Neighborhood bar and grill set to reopen after renovation

The sign outside the lone bar in Royal reads Last Chance Bar and Grill. For some area residents, the name might have sealed the business's fate.

Thanks to a Phoenix-now-Plainview couple, the local eatery and watering hole is experiencing a renaissance, of sorts.

Lisa Meisner and Polly Anderson hope to reopen the Royal Bar and Grill in March and anticipate the place will remain a gathering place for locals, while alluring new customers who venture along U.S. Highway 20.

A trip to Nebraska in December 2019 eventually led to the purchase of two Royal mainstays: the bar and grill and the Royal Schoolhouse.

Meisner is no stranger to the area. Born in Royal, she attended elementary school there until second grade, when her family moved to Plainview.

"A month after that visit, my sister sent a Facebook ad that Cheryl Holliday was selling the school," she said.

She suggested the couple open a bed and breakfast.

Meisner said they considered the recommendation and then, the pandemic hit and the idea was pushed aside.

Something about the possibility kept tugging at Meisner and Anderson.

They returned to Royal, in June, to tour the school and see if their vision could become a reality.

"We didn't want to have to build a commercial kitchen," Meisner said. "Someone mentioned the bar was for sale and we thought 'that could be the breakfast part of it.'"

Anderson said the friendliness of community members made the decision easy to make.

They stopped by the bar and asked about the for sale sign outside. An employee asked if they would like to meet the owner.

"Okay, why not," Anderson said.

Say hello to Gary Ober.

Anderson said their conversation with Ober turned to smalltown life.

"Gary asked if we wanted to meet the mayor of Royal," Anderson said.

Say hello to Max Hieter.

"It was just the energy of these two men ... I was just blown away. That's when it just expedited everything in our thinking process," Anderson said. "It was nice to see down-to-earth folks. It was such a breath of fresh air."

Meisner and Anderson purchased the schoolhouse first and then turned their efforts to the bar.

"We thought we could get this portion going a little quicker," Meisner said.

They assumed ownership Jan. 1.

Since then, they have renovated the bar's kitchen and dining area, providing a few hints along the way on the business's Facebook Page.

Outside, the structure has a new roof and new siding will be installed soon.

Meisner said a lot of the updates will be invisible when customers walk in.

Known for serving one of the best hamburgers in the area, Meisner said kitchen fare will remain the same.

"There's not a lot of changes with the menu," Meisner said. "We are taking suggestions for menu items," she said.

Salads and breakfast burritos have been requested by customers. A kids' menu is also under consideration.

The take-out window will be expanded for early morning breakfast grab-and-goes.

Daily lunch specials will continue to be dished up.

"We may try a dinner special," Meisner said.

The new owners are considering introducing keno.

"When we found out it helped the village ... we were excited about that," Meisner said.

Overall, Meisner and Anderson want the Royal Bar and Grill to keep it's neighborhood vibe.

"We still want it to be for the locals and have them comfortable," Meisner said. "But we do want to attract more travelers along Highway 20 and Grove Lake visitors."

Eventually, the couple plans to reopen the antique shop in the schoolhouse, showcasing local vendors and their wares.

"We'd like to see it open more than a couple months in the summer," Meisner said.

The schoolhouse will require several upgrades prior to reopening.

A heating and cooling system will need to be installed, along with other cosmetic fixes.

Anderson said, "We want to get it ready as if we were going to open for school again."

"As original as possible," Meisner added.

The couple operated an antique booth at a few sites in Phoenix and Anderson refurbishes furniture, which may be available for sale.

"It was a fun hobby," Meisner said.

They are looking for historical items to display at the bar and schoolhouse.

"We'd like to make it a mini museum, too," Meisner said. "There's a lot of history around the area."