Rookies Sports Bar & Grill is pulling itself out of the ashes after a fire on Aug. 11.
Owners Carri and Mike Sailor had already been planning to open a second facility at 2402 N. State St. when a kitchen fire forced them to close the location on the downtown square.
“I was really emotional for a few weeks,” Carri Sailor said. “We finally got to the point where instead of focusing on what we lost, we decided to focus on this other project.”
That meant all-hands-on-deck to finish construction of the new facility. Contractors, family members and employees banded together to help.
“All the little things are starting to get done,” Sailor said.
She hopes the new location will be open in three to four weeks.
As for the downtown location, crews are splitting their time between to clean up from the fire.
The fire was contained to the rear of the building, with damage to the back of the kitchen and storage area.
It will take time to repair the damage, Sailor said, but the main dining area just needs to be cleaned up.
She hopes to be able to reopen the bar, sans food, in time for Farm City Days in October.
“We’re excited to get open again,” Sailor said. “We miss the people. We’re used to seeing people every day. Seeing nobody really takes a toll on you.”
AS FOR the new building, the Sailors have made many changes.
Sailor once worked in the building when it served as a different restaurant, so she came into the project with ideas about what worked and what didn’t.
Crews have removed walls to open the dining area and built a massive bar that wraps around a corner.
The restaurant will include two salad bars and a hot food bar.
