Motorcycle-themed bar and restaurant Mile 277 is under new ownership as of Nov. 30, and management is anxious to shift the establishment out of neutral.
Ben Strake, co-owner of The Corner Cup in Dogtown and soon-to-open Byrd & Barrel, has joined with current Mile 277 owner Rick DeStefane to rev up hospitality and expand its audience. To achieve this, Strake has enlisted Mike Rostek, the former operations executive of Ballpark Village and managing partner of PBR Bar. Rostek has managed 22 venues throughout the country and launched 18 PBR Bars.
“Rick (DeStefane) owned Mile 277 and came to me but we needed the right person to step in and run it,” Strake said. “Mike was the best guy for it.”
Don’t look for the Sunset Hills establishment to install a mechanical bull just yet, though. Strake and company’s main objective is to expand its market and kick customer service into high gear. “We want to appeal to people from 21 to 65,” Strake said. “It’s a great space with great amenities. I see it as a Hard Rock Cafe meets Sturgis. There will be slight changes. We’ll have more programming throughout the week but still have live music on the weekend. We want guests to have an amazing time from start to finish.”
The menu and bar program are also being evaluated, but Strake said any changes to the food or beverage menus would be gradual. These could eventually include keg service and achieving “better deals for customers by partnering with local distributors.”
As all the newly greased gears start turning, Strake said Mile 277 will remain open during the transition. “We will probably have a re-launch event, but we will not close and re-open,” Strake said.
This article appears in December 2014.