Town Royal, 405 Commercial St., has undergone a major facelift with from the outside of the establishment to the inside.
Steve Corbin, who owns the establishment with his wife, Linda, said they spent nearly $50,000 on the remodel. They have owned the establishment since 1992, when they opened it up as a tavern.
“It’s come a long ways,” Corbin said.
The remodel started with the front of the building and worked their way inside, Corbin said. The re-model began in November and the grand re-opening was Super Bowl weekend, however, the establishment wasn’t closed all that time, Corbin said.
“We started on the front,” Corbin said. “Once we had it torn out, we decided to do the rest of it.”
Town Royal’s last re-model was in 1997 when new carpeting and tile was put in. This time, the Corbins said they felt it was time for a fresh look.
“It was time,” Steve Corbin said. “We wanted to do the front because of the air conditioning and once that was done we decided we might as well go out and shoot the wad at once.”
Upon entering the front of Town Royal, a new, larger bar is evident to the visitor.
“We went from 12 to 26 barstools,” Corbin said. “We did the horseshoe shape so people can throw insults at each other!”
The larger bar also makes things easier for bartenders, Corbin said.
“We made space back here,” Corbin said. “It used to be three feet wide.”
The next noticeable feature is the floor. New carpeting and tile have been installed. Portions of the brick walls are now exposed, lightening up the room.
Energy efficient windows also were installed in the front. Light streams in during the day illuminating the room through the front windows.
Future plans are to add energy efficient windows to the back of the establishment as well, Corbin said.
Corbin said they are pleased with the re-model.
“Business is good,” he said. “It’s cleaner. We like it and we’re not done yet.”
Corbin said they might add a kitchen sometime in the future.
“We have the equipment,” he said. “We’re just not sure if we want to do it yet.”
The re-model is a hit with customers as well.
“The customers seem to like it,” said Linda Corbin. “I love it, it’s great.”
Linda Corbin also commented on the bar.
“It’s nicer for several people behind the bar working,” she said.
Roy, who asked that his last name not be used, was sitting at the bar Monday afternoon sipping a beer.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “The bar’s bigger. It’s comfortable. It’s a pretty good change.”
Another customer called out that the establishment is more homey and allows more room for customers to move around. Still another customer yelled as she was on her way out the door that she loves the new look.
Many of the customers agreed that what sets Town Royal apart is the atmosphere. It feels like home.
“It’s a ‘Cheers’ kind of bar,” Linda Corbin said. “Everybody knows everybody.”
Steve Corbin said they get a diverse crowd from blue-collar workers to lawyers and ages 21 to 80.