Bill Lavery and Pat Whisler thought they could easily reopen a bar in a building they bought.
The Elkhart lawyers thought they might lease the place to someone and they'd just practice law upstairs at 600 S. Main St., Elkhart.
But they ended up opening their own place and 15 years later their Harrison Landing is still a popular spot for them and their loyal customers.
They've run the place. They still work in the kitchen or behind the bar. And recently they had renovations that turned it into a chic spot.
"The renovations needed to be done. We can agree on that," Whisler said.
They watched Chalker's become 523 Tap & Grille. They watched Mad Anthony's open nearby. They were excited about the new neighbors and with the Elkhart smoking ban, made changes.
"We did this to fit in," Whisler said.
The drop ceiling is gone. The floor is tile and the walls have artwork. "I'm proud of how this place looks for the first time ever now," Lavery said.
But this is still a place with good bar food, bands on weekends and customers who see it as their bar. "Best bar in Elkhart," said Tony Cunningham. Different crowds come on different nights, he said. "It attracts everybody," he said.
Harrison Landing has been a favorite of 20-somethings for beer pong on Monday nights and an older crowd who gather to play pool and drink martinis on Wednesdays. And the only night of the year Harrison Landing has a cover charge is Thanksgiving eve, said Lavery.
Back when "Cheers" was popular on television, Lavery and Whisler found a liquor license, bought the equipment from Rosey's at an auction and opened with partner Kathy Nutting. She left the business a few years later, but they kept running the place and trying new things. At first, they served only beer and wine, but eventually they got a three-way license. They served lunch for a number of years, but Whisler said they weren't ever smart enough to figure it out.
They were smart enough to do things that drew a crowd. An informal "name that tune" game with Lavery and others turned into a weekly event with a dozen or so teams. Now, beer pong, a game that involves bouncing a Ping Pong ball into plastic cups, often draws 100 people on Mondays, he said.
Because of those attractions, the smoking ban hasn't hurt Harrison as much as it could have. Harrison Landing is a pleasant place to hang out, more pleasant for some without the cigarette smoke. And aside from the owners, manager Nate Widomski and Lavery's wife, Michelle, and other longtime employees offer great service.
The menu, which includes the line "a downtown landmark for over one tenth of a century," has good stuff. The appetizer list includes plenty of of stuff that's been battered and fried. I like the cheddar and green chili poppers ($5.95) and onion rings ($4.85). The salads and entrees are inexpensive. A steak dinner, including a 10-ounce sirloin, is $9.95 with vegetable and potato. The baskets and burgers are good too and the pork tenderloin is available grilled or fried. It's a nice piece of pig on a bun.
Harrison Landing sells a lot of pizza. I can't honestly tell you if I've ever had it. But I can more than vouch for the smothered steak sandwich ($9.35). If I'm at Harrison Landing for supper, it's my go-to order.
The 10-ounce sirloin, which I like cooked to medium rare, is put on french bread with melted swiss cheese, garlic and sauteed mushrooms, peppers and onions. It comes with chips, but for a small upcharge you can get the steak fries, slabs of potato with good seasoning.
Over the years, the beer list at Harrison Landing has grown to include dozens of draft beers. Three of the taps last week had Bell's beer, as well as Guinness and Smithwick's. The coolers have bottles of Rogue, Victory, Three Floyd's, Great Lakes and Goose Island. American domestics are in full supply too.
If you're not a beer lover, you may want to order an espresso martini, which has become the house specialty. Every night has a food and drink special too.
Whisler said they're working on offering food after 10 p.m., when the kitchen now closes. The late-night offerings will be from their menu. Look too for Harrison Landing's involvement, with Olive Or Twist and other downtown restaurants, during the Oktoberfest being planned for Oct. 3.
Lavery said Harrison Landing is becoming a nightclub with pretty good bar food. The changes to how the place look are great. The menu is solid. It's just a comfortable place to go. And that's good for us and Elkhart.
QUICK BITES
* Gino's East opened at 7321 Heritage Square Drive, Granger, delighting Chicago-style pizza fans. Reader Jolynn I. said the restaurants, as they have operated in Chicago, serve the best pizza and was thrilled to know of a local location. The place opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, midnight Friday and Saturday and 10 p.m. Sunday. Phone: 855-1543
* Miranda's Restaurant, which had been at the corner of Benham and Indiana in Elkhart, is open at 23677 U.S. 33, Dunlap, in the former Minuteman drive-in. Owner Eugenio Miranda said he's opening for breakfast and will have Mexican, Salvadoran and American options for that meal, as well as lunch and dinner. The place is the only one I know of to get pupusas -- fresh tortillas with meat and cheese that are popular in Central America. Hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 6 to midnight Friday and Saturday. Phone: 875-1166
* Crimaldi's, 117 W. Jackson, Elkhart, is opening for lunches again starting Tuesday. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 2 pm. Tuesday to Friday and 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday for dinner. John Castaneda, the longtime cook/chef, is back after illness, according to employee Sandra Coomer. Crimaldi's is also adding trivia nights starting at 6:30 Wednesdays.
* Goshen's First Friday on Oct. 2 is having a Garden Harvest Salsa Contest as one of its events. The entry isn't open, but the eating is. Elkhart County Works Together is conducting the contest and hopes it will raise money for charity. The contest will take place near the intersection of Main and Washington downtown. I'm helping judge, but anyone attending the monthly festival in downtown Goshen can too.
* Chipotle Mexican Grill is adding a location in St. Joseph County. The popular Mexican restaurant, which uses naturally raised meats and organic vegetables, will offer free burritos from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at 1250 Eddy St., South Bend. Chipotle also recently launched an ordering application for the iPhone and iPod Touch.