BAKER CITY — Patrons, friends and family members of the new owners gathered May 31 to watch Angie and John Sullivan cut a red ribbon and take over as proprietors of the Eagle Cap Grill at 2915 10th St.

The Sullivans had worked at the restaurant for more than a year and a half.

“The opportunity presented itself to buy the restaurant,” Angie said. “We didn’t come here planning to do that. We’ve always been in food service. I’ve been working in this community since I was 13, starting out in Haines at the steakhouse. When the opportunity presented itself we thought about it for a long time, and here we are. I can’t believe it, I really can’t.”

The couple gathered everyone at the entrance, where Jeff Nelson, an adviser with the Small Business Development Center at Blue Mountain Community College, handed over the scissors for the ribbon-cutting.

“They have worked for over 11 months to get this done,” said Nelson, who helped the Sullivans arrange a loan from the Small Business Administration to make the purchase possible. “A lot of stuff to organize, the alcohol (licensing), the food licenses, and the Oregon Lottery.”

Although the Sullivans are the new owners, they’ll also handle day-to-day tasks.

“I am a waitress on the floor, but I’m also doing all the ordering and scheduling,” Angie said.

“She’s front of house, I’m back of house,,” John said. “I’ve been a chef as well for many years.”

He said he worked as a chef in Phoenix, Arizona, where his citrus salmon was praised.

Two of the couple’s five children also don aprons and bring their professional best to each diner. The Sullivans said they have come to love the restaurant as employees, and they intend to carry on with the same menu favorites their clients know, with some small additions.

“We want to tweak a couple things,” John said.

“A lot of new desserts, giant cinnamon rolls, pecan turtle cheesecake, and the New York strip steak that we’ve served a few times, we’re just trying not to ‘change’ it,” Angie said.

They’re hoping to expand

on the decor, especially the historic photographs at each booth.

“They get so much attention, everyone has questions about these photos, so we want to add to that, a glimpse of the old Baker,” Angie said.

The building itself is part of that history — it used to be the A&W drive-in.

Paperwork

The Sullivans said their biggest hurdle was working with the Oregon Lottery, which regulates the video poker machines.

“It’s bureaucracy, I spent a lot of hours on hold with the state,” Angie said. “I called (Nelson) crying a couple times, just trying not to freak out.”

Nelson, who has helped many business owners, said the red tape is typical.

“About six months into this you’re getting wore out as the people trying, but they had the perseverance, and that’s what it takes,” Nelson said of the Sullivans.

The couple installed a new sound system for the fenced front patio, which is popular on warm days. In the future they’ll also be improving the lighting and making other small changes.

During the grand reopening, visitors participated in a raffle, with the aid of Shameless Tees, which gave away coffee cups and gift certificates.

“It’s amazing, I’m so happy for Angie,” John said. “She was born and raised here, and knows everybody, for her to be seen in the public? It’s like a complete success for Baker City when we see her.”

“Owning a restaurant I think will give us an opportunity to be part of the community, but also to enjoy life,” Angie said.

They’re considering ways to engage the public, John even thinking he might host a “silent disco,” and Angie hopes they can have local musicians perform.

“I just want to say thank you to everybody that helped, it hasn’t been us by ourselves, and the staff here is amazing,” Angie said. “And the community, people are coming in every day to show their support.

“I can’t believe that we’re here.”

“Owning a restaurant I think will give us an opportunity to be part of the community, but also to enjoy life.”

— Angie Sullivan, who, with her husband, John, recently bought the Eagle Cap Grill in Baker City