Sharon Saulnier has purchased the local establishment and is already in the process of some pretty major renovations.
Saulnier and her spouse Mike Habib moved to Queens County from Langdon, Alberta three weeks ago with their three children. Saulnier is originally from Queens County and has lots of family and friends here.
Saulnier has worked in the service industry for 22 years and dabbled in running her own dog grooming and sitting service. She says she always wanted to move back home and be close to the ocean.
“I’m really excited about all the changes,” says Saulnier.
Some of the changes being made to the building have already started. The bathrooms are being completely renovated and a larger women’s washroom is being made.
The bowling alley is also seeing some changes. The area is being cleaned up and the lanes themselves will be resurfaced in June.
The couple hopes to completely make over the inside of the bar to create better flow. They plan on changing the position of the bar and creating an elevated stage area for bands to play. The plans also come with all new décor.
They have no immediate plans to change the restaurant but they do want to offer pub fare later in the night such as nachos and poutine.
“We are going to have a wing night,” says Habib.
Saulnier also says she is going to have full waitressing staff so that people can be served at their seats.
“It’s difficult to have one bartender to service the whole bar,” she says.
The establishment will be hiring to accommodate for the extra wait staff.
The couple is on the hunt for Nova Scotian microbreweries and distilleries. They are impressed with the ones they’ve checked out so far.
Both say they are hoping to hear some input from the community and have heard quite a bit already.
“We are looking to work with the town of Liverpool to make it good,” says Habib.
Habib says they are looking into having two limousines brought from Alberta to help with transportation to and from the bar, especially at closing time when there are often larges crowds leaving at the same time.
Besides the operational and cosmetic changes, the bar area will be getting a brand new name: “Spirits On The Mersey.”
Habib says they got the idea for the name from all of the ghost stories around the area.
Saulnier and Habib hope to have everything finished before this year’s Privateer Days.
