LakeFront Bar and Grill improving

MOSES LAKE — Restaurateur Mike Wilcox said establishing LakeFront Bar and Grill as a popular food and entertainment hangout may require a long-term commitment, though business is already improving.

Wilcox, the 42-year-old owner and operator of LakeFront, opened at the former Mighty Quinn, said the location definitely helps. So does the deck, with its view of the lake.

"I have a motto that I'm not trying to make it rich on anybody," Wilcox said. Having the highest prices in town won't bring success, he said. He'll lose that competition.

His goal is selling the most.

"I sell the cheapest beer in town, we're going to start throwing out steak specials, two-for-13 bucks, so we're just going to try and get there on volume," Wilcox said.

The restaurant caters to all eaters, young and old, Wilcox said. He hopes to be open forever.

One night in November 2001, fire gutted the Mighty Quinn, which operated at its West Broadway Avenue address for three years. The fire caused $300,000 in damages.

Wilcox, owner of Potholes Sports Cafe in Mar Don for nearly 10 years, always eyed the Mighty Quinn. He's repaired the fire damage and remodeled. The trademark shark bursting out of the roof has come down.

Now that Wilcox is using the building and thrown in cheap beer and steaks, he's focused on fast, friendly service.

He also expects to continue sprucing up the building's exterior and add more healthy options to the menu.

LakeFront opened in March, getting off to a rough start, Wilcox said.

"Our worst nightmare ever happening, was opening day," he said.

The opening was rushed, he admits. They were understaffed, service was slow and food wasn't up to snuff, he said.

Since then Wilcox has hired new people, changed the menu about a dozen times and started serving alcohol.

"But you can never fix the bad taste in people's mouths, that they had a bad experience," he said. "We have to get them people to come back, give us one more chance."

There were moments, he said, in the first few weeks, when he just wanted to hide.

"We've made it over the hump," he said. "We're getting the problems solved and ironed out."

Customers, he said, aren't leaving anymore with a bad taste in their mouths.

"We'll change people's minds about what's happened here," he said. "And then we'll go on about our way, I hope."