A Belle River landmark has been sold and will be transformed into the newest location of a growing Windsor-Essex tap and grill.
Mr. Biggs Sports Bar and Eatery has been sold to the owners of The Bourbon.
George Marar and Joe Sperduti already co-own two locations - one at 1199 Ottawa St. in Windsor and another at 12049 Tecumseh Rd. E. in Tecumseh.
They will gain possession of the Belle River property in mid-July and will close it for extensive renovations to transform the restaurant so it matches the feel of the existing locations.
Marar says the goal is to open as The Bourbon in September or early October and expects to hire dozens of people for the site.
"Judging by the staff we have now, we have around 40 on Ottawa Street and 78 in Tecumseh. We're looking at round 5,500 square feet, so we're looking at around 40 people," he says.
Marar says they plan to offer lots of food, drinks and TV's for watching any big game.
"Our food is knock out of the park. We do wood burning oven pizzas, which is our signature item, so we'll be installing a wood burning oven and that will be offered all day and all night until the end," he says. "We do 2-for-1 wings on Sundays, football games are big. We're looking to do a good sized patio and take advantage of the outdoor possibilities out there."
Inside the bar area of The Bourbon Tap and Grill at 12049 Tecumseh Rd. E. in Tecumseh. (Photo: George Marar)
Marar says they're happy to be joining the Belle River community.
"Al Fazio has been there since 1996, I believe, he's held it down for a long time, he's ready to retire. I think he found the right guys to jump in there and take over, carry on that legacy and take care of the town around them," he adds.
Fazio put the site at 405 Notre Dame St. up for sale in June 2022, citing a desire to spend more time with his family after owning the business since 1997.
A posting on Mr. Biggs Facebook page advertises that a final "last call" will be held on Saturday, July 8.