Monday, September 16, 2024
The recent purchase of Northland Sports Bar and Grill in Iola has led the new ownership to realize their dream and open a pizza pub at the country bar.
The new restaurant and bar will be called Bart’s Pizza Pub with new owners, Andrew and Becky Bartlet, taking over.
Married for 24 years, the Bartlets are from the Stevens Point area where in 2012 they bought a hobby farm in Junction City. They still reside there.
Andrew said he spent a little time in real estate, as well as working at Bill’s Pizza in Stevens Point for 23 years.
For Becky this will also be her first time owning a restaurant as she spent 25 years as a dental assistant, saying she used to waitress years ago.
Andrew said he was drawn to the beauty of the area. While working in real estate he kept an eye on properties in the area.
“Just the rolling hills and the streams and the ponds and the lakes, compared to Portage County, we got a lot of woods,” he said. “But out here it’s just a 20 minute difference and it feels like Appalachia to me.”
Andrew said he enjoys seeing people embrace their Scandinavian heritage, which also drew him to the area as well.
He kept his eye on the MLS and found that Northland Sports Bar and Grill was up for sale and that they had pizza ovens and a bar, both of which he was hoping for in a potential pizza place.
“We came out here on a Wednesday and the bar was packed because of the bluegrass,” Andrew said. “That’s better than a weekend, especially out in the country.”
Andrew and Becky said the bluegrass crowd is what sold them on the place, a tradition which they plan to continue moving forward, and want to start as soon as the doors open.
The Wednesday night bluegrass has been going on for 30 years and tends to be the busiest night of the week, he said.
Andrew said they will be making their own dough and rolling it out, with a menu that is pizza focused, something he believes to be a destination food. “People drive for good pizza,” Andrew said.
Outside of pizza they hope to also have a great burger, a large variety of appetizers and they will continue with a Friday night fish fry.
They plan to be closed Mondays and Tuesdays, however they will have some expanded hours during the days they are open.
Andrew said they will also have online ordering, no delivery, but patrons will be able to order food online for pick up.
Andrew said that he most looks forward to working with his wife, which they were able to do on the hobby farm and now continue into business ownership.
“The good times and the bad, even the struggles of working together and we just look forward to sailing towards retirement working together,” Andrew said.
Becky agreed, and also looks forward to meeting new people and getting to know her customers.
The opening date they are hoping for is Sept. 11, although there are a few lingering renovations that need to be completed.
For up-to-date information on their opening day, be sure to follow them on Facebook at Bart’s Pizza Pub.
The restaurant is located at N10103 State Highway 49 in Iola.
