Nibbles: Willy’s Bar and Grill
Cheeseburger and fries – the menu also has a build-your-own-burger option
Steak and cheese with fries
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William and Dana Swarrow
Bill Swarrow has always enjoyed cooking.
A bridge welder by trade, he likes whipping up dishes – especially barbecue – at home for his wife, Dana, and their three children.
But these days, Bill, 45, is cooking for a lot more people.
In June 2017, the Swarrows purchased Willy’s Bar and Grill, formerly The Bower Brothers Lounge, located next to the old Fredericktown Ferry launch in Fredericktown.
“This is all new to us,” says Dana, noting that neither she nor Bill have prior restaurant experience. “We went to school with the guys who previously owned it and they know my husband loves to cook, so they asked us for a few years if we wanted to buy it. We kept saying no.”
Finally, the last time former owners John and Scott raised the idea, the Swarrows decided to make an offer.
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The exterior of Willy’s Bar and Grill in Fredericktown
“They accepted it. I thought, ‘Hey, I think this was meant to be.’ So, here we are,” Dana says.
Before the Swarrows took over ownership, Willy’s Bar and Grill had been operating solely as a bar, with the exception of a weekly steak night the former owners held.
Bill says that he and Dana, who works as a surgical assistant for an orthopedic surgeon in addition to helping to run the restaurant, spent about a month cleaning the kitchen and getting it ready for use.
With the help of family, they also repainted the interior. Dana is reworking the decor, focusing on a rustic theme.
Dana says she would like to dedicate one wall to historic photos and memorabilia related to the Fredericktown Ferry.
The Swarrows have expanded their menu since they opened the restaurant. For the initial menu, Dana says, “we wanted to start out basic.”
“We don’t have a whole lot on the menu because it’s our first go at doing something like this, so we wanted to start small and master what we had,” said Dana. “We have added to the second menu. We’ve been adding a little at a time.”
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Fries with bacon and cheese is a popular appetizer.
The most popular menu items are steak sandwiches, burgers and wings. Bill makes all of the wing sauces, including the Willy’s BBQ.
Willy’s Bar and Grill offers food specials including Mexican Mondays and Wednesday Wing Nights, and on Thursdays, Bill features home-style dishes such as seafood pasta and chicken stuffed shells.
Menu offerings also include Buffalo macaroni and cheese and a variety of soups.
The Swarrows employ a staff of two, and their children, Dylan and Mackenzie, also work at the eatery. Dylan serves as the night bartender, and Mackenzie, who is a student at Beth-Center High School, comes in after school to help make salads, clean tables and tackle other tasks that need done.
The restaurant is adjacent to the bar, which offers six beers on tap. The bar seats 28 and features a pool table, juke box and golf arcade game.
Every other Saturday, Willy’s Bar & Grill hosts local disc jockey DJ Buck, and hosts seasonal events that include New Year’s Eve, Ugly Christmas Sweater and Halloween parties.
“We get a really good turnout for DJ Buck. People will dance and sing along and have a really good time,” Dana says. “Our weekends are really busy.”
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The bar area of Willy’s Bar and Grill
The restaurant seats 32 customers. Bill plans to install barbecue equipment outside the restaurant – with a view of the river – this spring, and would like to eventually add outdoor seating.
He also plans to enlarge the kitchen.
“It’s like we’re working in a shoebox,” he says, laughing. “I need some room to work.”
The couple, high school sweethearts who have been married for 22 years, are enjoying their new venture.
“We figured we’d give it a try. Something new in life,” Bill says.
Dana agrees.
“It’s a big change. We’re here 24/7, but we knew that when we got into it. We talked about it as a family, and the kids said they backed our decision. We’re in it together.”
Willy’s Bar and Grill, located at 550 Front St., Fredericktown, is open seven days a week. For additional information, visit www.facebook.com/Willysbarandgrill.