Mighty Quinn to become Lakefront Bar and Grill

Complete remodel for former Moses Lake hot spot

MOSES LAKE — People keep halting renovations of the former Mighty Quinn building by stopping in and asking about its progress.

So says Mike Wilcox, who is leasing the building from owners Brian Rosborough and Steve Crothers. He has now taped up the windows, the better to keep the interior of his planned new restaurant a secret from "looky-loos" until it opens.

"They're curious people," Wilcox said.

Wilcox began leasing the building Aug. 1.

"A bar, restaurant," he replied when asked his plans for the location, which will be called Lakefront Bar and Grill. "Good food."

Wilcox said he'd been trying to get ahold of the building for three years. When it finally was advertised as being available for lease in July, he called the real estate agent.

"They had over 100 calls from people wanting this building," Wilcox noted, adding that its location in Moses Lake makes it a desirable site.

Wilcox has been in the area since 1997 and opened Potholes Sports Cafe in Mar Don in 1998. Wilcox said he will ultimately turn over that location in December.

"It's a complete remodel," he said of the Moses Lake building, including plumbing and electrical. Things are proceeding "pretty good now. It was moving kind of slow, but it seems to be going pretty fast now. We've gotten some power in. I mean, we've been working the last 60 days off of one plug-in."

Wilcox plans for the establishment to be a fun place where people can bring their children.

"I don't want the drunks; I don't deal with drunks very well," he said. "Our primary goal is going to be people have a good time, but if you can't control yourself, you're out. That's the same way I run the Potholes. I don't want to have a problem with Moses Lake Police Department or the highway patrol. I'm just here to try and make a living, have good food, but my primary goal is the food."

He said the new business will include a state-of-the-art music sound system and a pool table that he says will be one of a kind.

"Whether you're 16 to 50, I want you to be able to come here, have a good time and enjoy yourself," Wilcox said. "But know that we respect all aspects of the law. I want you to be able to come here and eat. If you want to have a drink with your meal, that's great."

Rosborough said he has the shark that hung on the outside of the building, as Wilcox did not wish to use it.

"We have the Golden Corral, the Porterhouse and I have kids, and I don't have any time left," he said, adding that he had a desire to operate the Mighty Quinn as well, but that he has too much to do.

"Mike's experienced and I've heard nothing but good things about his restaurant (in Mar Don)," Rosborough said. "I think he'll do great. I think it's a great opportunity."

Rosborough's not sure what he plans to do with the shark, although at the time of the interview, he said a friend had it in his pool.

Rosborough arrived in Moses Lake in the latter part of 1985, and opened Golden Corral in May 1986.

"At that time I thought there was a need in the market for that kind of restaurant, and I liked the town, I liked the energy of the town," he said.

Rosborough opened the Mighty Quinn in March 1989. It was later closed because of a fire in 2001.

"It just took a couple of years to settle with the insurance company," he said.

Previously published reports may have given the impression that there was a problem meeting city regulations, which Rosborough said was not the case.

"The city, really that wasn't a bad thing," he said. "They wanted us to do something with it, and they did push us to do that, but the city worked with us. I don't have any issues with the city, not at all. In fact, I think they were real fair with us."

Wilcox said that the city has been working with him well, and said he has been working off an engineering report of what needs to be fixed on the building.

"I guess the building used to have a huge smell problem, a huge sewage problem, but I'm not finding that," he said. "We're trying to fix the bathrooms properly so they're all connected. There are some issues that I can see that how this thing ever stayed up to code, is amazing me."

Wilcox said the original aim was to open the new business Nov. 1, "but, I'll tell you, a miracle would have to happen."