Former Steak & Ale building gets new life

The former Springfield site of Steak & Ale will soon be home to a new restaurant with a familiar feel.

Remodeling work was scheduled to begin Friday on the building at 1935 S. Glenstone Ave., owned by Errett Sechler of Plaza Towers LLC. Sechler owns the 10-story Plaza Towers office building at Sunshine Street and Glenstone Avenue, as well as the adjacent strip center.

Springfield-based GRS Construction Co. is the general contractor on the restaurant, for which managers did not disclose a cost.

When work is complete in mid-December, the facility will house Jimm's Steakhouse & Pub, according to Jimm Swafford, who is overseeing the renovation and will run the restaurant for Sechler.

"It's going to be very similar to what Steak & Ale was," Swafford said. "It will be a combination of old favorites and new items. We'll stick with what worked at Steak & Ale - casual dining in an elegant atmosphere. And we'll still have the salad bar."

Planned changes to the restaurant include converting the cocktail lounge to a piano bar, and updating and renovating the interior and exterior.

Swafford knows what customers liked at the former Steak & Ale; he served as general manager for 11 years before the restaurant abruptly closed in July 2008.

The Springfield location of the chain, Swafford said, had a loyal customer following. The chain's parent company - Texas-based S&A Properties, a subsidiary of Metromedia Restaurant Group - filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2008 and closed all 52 company-owned locations nationwide, including the lone Missouri restaurant in Springfield.

Swafford said he doesn't want to change too much of what made the restaurant a local landmark.

"I think the goal is re-establishing some of Springfield's heritage, bringing back what was pretty much an icon in Springfield and a favorite place for people to go," Swafford said.[[In-content Ad]]