Published: July 01, 2009 11:41 am      

Brothers revitalize restaurant

DANVILLE — Sports-minded residents of Vermilion County might recognize the entertainment at the soon-to-be-opened Varsity Room restaurant.

That’s because they’ll be the ones providing it.

“If it’s something with significance to sports or athletes from Danville or Vermilion County, we’ll put it right up on the wall,” said Steve Luke, who with younger brother Ned last week started renovating the former Brewstar restaurant for an expected opening by the end of July.

Luke said there are plans to have regularly running video viewings of past local sports stars and championship games on several television screens. There will also be a locker-themed “shrine” of some of the area’s top past athletes and record-holders, and county school-themed mementos, mascots and jerseys throughout. The two are currently seeking and accepting video and décor pieces for inclusion in the collection, and also are investigating plans for a kids-only video-game and hangout area in the back.

“It will be a place where athletes from the area can relive a little of their past,” he said. “We’d like to be the place where the Friday-night football crowd goes after the Vikings get a big win.”

The sports theme is a natural draw for the Lukes: Steve is a teacher at Danville High School and defensive coordinator for the football Vikings, serving brother and Head Coach B.J. Luke, who is preparing for his fifth season with DHS. The coach is not associated with the restaurant, but all the brothers played sports growing up in Danville.

“This isn’t just going to be a sports bar,” Luke said, noting current plans are for lunch to early evening hours. “We’re going to have a little bit of everything.”

Steve and Ned have been researching the idea of starting a business for more than a year. They had investigated several food-related concepts and locations before Brewstar owners announced last month they were closing and offering the business for purchase before a scheduled auction June 28. In fact, they were close to inking a deal at another retail spot in Danville when they read about Brewstar in the Commercial-News.

“I’ve heard from many downtown businesses they’re happy to have that corner filled so fast,” said Dana Schaumburg, director of Downtown Danville Inc. “(Brewstar) was very popular and a lot of people didn’t want to see it go.”

Former Brewstar owner J.W. Martin could not be reached in time for this story, though the Lukes confirmed they also would be taking over the building’s lease through October of next year with an option for longer.

What to eat

Ned Luke said the brothers had originally planned a hot-dog stand menu, but had also considered at one time going with a pasta-heavy Italian theme. With the purchase of the Brewstar menu and its mainstay pizza recipe, there will likely be a combination of all three concepts as the brothers try to also please customers Brewstar attracted.

“I’ve got a million concepts,” Ned said. “This will be a throwback joint and we hope it will also be a good hangout for the kids and a great addition to the community. It will be a place for memories.”

Right now the brothers and their families will be working on cleaning, redecorating and finalizing decisions on the food. Ned said he has eventual plans to have an old-fashioned root beer tap installed, though an official announcement on the restaurant’s opening, hours and services will not come until the end of the month.

Local roots

The Lukes know all about Danville memories, having grown up here as children.

Steve followed his field to a suburban Chicago school district, while Ned followed his dreams to a successful acting career that found him in Los Angeles getting roles like one alongside Dick Van Dyke in an episode of “Diagnosis: Murder.”

Steve returned around four years ago, Ned last fall.

“When I was a kid, going downtown was the thing to do,” Ned said, recalling “sketching” on the back of a city bus for a free ride downtown in the winter. The downtown back then had a mall concept and was more accessible, he said.

“We grew up here when the (economic) changes were taking place,” Steve said. “It had a neat ambience to it.”

“The reason I came back was him,” Ned said, pointing to his second-grade-age son, Alex. “I didn’t want him to grow up in LA. It’s very impersonal. People can say what they want about Danville, but here you get out what you put into it. And the schools here are fantastic.”

Both brothers said they are optimistic about the business and about the revitalization of downtown in general. They both mentioned the development of a casino here as another possibility that might bring in future customers.

One of the complaints they’ve heard in the past is the downtown area is dangerous after dark, something they said is simply not true. Steve joked it would become safer if, as planned, football players and their families frequent the business.

“We know one of our problems is working to overcome the stigma some people have over downtown,” Steve said.

Filling needs

Ned said it’s the type of family oriented business Danville and its downtown need, and could help in the drive for downtown revitalization.

They say they want to serve a need in their family and the community.

“We’ve been looking for an endeavor to do with our family,” Steve said, noting almost the entire family was having a hand in the renovation and will help run the business. “We’d like to stimulate the community a little bit as well.”

Steve is also coordinator of DHS’ Work Experience Corporate Experience Program, which teams students with area employers. He said he intends to enlist the program to help staff the startup and give students employment opportunities during difficult economic times.

“We love this community and we want it to come back,” Ned said.