Former Casey's to house new restaurant in downtown Whitefish

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 until it closed recently.

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

But plans for the building are to reopen with a new restaurant and entertainment space.

Director of Operations Jayson Peters said running a late-night bar had plenty of challenges and that the 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, is set to have a new restaurant called Herb and Omni. In addition, there will be entertainment upstairs at the Second Story and a rooftop sky bar.

Herb and Omni is on the ground floor and is expected to 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 Grille or Abruzzo Italian Kitchen, 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.

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.

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 is set to open by the end of June. Herb and Omni will be open for dinner only to start but is expected to offer a full lunch menu next year.