The Paynesville American Legion Club opened their new facility to the public on Friday, Nov. 5. With the new building, the club will be open extended hours and will be serving meals seven days a week."We offer pretty much the same things in the new facility as in the old," Lucy Hoppe, bar manager, said. "The only difference is the new Legion club has a larger bar area and will be open longer hours and is offering meals. We got off to a rocky start the first weekend, but things are getting better. We still have a few bugs to iron out."
Managing the food area for the Legion is K&K Catering and Concessions, Barb and Steve Kotten of Paynesville. The Kottens have been in the catering business 11 years. Other cooks working at the Legion are Bob and Sabrina Liestman. Sabrina is the assistant manager in the kitchen.
The formal dining room is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and on Friday and Saturday nights, it is open until 10 p.m. The formal dining area will feature lunch specials and at 4 p.m. the menu will be switched to supper club fare.
"The bar area will also offer daily lunch specials," Barb Kotten, dining room manager, said. "The formal dining area will also include a daily salad bar."
The bar area of the club will have a separate menu from the formal dining room. Bar food will be served from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.
Another new feature is Sunday brunch, which will be served from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. every Sunday in the formal dining area. The brunch is buffet style. The bar area is closed on Sundays.
The banquet room at the new Legion hall seats 350 people, the formal dining room 54, and the bar area about 70.
"We look forward to working with nonprofit organizations who want to use the Legion's banquet room for their annual fund raisers," Barb Kotten said. Hoppe added they will be able to accommodate almost any function.
The majority of the daily meals will be served in the formal dining room and bar area. The banquet room will be open for bingo on Thursday, for special functions, and when the Legion offers live music.
"We are flexible and will change our services as necessary," Hoppe said. "Most of the work is done in the Legion except for a few minor things," she added.
"We hope the Legion members will all become more involved in the new facility and stop in to check us out," Hoppe said.