Stagestop owners reopen restaurant

Now that Blagg Road has reopened to traffic and re-established use of a main north-south artery through town, the Stagestop Lounge and Casino has reopened the restaurant space in the rear of the building.

Several restaurants have occupied the 44-seat eatery over the past 10-plus years. It’s been a steakhouse, a location for Romero’s North, and most recently Heath’s Laff Factory.

Owner Heath Campbell relocated to Frontage Road across from Albertson’s after his business took a beating from the 2011 flooding and resulting damage to Blagg Road.

Co-owner of the Stagestop Erin Holmes with husband Shawn, said, “It’s been a slow process getting the restaurant up and running. We’ve been serving food for a couple of months to our bar customers, but we’ve only been publicly open for about two weeks.”

She said there were several reasons for wanting to reopen the restaurant and listed convenience as one of them.

“We like to serve our gamblers,” Erin said. “Before, we had to purchase the food from Romero’s or Heath’s. This way it’s already there and it’s ours.”

She said another reason had to do with the business’ involvement in the community.

“We often are asked to host fundraisers and benefits. Now we can donate the food, charge some price for it and donate all the money to the fundraiser.”

She said a perfect example of this took place Sunday when a benefit was held for a local woman’s family after she passed away very recently from Leukemia.

“We could donate all the money to the family,” Erin said.

Erin said she and Shawn first had to find someone who could cook.

“The head chef is Tim Taylor. He cooked for a long time at the Elks Lodge here.”

She said the food is good because Taylor and his assistant Shay Ross “cook what they know.”

The restaurant mainly serves “bar food,” such as burgers, wraps and sandwiches.

Erin said, “And it’s cheap, too.”

She’s serious about that. It’s a lot of food for the money.

The appetizer menu offers items in pound and half-pound sizes. A pound of seasoned fries is $2.50 and patrons can order a half-pound of jalapeno poppers, cheese sticks, chicken wings or chicken strips for $4.

The chicken can be tossed in your choice of three sauces.

The restaurant is still offering an old favorite — Romero’s salsa — with tortilla chips.

Although the menu is limited, it offers three burgers, a steak or chicken philly, pulled pork, subs and a club. Wrapped sandwiches and a quesadilla are also on the menu.

Erin said the chef is also offering a daily special. “It’s always good because again, it’s what they know.”

The restaurant is also serving the popular Sunday breakfast. It’s hard to get a seat so go early.

Erin said just word of mouth has “the place packed on Sundays.”

The hours are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday; from 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday; and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday.

Stagestop is located at 100 Stagecoach Road, off of Blagg Road. Call 727-7300 for additional information.