J’s Steakhouse to offer outdoor dining area

By Don Bowen/Fremont Tribune
Thursday, Jul 23, 2009 - 10:37:17 am CDT

A pair of Fremont restaurateurs is adding a touch of their traveling experiences to their downtown business.

Jay and Michele Siers are installing a sidewalk caf© to J’s Steakhouse, corner of Main and Fourth streets.

“My wife and I have traveled around the world and have enjoyed dining outside,” said Jay. “Why not let people enjoy that here?”

Michele agreed.

“I would rather eat outside if a restaurant has a patio,” she said. “I like to take advantage of the summer season. It’s more relaxing, especially since I love summer.”

With J’s Steakhouse opened now for more than one year, the sidewalk caf© will be ready to use by the middle of next week, Jay said.

“We started thinking about this during the winter,” he said. “It was just a matter of working out the details and associated costs.”

The sidewalk caf© will include three sets of tables and chairs ” two sets in front of the restaurant and one set just around the corner ” with a rod iron fence enclosing it. On July 14, members of the Fremont City Council approved an ordinance to allow sidewalk cafes in the city.

Jay said he also had to get an addition to his liquor license to allow restaurant staff to serve alcoholic beverages to customers sitting at the outdoor tables.

But that was only one step.

“I had to approach the city council and the city administrator to be allowed to do this,” he said. “I had to understand the rules.”

That meant realizing that the sidewalk caf© is actually on the city’s rights of way on the sidewalks along Main and Fourth streets.

“We need to take care of that, and make sure that what we put in won’t impede pedestrian traffic. We have to leave enough space for a wheelchair to go past it.

“Hopefully, this will be a draw to the downtown,” he continued. “People enjoy eating outside. People enjoy being outside on nice days. Look at the Old Market in Omaha and the Hay Market in Lincoln. A lot of times, their outdoor dining areas will have more customers than their indoor dining areas.”

Siers said the tables, chairs, table umbrellas and fencing will cost about $4,000. The fencing will be permanently placed in the sidewalk, but the tables and chairs will be taken in during the colder months.

He said he wants people to understand the difference between what they are doing and what some local taverns have done.

“This will be a sidewalk caf©. I don’t want people to get this confused with a beer garden. This is not a beer garden. A sidewalk caf© is where people eat. The primary purpose is for dining, to relax. If they choose to have a drink with dinner, that’s their prerogative. The primary purpose of a beer garden is to allow people to go outside and drink.

“Restaurants are doing this all over the place, all over Nebraska. Why not here?”

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Brenda
Jul 23, 2009 1:23 PM
Nicolet Mall, Minneapolis in downtown Fremont...Well it's about time. Fremont needs this, it will help the downdown and bring even more revenue to Fremont. Eating outside is so common here in Minneapolis. I just hope you get to enjoy the outside longer than us.
Tired of Fremont Used to Be Bobo
Jul 23, 2009 10:19 PM
Great idea. Although I'll have a few cocktails before my steak. They have the best Margaritas. Too bad most Fremonters idea of outdoor dining is McDonald's with the window down.
grandma S
Jul 24, 2009 5:58 AM
Great, I'm spending the summer in Italy, just went to Venice and Rome, it is so awsome the way the little tables are out about the crowd of people, I think it will be good for Fremonters, when I return, we will be there,,,, Ciao
Your Kidding
Jul 24, 2009 8:22 AM
Your Kidding about this right?? Food outside means flies. What about all the piegon's in that area, will the food attract them? The fence will make a nice resting post for them while they wait.

Will the fence be something that drinks can't be handed through or over? If it's to accomadate the smoker's please add ashtray's so we don't see your wait staff toss their cigarettes into the street like they did the other day.

Is this why downtown widen the intersections so the business' can take over the sidewalks. Try walking around that during the Christmas Walk, J.C. Fremont Days, Crazy Days. The big umbrella already makes it look less attractive.

Do we have to turn off our headlights at night when we park in that area?

Is there a limit on how many times I can wave at the people driving by?
The Stig
Jul 24, 2009 8:34 AM
Enough about the back-handed positive comments..."And Fremont FINALLY does too" (it's Nicollet Mall with 2 "l"s).

There are positives and negatives about every geographical location. Grandma S-have you seen the graffiti in Rome? Brenda - ever taken a late night walk in the Powderhorn neighborhood? (Suggestion: a bullet-proof vest).

Good for J's and Fremont. Let's support it. I know I know...Fremont is not like "your town" or "your experiences" -but it's fine nonetheless. In fact, I prefer it.
Annette Remshard
Jul 24, 2009 11:38 AM
I am looking forward to dining at J's steakhouse. Outdoor seating here in the Northwest is always the first filled. I will be sure to stop while back in fremont visiting my family. I wish J and his wife the Best of Luck for future success.
Brenda
Jul 24, 2009 11:55 AM
Stig, I have been in Powderhorn and had no trouble....I walk there every now and then...Minneapolis is very safe and I personally have had no trouble at all. Why don't you come up and visit and I will show you Minnesota Nice....NOT!!!!!!! Oh and the birds, they never bother anyone...They hate the traffic. But then again a good plate of squab is just the ticket.
scoop
Jul 24, 2009 5:57 PM
I doubt if people will be handing the drinks over the fence.Waitresses usually check on people's cocktails and would notice a missing glass. Who wants to go out to eat and be harassed by minors anyway?? I am sure if it ever happened, they would put up a screen after they called the police.
An Observer
Jul 24, 2009 8:16 PM
To "Your Kidding" & "The Stig"....come ome...you both need to stop being NEGATIVE!!!! J's Steakhouse is doing what's been done all over the USA and it is SUCCESSFUL....if only you'd investigate or travel you'd know. And they will succeed. You choose to be NEGATIVE!! Get off the couch, get out, get POSITIVE and start enjoy life!!!!
Heather
Jul 24, 2009 8:18 PM
I, too, have been all over the world and that is one of the things I miss about Europe so much. I hope it brings a wonderful ambience to our downtown area. There is no reason we shouldn't have what larger cities like Lincoln and Omaha have. I have always loved J's. One more reason to go!
The Stig
Jul 25, 2009 6:51 AM
An Observer, you missed my pt. Traveling, btw, doesn't impart some "wisdom" on people just because they've been to Europe. And this isn't a self-promotion opportunity where you can regal the population of Fremont with your travels...this is about a restaurant in Fremont that is progressing, hopefully, much like the town of Fremont.

As to me "only investigating or traveling" that's the nonesense I'm talking about. I've been there and done that. And unless you live abroad, it's only a long vacation. This isn't the forum to share that regardless, try myspace or facebook.
JT
Jul 25, 2009 9:53 AM
Great idea J's! I hope the coffee houses can do similar things. It'd add some nice ambiance to downtown Fremont.
Bobo
Jul 25, 2009 11:19 PM
Hey, JT:
Apparently you haven't been to the Blue Bottle in a while. The only real coffee house in dt Fremont.
BSM
Jul 26, 2009 3:10 PM
Well, We all have a choice. You don't have to sit out side with the flies, Pigeons, & mosquitos if you don't want to. I think it is nice they are giving people a choice. Personally,I'll be inside in the AC.