It's really a dream come true for Monona's newest businesswoman. Jodi Welch will open her restaurant, Jodi's Americana Grille, next Tuesday, September 8, after months of preparation.
"It's always been my dream to have my own restaurant," says Welch.
"My family owned the Americana Supper Club when I was young. As a kid, I would be called to wash dishes or bus tables when they got busy. It used to bother me but, as I grew up, I realized that I really loved that type of business."
The "old" Americana was owned by Jodi's mother, Bev Fuelling, in Monona for almost 20 years. Welch notes, "I have a lot of respect for my mom and, when I decided I wanted to open my own restaurant, I knew I wanted her to be a part of it with me."
Welch also put a lot of thought into what to name her restaurant. "I wanted the Americana part to honor my mom and to let people know that some of their old favorites will be back. I wanted to add the grille because I think it represents this era and a new generation." She adds, "There are a certain number of people around here that remember the Americana chicken, the steak sandwich, mom's potato salad, and the fun New Year's Eves and Christmas parties. But then there are others who want the specialty burgers, wraps, and other things." In addition to her ambitious menu, Welch hopes to draw in a lot of people for a variety of reasons. She states, "I want people to know they don't have to go out of town to get all of the things they can get in a bigger city."
It's no easy task, but Welch hopes her new business will cater to all people. "I want people to get together with groups of friends to come in after sporting events or other community activities. To do this, she's offering a full bar with all the fun but also a nice area where kids and high schoolers can also hang out together. Welch describes, "I hope people feel comfortable walking in by themselves or as a couple and, before you know it, you've met up with ten other people and soon you're pushing tables together."
The building at 107 East Center Street has undergone a lot of changes since Jodi and her husband Wayne purchased it back in May. The building was built back in the 1980s by Rex Ewing and run as a plumbing business.
Jodi tells the story of how she and Rex had been childhood friends as they lived near each other and graduated in the same class in school.
"I think a lot of people never dreamed we could take an old plumbing business and make it into a nice restaurant and bar. But it's a lot more spacious than you might think (seating capacity around 80) and it's one of the newer buildings downtown." When Welch scheduled "demolition weekend" for Memorial Day, she put out an email to family and friends to bring their hammers and join in the project. "We had over 40 people that weekend," states Welch. And the process has continued all summer. "I'm just so thankful to everyone who has helped me get this far. I sit in here late at night and I can't believe we did all this."
Still, Welch is looking forward to fun. Her motto for the business is 'great food, great friends, great times.' Whether it's high energy employees, the bold colors of the interior, or the free popcorn waiting for customers, Welch is giving it her all to try to recreate the good 'ol days.
[A ribbon cutting by the Monona Chamber will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The public is invited in for a sneak peek before the doors open officially at 11 a.m. that day for lunch.] This entry was submitted to dishhntunes.com for posting.
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