By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Anticipation for a new steakhouse in downtown Great Bend continues to grow. Pictures posted on the RePerks Facebook page earlier this week are a hint of things to come. Tellers 1872 Manager Rick Riggs is still uncertain about an opening date, though the Facebook post did say "a few more weeks." Riggs is certain he's pleased with the work of Mark Bitter at Custom Floor Designs as the dining room nears completion.
"He does amazing work, but he's also very particular, and he does not have a problem changing his mind," Riggs said. "At some point, he came up with this idea. He kept thinking about it day after day. I think it kind of grew on him. When he told me this is it, I was okay, we're on our way. Sure enough, we were on our way after that. They knocked it down after that."
The dining room, located at Lakin and Main in Great Bend, has a classic look with old-style wood chairs, black and white photographs of local historical buildings, vintage business marquees, and a large color mural.
Riggs and crew are still working on finalizing a menu, but he does expect to have the daily lunch buffet with fried chicken and one or two other entrees, complete with sides, desserts, and salad.
"I'm in the process of pulling it all together now," he said. "We're going to have a couple tastings here in the restaurant before we open so we can get some ideas of what people like and don't like, so we can either pull it, shelve it, or make it better. It's going to be a simple menu. I think people that come here for dinner will enjoy it."
Regardless of the menu, excitement over the new restaurant continues to build. One woman has already booked a holiday party at the new steakhouse. Riggs is ready to meet the demand of his hungry customers.
"It's just going to be a nice place to have lunch," he said. "It's going to be competitive with any other similar restaurant in this town, or Wichita, or anywhere else. We're not going to try to gouge people just because it's good food and a nice place. It's very competitive."