A lot of planning went into St. Joseph's newest restaurant but one thing they didn't plan on was exactly how fortuitous a decision to open in the off season would be.
Players Bar & Grille opened in early December in downtown St. Joseph as a sports bar with flair, and by flair they mean a menu that features American fare with a seafood twist. With Chef Chris Hooley from Sturgis the new restaurant "struck gold," says Robert Montgomery, who co-owns the bar and restaurant with his wife and mother-in-law.
The December opening gave the business an opportunity to hire the best of the available restaurant staff, employees they might have had to compete more fiercely for later in the season when demands from tourists expands staff across the community, says Montgomery. Hiring experienced staff has resulted in an opening that went smoother than Montgomery could have imagined.
"We had a server tell us last week that he had been through five restaurant openings and this was the smoothest he had ever been through," Montgomery says. "Our planning has paid off."
The 7,000-square-foot restaurant and bar opened with about 40 employees and Montgomery expects to at least double that during the summer.
Players Bar & Grille, at 221 Main Street, is located in a spot that has been a successful one for restaurants through the years. Previously the home of Stooges for 16 years, and home to the locally iconic restaurant known as Timbers for 16 to 18 years, Montgomery is hoping to have the same kind of longevity.
"There definitely was a vacancy here that needed to be filled," Montgomery says. They expected to draw a crowd in the 30 to 55 age range, but have found that everyone from those in their 20 to their 70s have been trying out the new restaurant.
He brings to the business 30 years restaurant experience, although it all has been at the front of the house. Montgomery started as a busboy, worked his way up through server, floor manager, but never had kitchen experience, so he feels fortunate to have Hooley leading the kitchen.
Pan seared perch, salmon with an orange glaze, homemade meatloaf, pork chops and seafood pasta are some of the dishes made from scratch Hooley has created that go beyond what most people would expect from a sports bar, Montgomery says.
The restaurant will have its grand opening this weekend with a variety of entertainment experience from live music to a DJ. A magician will travel from table to table for part of the weekend celebrating the new restaurant's opening.
"When we started this, there were three things we wanted to accomplish: to have really good food, excellent service and a clean, fun environment," Montgomery says. "People are telling us we've hit all three marks."
Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave Media
Source: Robert Montgomery, Players Bar & Grille
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