KEARNEY — Nearly four years after it abruptly closed, a Kearney-area staple restaurant has returned as The Cellar Sports Bar & Grill.
The restaurant with the unique basement entrance opened as the The Cellar Louge in 1978 and would establish itself as a popular eating establishment.
The menu items the location would become known for were hot beef sandwiches and their renowned onion rings.
In 2011, The Cellar was named the Consumer’s Choice for the Best Restaurant in Nebraska and their Western Burger won the Nebraska Beef Council’s first Best Burger Contest.
By 2004, Dick Poston and Susie Oakland sold the restaurant to Mike Hendrickson, who later sold it to WeisCo Properties, LLC in 2017 as part of a property deal.
In January 2020, it was announced The Cellar would close, after nearly 40 years of service.
Old Offerings, New Beginnings
It was in late 2021 that Kyle Lee, president of Kearney’s FirsTier Bank, had the idea of purchasing and reopening The Cellar.
Lee and his wife, A.J., approached three other couples, all friends of the Lees and asked them to join in the effort to reopen the restaurant.
The co-owners include the Lees, Matt and Angela Mortensen, Treldon and Darci Jones and Sean and Brittany Beckman.
Kyle Lee said in a phone call that it was a “big deal,” when The Cellar closed and they are happy to bring back popular items in a new sports bar environment.
Lee said Treldon Jones was one of his first partners in this venture and who helped to create the idea for the sports atmosphere. Owning a sports bar is something that Lee has always wanted to do.
Angela Mortensen spoke with Central Nebraska Today at The Cellar and said renovations began in November 2022.
The couples began by ripping out old carpeting and then hired a contractor, Husker Tech, to do the reconstruction work.
Mortensen, the owner of Olivia’s Salon on Central Avenue and has an eye for design. She worked with the contractors on layout throughout the process.
Lee said they didn’t anticipate as much work as the remodel eventually took, but they were committed to the project and saw it through to the end.
The interior has undergone a notably change. Gone is the lounge atmosphere of booths and dark walls, but it has been replaced with an open concept, with white walls, large tables, and plenty of televisions on the walls.
In addition, there is a new party room and an outdoor patio space with several large tables and a fire pit. Don’t worry about missing the game, there are two TVs mounted outside.
One key hire was McKahla Kuecker. She managed The Cellar when she attended the University of Nebraska – Kearney and continued after she graduated, with six years of experience prior to the closing.
Kuecker applied to come back part-time as a server and bartender, but she was offered the manager position. She said it was the opportunity to be a part of remaking the establishment is what prompted her to accept.
After a soft opening, The Cellar opened its doors to the public on July 25 and are now in their fifth week of operation, Mortensen said.
Let’s Eat
The menu reflects the sports bar atmosphere, but the hand sliced onion rings, breaded in a secret blend of spices have made their return. “They sell like crazy,” said Mortensen.
The menu includes a large list of appetizers and burgers, wings, sandwiches, pizza, salads and desserts. The popular hot beef sandwiches have also returned as a special on Fridays.
The hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and will be open on Sundays once football season starts.
When asked what they would want the public to know about the new establishment, Mortensen said they want people to feel welcome and enjoy the family friendly atmosphere.
Lee said since they have reopened, the response from the public has been overwhelmingly positive.
Everyone has worked, “really hard,” to get to the point Lee said but they are excited for this opportunity to give back to the community.
“We are owned and operated by some local Kearney folk who want the staff and customers to feel as if they’re part of a large family, we want to be the ultimate family neighborhood bar and grill,” according to The Cellar’s website.
