Kiger's Notebook

John Hardy's + ex-Roscoe's @ Cedarwood

I realize this is already common knowledge. Many people have posted comments or sent me e-mails about John Hardy's Bar-B-Q opening a third Rochester location in the restaurant building in front of the Cedarwood Square Plaza.

I'll just chime in and say, 'yeah, that's right.'

That's the spot vacated by Roscoe's Barbeque Rootbeer and Ribs at the end of May.

I have been trying to contact the good folks at John Hardy's for a few weeks on this. Most of the employees say they do not know any details. One manager is aware of the plan, but has been very busy. 

Hopefully, I'll get the meat on this one before it burns on the grill.

Used cars + ex-Pump and Munch

Cars are coming back to the closed BP Pump and Munch at 6650 East U.S. 14.

A used car dealership is leasing the space, taking it over from owner Kato Inc.

After closing multiple Pump and Munches, Kato has only one left in Rochester: the one at 1607 S. Broadway.

For now, that is.

More on DoubleTree switch

After many months of work at a cost of more than $10 million, the hotel looming over Broadway in downtown Rochester is now a DoubleTree.

Previously a Radisson Hotel, it is still owned by Rochester’s Chafoulias family.

Since DoubleTree is a Hilton brand, this switch gives the Chafouliases two Hilton hotels – Hilton Garden Inn and DoubleTree – in downtown.

Michael Smith, the director of operations for Chafoulias’ hotel management company called Titan Hospitality, says that means the sister hotels can work together more smoothly and better serve guests.

He stresses that the change is much more than a new name or even the addition of DoubleTree’s famous chocolate chip and walnut cookies given to guests at check-in.

“What we’re trying to do is to create a more metropolitan feel to the hotel,” he says. “That helps us stay up-to-date with the downtown, which I think is really ramping up.”

But is a $10 million upgrade during slow economic times worth it?

“Customers want fresh facilities. This is the cost of doing business,” Smith said.

Part of the hotel’s “ramping up” has been the addition of Pescara, a new restaurant off the lobby owned and run by the culinary minds behind the successful Chester’s Kitchen and Bar across Broadway and as well as the opening of BluH20 Salon and Spa on the skyway level by Starbucks Coffee.

The salon, in particular, is “huge” for wedding parties, he said.

“Not too long ago, a bridal party went out of the hotel to have their hair done and it rained on their way back,” says Sam Anderson, special hotel consultant for the Chafoulias family. “It was a disaster.”

The immediate change that anyone familiar with the 21-year-old hotel will notice is the dramatic transformation of the lobby.

Gone is the dark wood, lush furnishings and sedate atmosphere with the check-in desk as the main focus.

Now a bright, open space in the lobby is dominated by a wall-sized electronic artwork that constantly changes. Guests can interact with it. It is also linked to the hotel entrance, which creates musical sounds based on the movement of people through the door.

Another artwork features metal pipes with electronic lighting on top. A glass entryway leads into the Pescara restaurant.

While many of the changes were to bring the hotel in line with the DoubleTree format, the lobby alteration was the decision of the local management.

“The lobby was simply a design we chose. We chose a more modern, progressive look over the classic style we formerly had,” says Smith.

However nice a lobby looks or however good a connected restaurant or salon is, the real point for guests is the room.

“They are very well appointed. They each have a microwave, refrigerator, special Wolfgang Puck coffee as well as many other amenities,” says Smith.

At this point, eight of the 13 floors of rooms have been revamped to the new look. Smith expects the changeover of all 212 rooms to be complete by 2010.

Attracting travelers

The skinny on Skin Lab

New Rochester business owner Brian Robson and his staff like to needle their customers… which is exactly why their clients go to them in the first place.

Robson opened Skin Lab Piercing & Tattoo at 1117 Seventh St. N.W., across from Northgate Health Club.

I popped into Skin Lab this afternoon and found the place to be very professional and comfortable.

No demons or naked women painted on the walls, which instead sport a conservation color scheme.

The big leather chairs at the two work stations remind me of a high-end hair salon. More of clinical feel to the place.

E, one of the artists, told me that the shop strives to be, "Mom-friendly."

