New Lambeau restaurant key to more active Atrium
1919 Kitchen & Tap went from quiet to boisterous in about 30 seconds Friday.
The new restaurant in the Lambeau Field Atrium had 100 lunch reservations for its grand opening, which happened just before 11 a.m.
Immediate reviews were good. Roland Serenil, a Dallas Cowboys fan visiting from Texas, praised the venison sloppy joe sandwich and his Titletown Brewing Co. beer. Bryan Esch of Madison was waiting for his food, but he liked the look of the new establishment.
“Curly’s (Pub) was nice, but this is far better,” Esch said. “I always thought (Curly’s) was a weird location.”
Ultimately, so did the Green Bay Packers. When they began redesigning the Atrium’s three key elements — the Packers Pro Shop, the restaurant and the Packers Hall of Fame — they wanted them all to be more accessible.
“We wanted to better activate this Atrium,” said Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy. “Before, if you remember, the Hall of Fame was in the basement, the restaurant was on the second floor and often time the Atrium was not really active.”
That’s not been a problem this summer. The Packers set a record for stadium tours in June and are on the way to another for July. Dozens were lined up for tours Friday while more gathered around the ribbon-cutting ceremony for their chance to be the first in 1919’s doors.
But it’s not vacation season and training camp the Packers and concessionaire Delaware North Sportservice are aiming to improve. It’s the rest of the year, especially at night. Charlie Millerwise, general manager for Delaware North at Lambeau Field, said 1919 is designed to be a destination for local residents as well as out-of-town visitors.
“We hope it’s appealing and on the minds of locals,” said Jennifer Ark, Packers director of stadium services. “Curly’s did have a good run. We wanted to make sure this space was very connected.”
1919’s design was a collaboration of the Packers and The Rockwell Group of New York. Scathain, a custom-furniture and decorative accessories manufacturing firm in Milwaukee, created many of the elements in the restaurant, including tables, seats, planters and a simulated factory wall.
“There was a certain vintage, old-fashioned approach that goes back to 1919 we wanted to draw on. And also the industrial essence of the region,” said John McWilliam, owner of Scathain. “We went back and forth with trying to make sure things were subdued and traditional and old-fashioned instead of glam.”
Tables have famous plays and player numbers inlaid in the tops, including one with No. 4 on it.
“He autographed it and we had to re-coat over his autograph, which I was glad to do,” McWilliam said of Brett Favre’s recent visit to the restaurant.
McWilliam said elements were made by hand from authentic materials by his company’s blacksmiths, metal workers and other craftsmen.
“There are certain things that call for not machine-made,” he said. “(The Packers) are so concerned about getting what they want and what they need; every little detail just carefully considered. It’s great to work with people who you know what they are looking for and you can go the distance.”
The 1919 Kitchen & Tap name refers to the founding year of the team.
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame is expected to open in August.
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