A Bar... with character

In our first home, the Husband and I had a bar in our basement. It came with the house and was a little unique -- it was made out of brick.

Now that we're in our second house, we kinda want a bar again. This house did not come with a bar, but it did come with an ideal spot for one. So ideal that the previous owners actually had plumbing installed so any future bar could have a sink. This does not mean that we have to have a sink if we get a bar, but why not take advantage of the situation? It would be darn handy -- and the only other sink in the basement is in the bathroom.

So - here's the thing... what type of bar do we want, how do we want it set up, and how can we get this done without breaking the bank? Did I mention that we have discussed simply purchasing a bar (from HOM, for example), but we agreed that those types of bars just don't have a lot of "character." We want something unique (but not made of brick this time).

What to do? Any suggestions? Anyone know a handyperson who can make stuff like this?