Eco-focused interior designers + Roch.

Two interior designers – Briana Bahl and Melissa Wood - have put out a green shingle in Rochester with their new business - EcoInteriors.

The duo opened in June and they specialize in green and sustainable design. They see that niche as an opportunity in Rochester.

They were trained by Minnesota GreenStar, a Green building standard and certification program.

And it is interesting to note that Briana Bahl and Melissa Wood are working out of the office of Glenn Miller Interior Designer, a well-known and long-time member of the Rochester design community.

I'll have a little more on this Monday's column.

Meaty tidbits - 2 Roch. eateries cooking

With all of the chaos related to Rochesterfest and then being out of the office last week, I missed out on the opening of a couple of the eateries that are heating things up for the local carnivore crowd.

One, predictably, is Meatheads Meats and Deli in the former Taco John’s/Great Steak Escape building on the U.S. 52 frontage road just off of 41st Street Northwest.

The deli/ butcher shop spin off of a Red Wing business is open and serving.

The other one is the new Roscoe's Express in the Chateau Center, just south of Chateau Theaters at North Broadway and 37th Street in northeast Rochester. This is the space that has been empty since the TCBY yogurt place closed its doors in 2007.

I'm kind of surprised the gregarious owner of Roscoe's, Steve Ross, didn't give me a call when this spot started serving food. He must have been working on a new celebrity sandwich.

Rochester real estate on auction block

Look for 2,566  square feet of a Rochester commercial building plus a rental/residential home will hit the auction block on July 14 @ 5 p.m.

Rochester auction house Maas Cos. is handling the sale.

The primary building - a house-like commercial building is located at 411 12th Street S.E. That translates to U.S. 14 East.

Plans for WorkOut World #2 + Ex-Rainbow Foods window

After months of talk with no action, a blueprint for a WorkOut World fitness center has been posted in the front window of the long-empty, former Rainbow Foods in Rochester’s Maplewood Square shopping center.

However, a Realtor lock is still clamped on the door and the “For Lease” signs are still up.

People who have been in the Med-City for a while will remember that Rainbow Foods closed its two Rochester stores in Mayo of 2003. I'd say it is largest space that has been empty that long.

The ex-Carson Pirie Scott at Miracle Mile long held the record for top real estate white elephant for many years until HOM Furniture re-vamped it for a new store.

Lock and load - indoor gun range coming

Looking for a local spot to empty a clip into a target without worrying about the weather?

A Rochester gun shop owner is taking a shot at creating an indoor shooting range.

Gary Schoenmann, who owns American Gunsmith & Gun Shop in northeast Rochester, is building a 5,700-square-foot facility with seven shooting lanes and a retail area in the Elgin Industrial Park.

“There is a great demand for it,” he says. “We think it will be a pretty big hit.”

Construction of the new Patriot Indoor Range & Gun Shop is under way. The hope is for it to be finished between late August and early September.

Schoenmann and his wife, Kristi, are teaming up with Frank and Julene Horstman of Plainview in the new project.

“Frank brings to the table his military experience as a gun trainer, and Julene also does training, particularly in self-defense courses for women,” Schoenmann says.

The plan is to make training a big part of the Patriot range, offering classes for youth and adults with skill levels ranging from novice to advanced.

He also hopes to strike group-plan agreements with area law enforcement agencies for their officers to use the range.

Right now, Schoenmann plans on keeping his American gun shop in Rochester open even after the Patriot range fires up. However, he expects to eventually shift all of the retail to the Elgin site, though the gunsmithing will remain in Rochester.

Once all chambers are firing at the range, Schoenmann estimates about six to seven people will staff it. He expects to attract customers from an 85-mile radius, if the Patriot Indoor Range hits the bullseye he is aiming for.

A spark @ Westfire? Could it get license back?

Word on street is that talks will soon be underway to possibly stir Westfire Grille's barely glowing embers back into a blaze.

Someone interested in taking over the management of the northwest Rochester bar is talking with the owner and the city, which revoked its liquor license recently.

If a plan can be hammered out, a proposal to regain the troubled club’s liquor license could go to the Rochester City Council.