Golf course restaurant slated to open Friday

By Owen Boss

GARDNER — Although it has not yet been granted a liquor license that would allow management to serve alcohol on the premises, a new restaurant at the Gardner Municipal Golf Course is slated to open at 7 a.m. Friday, the Golf Commission announced Tuesday. The restaurant will operate in the 1772 House, a building named for the year it was constructed that is located just off of the last hole at the golf course. The course owns the building, and bid it out to restaurant owners hoping to operate during the course’s golf season. Commission member Raymond LaFontaine said that after speaking to the new restaurant’s Manager Susan Johnson, he was impressed with the amount of progress that has been made toward having it up and running for the grand opening. “I talked to Susan Johnson, and she has been working very hard,” said Mr. Lafontaine. “She has the place looking really sharp.” He added that he had some concerns about the opening, because when reviewing an inventory for the restaurant, he didn’t see any mention of silverware or pots and pans. Mike Hermanson, golf course superintendent, said that although there may not be pots and pans or silverware in the restaurant, the fact that there are major appliances already in place within the building is going to be very beneficial to the future management of the restaurant. “We do an inventory every spring; typically what happens is we have plusses and minuses in the equipment left over, people typically bring up their own dishes and silverware,” said Mr. Hermanson. “Our strong point is that we own all of the equipment in the building, so the person coming in doesn’t have to provide anything in terms of stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, deep fryers, convection ovens, things like that.” According to Mr. Hermanson, when officials at the building department recently inspected the restaurant, there was work listed to be done to adhere to regulations which involved various safety lighting and installing exit signs. Also, several vintage water heaters had to replaced with newer equipment. “They didn’t name it the 1772 House for no reason,” said Mr. Hermanson. “That’s when it was built and managers know that when operating a restaurant in an old building, there are going to be additional costs.” oboss@thegardnernews.com

Appeared on Page 4 on 4/30/2008 (Vol. 206 No. 103)