Formerly Casey's, 101 Central will boast new restaurant

*This story has been slightly updated from its original publication on May 3.

In 1905, a wooden building was constructed on the corner of Central Avenue and First Street in Whitefish and for many years, it served as a saloon. Since 1967, the building has housed Casey's bar.

Local philanthropist and venture capitalist, Mike Goguen, bought the city’s old and beloved building in 2011, reconstructed it entirely and opened a rejuvenated Casey’s in 2012.

Ten years later, Casey’s is now closed for good. Director of Operations Jayson Peters said running a late-night bar had plenty of challenges and that the new restaurant is a better fit with the changing customer base. He said at this point, the owners would rather own a nice restaurant with a cocktail bar instead of a bar with a small grill in the back.

This summer, the building, now called 101 Central, will reopen with a new restaurant called Herb and Omni, entertainment upstairs at the Second Story as well as a rooftop sky bar.

Herb and Omni is on the ground floor and will offer an elevated dining experience with a menu that aims to please vegetarians, vegans, carnivores and omnivores alike.

Peters, who previously worked as the general manager of Casey’s, said the vibe of the new restaurant is comparable to Tupelo or Abruzzo, two popular restaurants in downtown Whitefish.

“Our chef, Justin Kingsley Hall, he’s opened, I think, seven different restaurants in California and Nevada and he has ties to Montana so we brought him in,” said Peters. “We’re partnering with Two Bear Farm on the organic produce and a couple of Wagyu beef providers.”

Peters wants to work with local providers and purveyors partly because he understands the importance of supporting local farmers.

“I want to be, on the restaurant end, supporting [the work of local farmers] to make sure it has that full-cycle chain,” Peters said. “Where people are enjoying it, they know where it comes from, they're eating it, but then you’ve got to support that because it doesn’t just magically show up on your plate.”

The restaurant kept the hardwood floors and beams made of old reclaimed wood from the original building and the bar wall is kelly green, as a bit of a nod to the Casey’s legacy. Brickwork throughout the space is whitewashed for a more modern look and the restrooms have been relocated to the main floor.

The restaurant’s street-side room, nearest Central Avenue, is lined with the bricks that had been purchased for the 2011 remodel. They are from an old Ohio road bed and are over 100 years old.

Other changes include moving the kitchen to the basement.

“You go to New York, Chicago, any place that has a larger kitchen, most of them are in the basement,” Peters said. “Because you’re going to use your ground floor for your customers’ experience and make sure you have all your resources consolidated in an area where everybody’s working together.”

Peters said the Casey’s staff was furloughed in January and they all qualified for job-attached unemployment. While some of them have moved on, he estimates that 80% are still here and coming back to work.

“They might have different positions,” he said. “In a bar and grill, you might have three positions. In an elevated dining experience, you usually have seven different positions. These guys will get the chance to learn things they’ve never done before.”

The second floor is called the Second Story and will still serve as a venue for bands and entertainment.

“This space gets an upgrade, not even remotely as extensive as downstairs, because it’s already a beautiful space,” said Peters. “It’s going to be a really cool experience.”

The floor was newly tiled, sound drapes will take the place of old soundboards on the walls and the stage will be extended a few feet. They have installed uplighting for the stage to provide a better visual experience for the audience.

Also on the second floor in the expanded space is a green room for the musicians and more storage.

The rooftop sky bar remains and will serve only cocktails this summer due to the continued construction, but will have a tapas menu in place by next summer.

Construction is slated to be completed soon and 101 Central will open by the end of June. Herb and Omni will be open for dinners only but will offer a full lunch menu next year.