By Steven Stilt
The owners of Kretzer’s Grill and Bar in Hoyleton have opened a bar in Centralia and aim to open a restaurant this spring.
The bar portion of the Locust Street Pub, owned by LD and Tina Kretzer, opened its doors on December 9 at 824 and 828 South Locust, which previously housed the Skipper Inn and Castellari’s Cycleology, respectively. The two buildings have been joined together, and the Kretzers plan to demolish an adjacent house at 820 South Locust to make room for the construction of a kitchen and for additional parking.
LD Kretzer says the demolition of the house is the next major hurdle that needs to be cleared to complete the restaurant.
The big thing is the house. Once we get the house torn down, because the house and the bar’s attached together, and we have to remove that first, but the main part of our restaurant and bar, it’s pretty well 95% done already; we just don’t have a kitchen yet.”
Kretzer adds that the menu at Locust Street Pub will not be the same as Kretzer’s in Hoyleton.
“It’s going to be great bar food. It won’t be like Kretzer’s. It won’t be crab legs or none of that. So we’re going to do great pizzas and different stuff like that, burgers and sandwiches, stuff like that. We’re not going to get too crazy. We may even throw in a prime rib night here or there, and we’ve been talking about fried chicken too, so we’re looking at doing that, and chicken wings is one of our big ones.”
The Kretzers’ goal is to open the restaurant around May 1. On Thursday evening, the Centralia Plan and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve a special use permit to allow the Kretzers to operate the restaurant.
Shown is the banquet room at the Locust Street Pub in Centralia. Photo by Steven Stilt.
