A new business has set up shop in the historic Farmers Inn building along Route 158, offering a second chance for a much-loved Millstadt restaurant with owners determined to keep things running for a long time.

Owners Tonya Harris and Steve Dengler spoke about the restaurant they’ve dubbed Loose Ends Bar & Grill, the hectic but positive first week they’ve had and their hopes for the location which has changed hands a number of times over the years.

Harris previously served as general manager of Reinhardt’s in Millstadt for several years – working alongside the restaurant’s long-time chef and fellow Loose Ends owner Brian Horn.

Reinhardt’s closed down earlier this year, with Harris and Dengler recalling that they were simply forced to end things far more abruptly than they had wished.

Within just a few weeks, however, they were able to get a lease at 7157 State Route 158 between Columbia and Millstadt, which was most recently home to Marley’s Roadhouse.

With renovations and other work taking place since March, Loose Ends celebrated its grand opening last Tuesday, offering breakfast, dinner and drinks through the week.

Harris and Dengler both spoke very fondly of the new location, noting in particular the second floor and its distinct layout – with an impressively high ceiling – and lovely views of the surrounding countryside.

Harris described the bar as a fun, friendly space, while the dining room on the other side of the building serves as more of a warm, welcoming environment.

The second floor is intended to be somewhat more elegant, though still comfortable. They noted that the upstairs space is also meant to be flexible, decorated and arranged to suit the needs of folks who are interested in renting it for parties or other events.

Regarding the food, Loose Ends focuses on “American-style” food, as Harris and Dengler described, with burgers, wings and steaks as well as general comfort food.

As the owners explained, the name indicates that the business is meant to be a continuation, with the feel and community of the previous Millstadt restaurant simply finding a new home.

“The name kind of says it all,” Dengler said. “We had to end abruptly, and here we are, picking those things up, picking up where we left off and moving forward… We were down for about two months. All of our cooks, all of our servers came with us.”

Though having to effectively move the business was difficult, Harris and Dengler noted the relationships they’d made over the years helped the transition go relatively smoothly.

On top of bringing previous servers and other staff, they were able to receive direct help from friends of the business in the form of window cleaning or assistance in finding furnishings.

The community in general was also tremendously supportive. They noted that, even while out of business, their following on Facebook grew significantly, and throughout the Loose Ends renovations they were constantly greeted by folks honking their horns as they drove by.

“We were going through some dark times trying to figure out how to get back up and running, and the encouragement from our Facebook followers was just amazing,” Dengler said. “The encouragement was just so heartwarming… We’d be outside bringing stuff in, carrying the tables in, chairs in, and people were just honking.”

Both Harris and Dengler placed great emphasis on the community surrounding the business, likening it to the classic TV sitcom Cheers.

While glad for the support they received before their opening week, they were also happy to see both familiar and new faces once Loose Ends opened for business.

They offered several anecdotes concerning people they’d gotten to see through the week, including a gentleman who stopped by one evening to celebrate good news he’d received about his cancer recovery.

Dengler spoke about personally serving customers, hitting them with corny jokes and generally being positive in the hopes of their visit being a highlight of their day.

He and Harris further stressed how their customers have come to be similarly welcoming, eager to fill the bar or dining room with chatter while happily inviting new folks to the community.

This sort of personal relationship, they said, also extends to the business’s employees.

“We just make this one big family,” Harris said. “Even the new servers… what we told them during the interviews with them is ‘We make you part of our family. You might be new to us, but we are a family. This is a core.’”

This emphasis on community seems to have contributed to a strong first week of business, as both Harris and Dengler described it positively even as they faced some hurdles such as technical difficulties and a tremendous crowd on several nights.

Looking to the future, they voiced hopes of expanding the parking lot, potentially hosting events outside and generally improving service as they get more used to a new kitchen and dining room setup.

“We’re not gonna be perfect the first month or two months,” Harris said. “But every day we’re gonna get better and better and better.”

Also looking ahead, Harris and Dengler spoke about the fact that the Farmers Inn building has changed hands quite frequently in recent years.

They said that they had heard about issues with the location’s plumbing, though they are quite hopeful about making Loose Ends succeed given their strong relationship with the building’s owner and their own determination to tackle any issues that might arise.

“Loose Ends is going to be the business that breaks the curse of this building and makes this building successful,” Harris said. “And that’s what I’ve told all the customers, too. They’re all like ‘This building’s cursed,’ but they even come in now saying ‘If anyone can make this place work and make it here, it’s going to be you.’”

Loose Ends is open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, visit the Loose Ends Facebook page or call 618-476-6009.