GH siblings plan sports bar for SL

Wed, Sep 3, 2008    to del.icio.us

SPRING LAKE — A Grand Haven brother and sister hope to open a new restaurant in the village by the end of the year.

Colleen Duga and Fred La Mieux presented preliminary plans for Fred's Sports Bar and Grill at 909 W. Savidge St. during a Village Council work session Tuesday.

The site, across the street from the Holiday Inn, most recently housed a custard and deli shop called Cruiser's.

The proposed restaurant, with a seating capacity of about 100, would be the first to fall under the village's downtown development authority district's on-premises liquor license act that was approved four months ago. The local act followed state approval about a year ago.

Village Council in May approved up to four additional liquor licenses, even though state guidelines would have allowed for a half-dozen more.

La Mieux said he and Duga plan to build a 15-by-15-foot solarium addition to the existing building, for a total of about 1,700 square feet. The business would have a sports theme — including televisions, a pool table and dart boards.

"We're going to be keying in on the food," La Mieux told council. "We'll be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. We'll have an exposed kitchen so people can watch their food being prepared."

La Mieux, who has worked as a bartender for Applebee's for the last decade, said his sister is an "excellent cook."

If state and local officials approve the siblings' plans, menu items would include barbecue ribs, specialty burgers, shish-kabobs and other offerings.

"We'll be moderately priced and it will be a meat-and-potatoes concept," La Mieux said. "It will be a place for people to go and eat and enjoy themselves."

The 909 W. Savidge St. site was home to the first A&W Restaurant in Michigan, he said. According to research, the A&W opened in 1956 and closed in the 1980s.

Village Council is expected to vote on the downtown development liquor license application at its Sept. 15 meeting. The restaurant also would need site plan approval from the village's Planning Commission and a final go-ahead from the state Liquor Control Commission, which could take 90 to 120 days.

La Mieux and Duga said they hope to open Uncle Fred's Sports Bar and Grill in December.