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SOMEPLACE ELSE:
10 YEARS OF FOSTERING SUCCESS IN OLD
TOWN
By Robert E. Martin
Notwithstanding the accurate yet relatively low-key description embedded within its name, Someplace Else Bar & Grill, located at 118 N. Michigan in Old Town Saginaw is anything but a common neighborhood gathering point.
Since opening its doors 10 years ago, this
excellent restaurant & nightspot has evolved through the involvement of
three generations of family members into an entity known for its
reasonably priced &
meticulously prepared 'homemade' lunch & dining menu, while also cultivating nighttime entertainment focusing upon the cutting edge of quality.
Moreover, it has continuously maintained a
strong belief in community involvement, sponsoring fundraising events
and, as was proven at their recent annual 'Tent Party', unique
gatherings that showcase the quality & diversity of new and established
Old Town dining establishments such as Fralias and Pasongs
that in essence give people a reason to visit Old Town in order to
experience entertainment & dining that is truly unique to the
tri-cities.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Someplace Else started largely through the artistic vision of Vernoica Lazorchak, whom ran an art gallery & custom frame shop out of the building for many years. When a water leak from one of the apartments on the second floor caused damage to the walls and ceiling, during repairs brick walls and a potentially beautiful copper ceiling were revealed. The only question was whether to keep the gallery or move into another arena of business.
"Old Town Saginaw has always been dear to
my heart, and I was always involved in visual arts and loved the music
that the district offered, so decided to try something different,"
explains Veronica. "When we opened our doors in January, 1995, a
shifting scene was happening in Old Town. We wanted to offer an
aesthetically pleasing place that people could feel comfortable in, yet
we wanted to bring a different aspect to the game by offering a
combination of unique food items like Scotch Eggs & Green Fried
Tomatoes, at all hours of the night, combined with reasonable drink
prices."
Veronica enlisted her parents, Roy 'George' and Noreen Poineau to bring their own singular talents to the table; George handled the design, woodwork, and restoration of the establishment, while Noreen brought her impeccable concoctions of soups & unique recipes into the food mix.
Adding to the historical lore of
Someplace Else, through the assistance of John Klein,
Veronica came upon an expansive antique wooden bar that had been owned
by Al Capone and The Purple Gang and was torn down during prohibition.
"I snapped it up right away," exclaims Veronica. "It's funny, because
I've had customers come in and recognize it
and say 'I know I've sat at this bar before in Chicago.'
"We have a very close family," says Noreen.
"And we enjoy doing things together. We might butt heads on some ideas,
but we communicate well enough to always work them through to the best
advantage."
"I'm blessed to have a creative family," notes Veronica. "And when I was debating about whether to open Someplace Else, my Mom & Dad both told me, 'If your heart is into it and you have a dream and don't try something, you'll wish you did later in life. Those words hold true today."
"As an artist, my Mom has never limited
herself to just paint on canvas, she has always expanded beyond borders
and that, in my mind, is what makes her brilliant," comments Mike
Lazorchak IV, Veronica's son and current 3rd
Generation family member involved with Someplace Else.
"She brings the same intensity to a plate
of food as she does with a wall or a piece of glassware. Our menu used
to consist of some rather homegrown items as a result, however unique
menu items can be a tough sell in this town. That's why today we have a
more traditional bar food menu. But every now and again you'll find a
flare in our specials. And our soupsŠmy Grandmother's recipes are
incredible. Best chili you ever had!"
INTO THE FUTURE After investing so much of her heart & soul into Someplace Else, about a year ago Veronica decided to refocus her attentions back into her artistic abilities and hand the reins of Someplace Else over to her son Michael. "I love my customers and wouldn't trade those years for anything," reflects Veronica, "but after awhile the hours keep you away from your family. Michael is younger, he has energy and his own vision for the establishment, and when he came into the picture, Mom, Grandpa, and Grandma pretty much retired."
"When I was living in Chicago it was all
about being trendy and having this super-sleek atmosphere that made you
feel as thought the club was a special place and you were just lucky
enough to be there," reflects Mike. "But anonymous bartenders and 'way 2
cool 4 u VIP sections don't fly in a town like Saginaw. The idea here is
that the people make the place special."
"Take for instance White's Bar. It
has the music and the music people. The building or furnishings aren't
particularly impressive, but it's the people and that essence that makes
it impressive. The essence of Someplace Else lies in diversity.
We have blacks, whites, latinos, gays, lesbians, straights, poor,
wealthy - all walks of life here. If you can't handle diversity then
stay away from Someplace Else, otherwise our doors are open to
you as long as you're not a troublemaker."
"I think the important thing is the
relationships. Having a good working relationship with your employees,
your vendors and customers is what makes business run smooth," he
continues. "That's another thing we emphasize here - the family aspect.
Our regulars, employees and vendors are all part of an extended family."
"I also believe it's important to support
your community. Our annual Tent Party began as a fundraiser for the
Saginaw Fireworks, only this year we wanted to highlight the great food
vendors in Old Town and celebrate this particular area of Michigan &
Hancock in Old Town. But we've done fundraisers for the Child Burn Unit,
Muscular Dystrophy, and sponsor the 303 Collective and the Film Festival
as well."
"Competition is good because it brings
people down to Old Town and keeps the area safe. Every business or bar
owner offers something different and with the new developments coming
up, everything in the area is moving upward."
"I have ideas of grandeur," laughs Mike,
"and would like to expand to have a pool room or put in bigger bands,
but mainly right now we'd like to target a wider audience. People always
go to their 'favorite bar' because it offers a comfort zone. We're not
trying to steal customers from anybody, but do want people to realize
that we are continuously evolving."
"We offer a $15.00 scotch on one end of the
spectrum and a $1.00 beer on the other, so you don't need to feel you
need to hit the ATM machine every time you visit us. Plus, nothing on
our menu is over six dollars, which is a great price for such good
quality food with healthy portions. In fact, Grandma still inspects the
kitchen because that is her baby. She wants things done the way they
should be done."
"I suppose the strongest sentiment to
convey is that we try to foster a sense of ownership among everybody
from the staff to our customers - we want them all to feel like they are
part of the family."
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