The new owners are old regulars at The Cage. Kevin Barrett and Steve Beaulieu recently purchased The Cage from Denis Webber and Randy Collins, whose last day as proprietors was Feb. 15.
The Cage was closed for about three-and-a-half weeks, Beaulieu told The Buzz on Tuesday, while permits and licenses were obtained.
While The Cage reopened March 9, the new owners are planning a grand opening Saturday, getting back into the rhythm of things with live music by the band Whiskey Dan.
The kitchen is closed temporarily while it gets a deep clean, a little reorganization and a little time for Beaulieu and Barrett to work on a basic, new menu. They hope to reopen the kitchen in a few weeks.
The motivation behind the decision to purchase the bar is weighted on the sentimental side, but both owners are successful businessmen in the construction industry and hope to make it a successful business venture.
When a deal to purchase the bar in January fell through, it seemed inevitable The Cage would close.
“We talked about it,” Beaulieu said Tuesday. “We decided to keep The Cage open because it’s our hometown bar. Our friends go there, it’s more of a community opportunity.”
They’ve made some minor changes geared toward making it easier for the employees to do their jobs, but Beaulieu said their plan is to keep The Cage, The Cage. The community feel that drew them to buy the bar is what the new owners would like to expand on in the near future.
For now, the long tradition of live music lives on this weekend.
The Buzz offers quick hits about trending area business happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact business writer Christopher Wheelock at 689-2817 or cwheelock@sunjournal.com
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