolan to Tim Esposito (owner of Annie’s Upper Town Tavern in Astoria) and Allen Grafton, who had briefly changed the name to The SinBin and gotten an off-premises liquor license for the business.

“It’s just a dive,” Bob Knutsen said. “We’re going to turn it into a really cool sports bar with hardwood floors, two brand-new bathrooms and eight flat-screen TVs.”

The bar, scheduled to be open from 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to midnight during sports seasons and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. the rest of the time, will offer sandwiches and salads and a full bar.

The father-son team is looking to get the business up and running with local brews on tap by mid-August, in time for the Astoria Regatta, and offer promotions and specials before Astoria High School home sports games.

“We’ve got all kinds of crazy ideas,”?Bob Knutsen said. “There’s going to be a lot of energy in that bar. It’ll be fun.”

John Knutsen will run day-to-day operations with four additional employees.