Business & Tech

6 Questions With Legends Bar and Grill Owner Mike Bayoff

Legends 1926 Bar and Grill owner Mike Bayoff talks with Patch about how the business is going and how a new agreement might be beneficial for both the restaurant and the City of Trenton.

Trenton City Council members are expected tp vote on a new agreement Monday between the city and the restaurant group that owns Legends 1926 Bar and Grill, Kennedy Restaurant Group LLC, at the regularly scheduled city council meeting.

Trenton-Grosse Ile Patch editor Nate Stemen caught up with Legends owner Mike Bayoff during a jeresy retirement ceremony for Andy Greene at Kennedy Recreation Center. Legends was packed with fans of the Trenton High School hockey team, city officials and guests of the ceremony during the interview.

Here are the questions followed by Bayoff's responses:

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The new agreement states the rent would be reduced from $3,500 to $2,200 per month and utility costs will be open for renegotiation May 2013, what will be your stance on potential changes to costs for utilities?

"I think the period of time that we're going to be operating the restaurant up until then will give us, as well and the city, the ability to really know what the utility costs are here in our space."

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Assuming council members approve the agreement, what affect with the agreement have on Legends 1926 Bar and Grill?

"The new agreement allows us, as well as the city and council, of course, to really monitor and operate the business for a good six months for us to know how our business will operate inside the arena, will we have residents coming up (to the restaurant), how many hockey teams and how many tournaments we'll have to gauge our business.

"It gives us, as well as the city, a real understanding of how we'll do as a business here in the Kennedy Recreation Center."

This time of year is presumabley your busiest time of year, what's the likelihood that your business will be able to remain profitable during the summer season?

"I think we'll have to get creative to draw some people to come up here. A couple of things we are looking to possibly do will be some type of concert series where we can get some bands here over the weekend to drive some business.

"And we'd like to work with the city for possibly doing something in the parking lot once or maybe twice per summer."

Local bands or would you be looking to bring in bigger acts?

"Local bands. Michigan based bands."

So far, how has Legends been holding up? How has business been?

"We've made it through to this point and, again, working with the city and the city allowing us to continue to stay open and to continue to understand the business and how we're going to do.

"Now that hockey season is here we're hoping to have a night like we have here tonight four or five nights per week if possible.

"It's been a learning experience and we'll take the next six months to learn, as well as have the city walk with us as we do."

In the event that the business isn't successful in six months, what could be the outcome?

"That's a good question. I don't know. That's something we'll talk to the city about after the six-month period."

Take a look at these articles for more information about Legends 1926 Bar and Grill:

  • Trenton Officials Seeking New Agreement With Legends 1926 Bar & Grill
  • UPDATED: Concession Stand to Reopen at Kennedy Following Contract Negotiations With Legends 1926
  • Trenton Officials Reach Interim Agreement With Legends 1926 Bar and Grill Owners
  • Patrons Can't Drink Alcohol Outside Legends 1926 During High School Games


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