Don & GG's Is an Ironwood Icon

IRONWOOD, MI - Monday, March 10, 2008 - How many current Ironwood businesses can you name that have been in nearly continuous operation, in the same location (or within feet of the original), for seventy years? There aren't a lot of them. Don & GG's is one!

BUSINESS HISTORY

Back in 1938, John Krainak and Gus Stevens built what was to become an Ironwood institution, Don & GG's. The tavern was operated by and Ironwood miner by the name of Steve Smith under it's original name, "The Silver Dime."

In 1947, Ed Ryan and his wife Victoria purchased the business. Ed was from Detroit and Victoria was born and raised in Marenisco. After five years in business, they sold "The Silver Dime" to Donald and Goldene (GG) Johnson.

The Johnsons renamed the tavern "Don & GG's." It's been know by that name ever since. Don was a native of Ramsay, and he managed the Weber Resort on Lake Gogebic before purchasing the bar. GG was employed in Marenisco, where she was born and raised. Don and GG made many changes and improvements to the old tavern. When the State widened US-2 from two to four lanes in 1960, they moved the building back twenty feet and added the entire back half. They also brought in food service and began serving fish fries on Fridays and chicken on Saturdays.

Don passed away in 1978 and GG closed the business shortly thereafter. GG was active in the community during her retirement. She passed away in 1997.

In November 1979, Ironwood natives Dave "Swede" and Teri Johnson (no relation to the previous owners) purchased the business. They expanded the food service to seven days a week, serving both lunch and dinner. Like the original Johnsons, the Dave and Teri did their share of remodeling and improvements. The expanded food service required a full kitchen. Originally, nearly all of the cooking as done at one end of the bar. The high volume of business made that arrangement no longer practical. A new deck was added. Refinished antique booths from the original King's Gateway in Land O'Lakes, Wisconsin were installed. Dave and Teri transformed Don & GG's from a bar that served food into a restaurant that served alcohol.

TAKING OVER THE BUSINESS

Last July, Dave and Teri sold the establishment to Ron Belmas, his wife Toni, and their son Brad. The Belmas' are from the area. Ron went to area schools and his son Brad graduated from Bessemer High School. Ron and Brad own a logging business together. Toni was born in Rockford, Illinois. Her family moved Ironwood when she was six. She attended local schools and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School. She has an extensive background in the restaurant business. She started working in restaurants while she was still in high school. She worked for ten years at the Kinda Kountry Kafe in Bessemer; ten years at Country Kitchen in Ironwood; and several years at the former Big Boy, also in Ironwood.

Ron and Toni have another son, Mark who is away at college. He helps out at the restaurant whenever he's home. He is studying computer information systems, and he's expected to earn his degree this year.

Toni is the workhorse of the operation. She handles the day to day running of the business. "Ron and Brad are loggers," she said, "They have absolutely no experience in the restaurant business! They are not an active part of Don & GG's, however."

Toni said she always wanted to be in business for herself. She likes calling the shots. She likes making decisions. From the very beginning, Ron fully supported the idea of going into the restaurant business. "He told me `Go look at some places, and get what you want!'" Toni recalled, "Initially we really wanted the Piave Tavern, but that just didn't work out. Don & GG's had the location and a good business!"

One of the main reason's the Belmas' chose to purchase Don & GG's was the fact that it was well-established. Toni was somewhat overwhelmed by the business, however. She really likes running the restaurant, but she didn't realize just how well-established Don & GG's really was. It's a surprisingly large operation! "I was in for a shock," said Toni, "It's a challenge! But, I'm learning!"

"We're in a good spot. It's a great location! We've got good parking! What more could you want!"

The once small tavern that only served weekend food specials now employs between thirty-two and thirty five people. They serve lunch and dinner five days a week and breakfast, lunch and dinner on the weekends. Although Toni has been on the management end of restaurant operations before, nothing prepared her for the large-scale operation she's assumed with Don & GG's.

"The difference between managing here (Don & GG's) and managing at Country Kitchen is that I'm responsible for everything here. If something breaks, I get someone over here to fix it. When I worked at Country Kitchen, somebody else took care of all of that. Here, I'm the one! I have to take care of everything! You have to stay on top of everything: scheduling, hiring, firing, food ordering, learning the food codes, going to classes. You work harder! Your money's invested!" The business does a tremendous gross, and the the Johnsons streamlined the operation with a point of sale computer sales and inventory system.

Toni says that Dave Johnson's been a tremendous help in the transition. He's been there to help whenever she needs him. In fact, he still works the kitchen on Friday and Saturday nights. "He's a wonderful man!" Toni said.

Like the Johnsons before them and the Johnsons before the Johnsons, the Belmas's are making changes and improvements to the business. They have begun serving breakfasts on Saturdays and Sundays; they offer several different dinner specials that weren't previously available; and the Friday night fish fry will soon be featuring a larger variety of fish. In addition to the traditional haddock and perch, trout, salmon and whitefish, Don and GG's will be offering mahi mahi as well as some more exotic varieties of fish.

Toni thinks Wal-Mart will be a big influence on the entire area. She believes the influence will be mostly positive. She says if Wal-Mart's presence increases her business traffic, she'll hire more staff. The family has already been discussing possible expansion. One of their options would be to enclose the current deck and relocate a new deck, set back a bit. "On Fridays and Saturdays we cannot accommodate what we have. We have people waiting for a place to sit. There is room to expand if we need to!"

Don & GG's features casual dining with good quality food. One of the main reasons for its huge success is the fact that they offer beer, wine, and cocktails while others along US-2 do not. "It's not just a hamburger joint or a pizza joint," Toni explained, "Our quality of food can be classed with the Bell Chalet. We're more relaxed, but we do sell upscale food."

"We get some snowmobilers, some skiers, and we do get a lot of business from the local motels along US-2. Indianhead Motel, for example, includes us in their special packages." Local businesses working together, Toni pointed out, is a very good thing.

Most restaurants experience a lull in business in April. It's a tough time in the restaurant and bar business. Taxes are due; food services license fees are due; it's between seasons -- not really summer, not really spring; business traditionally slows; and people aren't vacationing. Is Toni nervous? "I don't know the answer! I'm slightly nervous, but I think we'll make it through it!"

She said the bitter cold weather has slowed business to a small degree, but Toni explained that "Swede" (Dave Johnson) pretty much knows when business so well, that he can accurately predict what kind of business to expect on any given weekend. She said, she follows what he says because he's the expert.

Toni said the Ironwood area is a great place to live. "Great recreation -- fishing, boating, hunting, hiking, the Falls, skiing, snowmobiling, the fall colors, Tour de Lake, bike riding. This area has a lot to offer! If you look hard enough, you'll find something to do!" she said. She loves the area and never wants to leave it. "I'm in debt forever! I'll never leave here!" she said with a laugh.

When he's not working in the woods, Toni's son Brad likes snowmobiling, fishing, hunting, and pool. Her other son Mark is into snowboarding. Her husband Ron likes to fish and hunt. Toni's hobby, she said, is her work. Running the restaurant is her adventure. And she welcomes everybody to stop in and enjoy her adventure with her.

To view Don & GG's complete menu, be sure to click their sidebar ad on this page. Both the lunch and dinner as well as the breakfast menus can be viewed online. The Chronicle would like to thank Toni for graciously taking time out of her busy day to grant us an interview. We wish the best of luck to the Belmas family in their new food service endeavor. If you have a business that you would like to see featured in the Chronicle, be sure to drop us an email or give us a call.

Jim Albert