Everyone in Pahrump is familiar with the popular “Mom’s Diner” owned by Larry Chumley and located in Copper Springs Mall on State Street. The restaurant has been open for about six years and became so popular, Chumley contracted a massive renovation to add space to the dining room.
Chumley is undertaking a new venture with his daughter Sharlee Horvath. The two are opening another restaurant inside the dining space at the Stagestop on North Blagg Road. The concept for the new restaurant isn’t a second location for Mom’s Diner, it will be an entirely new style which Horvath calls “a cowboy steakhouse featuring fried chicken.”
Although the menu is not yet complete, father and daughter are tasting products and lining up the vendors. Horvath said, “We will also have some fish entrees and chicken dishes other than the fried chicken. There will be a few unique appetizers and desserts.”
Chumley was an executive chef in Las Vegas for 21 years and a food and beverage director of The Orleans for 10 years. He has been inducted into the American Culinary Federation of Chefs hall of fame.
Sharlee Horvath was a catering sales manager at the Mirage in Las Vegas. She was responsible for the booking, planning and execution of events of all sizes and types from meetings to awards dinners to the dream wedding.
The name of the new venture is “Sugar’s Shack,” so named for Sharlee who is known in local circles as “Sugar.” She said the nickname was given to her by her dad when she was about 2 years old.
After about six weeks of negotiations with Stagestop owners Shawn and Erin Holmes, Erin said, “They have worked wonders with the renovations and have put quite a bit of money into the upgrades already.”
Holmes said, “There have been some rumors that Larry is purchasing the Stagestop. That isn’t the case. We are leasing Sharlee and Larry the restaurant.”
Horvath said the painting is done and the lighting has been changed. “The ceiling now has a rustic look and is wood, the walls are painted and we’ve added wainscoting to the lower half of the wall.”
She said the new booths are waiting to go in and the crew has leveled the lot at the new side entrance.
The former entrance to the restaurant area involved walking through the casino and bar. Horvath said they have added a separate entrance on the side of the building so “those who don’t want to walk through the smoke don’t have to.
Horvath said the dining room renovation is first, then the crew will begin work updating the huge kitchen area with some new equipment, a good cleaning and the addition of the fryers for the signature fried chicken.
“We also have some landscaping to do outside before we’re ready to open. It will make the blank side of the building more appealing as an entrance.”
Horvath said it is going to take a while to complete the project. Plans are still in the works for what she is calling a “blow-out” grand opening party. “You can follow the progress on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Sugarsshackinc or by searching for Sugar’s-Shack.
“We are planning on opening in September,” Horvath said.