Two Bills Steakhouse to redefine dining in Summerland region

For years, Brian Ferris and Mike Tabbert have talked about opening a restaurant.

Talk will turn into reality as the duo opens Two Bills Steakhouse, in Clearwater, this spring.

"This (site) came available and we saw it not just as opening a business but serving the community, not just the Clearwater community where the restaurant is home, but the entire Summerland community because there is not a steakhouse around," Tabbert said.

The steakhouse and bar will occupy the former L-Bar-B building, at 211 Iowa Street.

Step one: develop a plan based around a name.

Ferris said he and Tabbert didn't want the new venture to be compared to previous owners because they were vastly different. Instead, they wanted a name that would have special meaning to them and their families.

The moniker - Two Bills - is a tribute to both men's fathers, William "Bill" Ferris and Clifton "Bill" Tabbert.

"The spirit behind it is my dad was military for more than 23 years. Bill has been a lifelong educator and always doing something community driven. We thought it was a way to honor our fathers and, to us, it's always going to be a spirit of community," Ferris said.

That spirit of community will be noticeable in the establishment. Diners will first notice a brighter, crisper atmosphere.

Ferris, Tabbert and their family have been working long hours to give the interior a facelift.

"We thought it was a little dark," Ferris said. "We want it to be more friends and family oriented."

Tabbert said previous owners had done "great things that matched their styles."

"This is going to match our style," Tabbert said.

The menu will be filled with traditional steakhouse items coupled with comfort food.

Ferris said Two Bills will offer the staples - steaks, salad bar, burgers, chicken, pasta.

"We want to add homemade desserts, too," he said.

A buffet option will be offered more than twice a month.

"We want to offer the buffet every Friday night," Tabbert said.

In addition to the classic three-meat offerings, diners can expect to homecooked staples. Ferris noted that the salad bar would also be expanded, with more offerings.

"We'd like to introduce new things off the menu and if they work, we'll add it to the menu," Tabbert said.

Ferris said another plan is to have a Sunday brunch buffet.

"We want it to be a big day and be a day where you don't have to go home and cook. When I was a kid, Sundays were super special for us to go out after church for breakfast," Tabbert said.

Servers will take orders on iPads and the establishment's inventory will be updated as orders are entered, allowing waitstaff to notify a customer immediately if a menu item is unavailable.

"We want to bring the technology that's out there to make the dining experience better," Tabbert said.

He relayed a story about taking his mom, LuAnne, to dinner and having to order three different times because items were out of stock.

"It's important to us to be open when we say we'll be open and the customer experience. We want everybody to leave wanting to come back," Tabbert said.

Future plans under consideration include offering a late-night menu, expanding for lunch service and adding a beer garden.

Both Ferris and Tabbert noted they've met a few challenges, which can be expected on any type of project of this magnitude, since purchasing the property in December.

"Like changing a light fixture and realize you have to bring everything up to code," Ferris said. "It's the type of things you stumble upon anytime you do a remodel or construction project. You really feel the challenges."

Tabbert said it isn't the first time they've met challenges during a facelift project.

"We took our 1918 farmhouse, tore it down to studs and started over. This wasn't that kind of project, but that experience has certainly helped knowing what's possible, what we want to take on and what we don't want to take on," Tabbert said.

The owners expect to hire 15 employees to fill full- and part-time positions.

"We hope to start hiring toward the end of this month," Tabbert said.

An official opening date has not been announced yet. Ferris said some things outside of their control - primarily deliveries - are taking longer than anticipated.

It'll be worth the wait.

"I want people to walk away thinking it was a really good experience. The service, the food, the whole nine yards. To me that's the most important thing. That everyone who comes in walks away happy," Ferris said.