It was a rather harrowing and bitter winter for Pat Whittier and George Schaefer, owners of Dos Locos restaurant on Baltimore Avenue. They learned a lot about politics, but also about community, and have luckily emerged smiling and with a second restaurant called Plumb Loco at 10 North First Street, next to Nicolas Pizza.
Dos Locos had evolved in its five years from a kitchen right inside the door serving only carry-out to a sit-down restaurant with a bar, but so much was wrong with the layout of the space that Pat decided to expand and remodel it. "With the kitchen up front, right inside the door, you couldnt see the tables when you walked in, it didnt look like there was a restaurant in there," explains Pat. "Plus, it was screaming for more space and an expanded bar."
But what tripped them up in their redesign plans were "8 little bar stools" they had put at the bar for people to sit at. "We had a lot of single women who preferred to sit at the bar to eat rather than at a table, because its not as lonely at a bar," says George, "and 68% of our business at the bar was food," chimes in Pat.
But when they went to expand they found out the bar stools were not in compliance with city code. In going to get into compliance, they faced the city commissioners, and even though more than 60 people signed their petition to keep the stools, including almost everyone on Baltimore Avenue, and the fact that there had never been a complaint filed against the restaurant for noise, and there were otherwise no grounds on which to be denied, the petition was indeed turned down and the bar stools had to be taken out in February.
Anticipating just such an outcome, Pat and George had already begun looking for another restaurant to buy, and finally, after 6 to 8 weeks of negotiating, settled on the former Twigs on North First Street.
They went to settlement a week before Memorial Day and rushed to get open by then, but another host of problems conspired to thwart those plans as well.
"Among other things, the exhaust system broke, so we had to re-do the menu at the last minute. Steve Elkins at CAMP and Michael at Acanthus were so wonderful in helping us get through that crisis," smiles Pat.
Somehow they did get open for the Memorial Day rush, and were packed with well-wishers all weekend. Neighboring restaurants have been very welcoming, especially Joyce Felton at the Blue Moon.
And what will the new restaurant offer? "Were serving the same great salsas and margaritas as at Dos Locos, but thats as close as well get to being the same," explains Pat. The menu at Plumb Loco will be American Southwest, with SW chicken salad, burritos, quesadillas, turkey burgers, seaskins (Baked potatoes stuffed with seafood), grilled shrimp and more. "We will really promote good food; it will be a great place to dine."
Underneath the accomplishment of the opening of the new restaurant is the acknowledgment that this also is a unique addition to the womens community, for space for women in which to congregate which is so lacking. "Its nice to offer an alternative," says Pat. "We saw a need here and wanted to fill it. Many women wanted to do this, and we were fortunate to be able to."
But, Plumb Loco is not just for women. "We welcome everyone as long as theyre open minded and polite," says Pat. "Men, straight people...theyre all welcome here."
The Grand Opening will be June 21, with what Pat laughingly calls a special themed "tittie night" with entertainment by Double Breasted, a band from New Jersey, and special drinks such as slippery nipples and buttery nipples (different liquors with Baileys). For the rest of the summer they want to bring in entertainers that dont normally perform in Rehoboth. Theyve also contacted some comediennes and hope to bring some here this summer as well.
Theyre off to a great start after an exhausting opening, so heres our congratulations and best wishes for the season!
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5/30/97 Issue. Copyright 1997 by CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. All rights reserved.