Highlawn redone
Old restaurant get facelift under new management
By Alicia Stetzer, senior writer
Posted on August 28, 2006

As students return to Harrisonburg for the start of the new school year, a revamped Highlawn Pavilion, now the Rocktown Grill, stands out among the familiar establishments.

Aside from the name change, Rocktown Grill’s new owner Issac Coe has spent the summer renovating and redecorating the interior, developing a new menu and brainstorming ideas for nightlife events. The bar reopened on July 7 with a limited menu.

“I want the emphasis to change from being a bar-restaurant to being a restaurant-bar,” Coe said. “I want to serve alcohol that complements food.”

The menu has been changed to appeal to more tastes and Coe describes it as simple, but well-prepared comfort food with a Mediterranean emphasis. Coe also plans to offer a delivery and takeout menu.

Rocktown Grill will introduce new nightly specials, including Poor, Hungry and Thirsty, or “P.H.A.T.,” Mondays, offering discounted menu items. The following night, customers will find themselves south of the border on S.O.B. Tuesdays with specials on margaritas and Coronas.

Renovations include putting new taps on beer for better taste, and Coe also plans to introduce microbrews and imports, for example, along with what was previously offered.

Thursday night’s College Ladies’ Night will remain the same, with no cover charge for college females. The Thursday night happy hour will be referred to as “Power Hour,” with beer specials from 7 to 9 p.m. and liquor specials from 8 to 9 p.m.
 
“Thursday nights are big for revenue, but I want to use that revenue to develop events for the other nights of the week,” Coe said.

Rocktown Grill will have more emphasis on live music, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.  “I really like all types of music and I want to appeal to all segments of the community,” Coe said.

Coe expressed interest in organizing a focus group of JMU students to help recognize potential problems and for pointing out ways to improve the establishment.

“I would love to set up theme parties with the help and support of JMU students,” he said.

Rocktown Grill’s renovations are being completed, and the restaurant section is scheduled to be open by Thursday. Changes include new flooring and a new bar in the dance hall section, and in the restaurant section, the fireplace has been removed. Tile floors, new bathroom fixtures, a bigger bar and less wall dividers makes the room feel more open.

The upstairs VIP section will now be open to anyone for an extra $5 wristband, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“Everything in my life has been a work in progress,” Coe said. “We’ll try things out and see if they are successful.”

Coe, a former hospital administrator, wanted a change of pace and was looking into opening a chain restaurant downtown when he was told Highlawn was for sale in June.

Coe believes the previous owners, Nick and Brenda Neofotis, were tired of the hassles with the courts, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Department and the stress of overcrowding on Thursday nights and decided selling would be the right decision.

For the past several years, the Neofotises faced charges of embezzlement, ABC license violations for failure to seek permission to renew, and discrepancies found in audits in the amount of $400,000.

“Any organization has a life cycle,” Coe said. “I think the Neofotises did a good job in their part of the cycle, but I want to take it from there and hopefully be successful when I move it to the next stage.”

According to Rocktown Grill’s ABC license, Coe was granted a permanent alcohol license on July 5, but for the first six months of operation, the license stipulates that alcohol sales must end at midnight, and consumption must end at 2 a.m. At the end of the six months, Rocktown Grill will be allowed to sell alcohol until 1:30 a.m.

“I want to support the community and be a good corporate citizen,” Coe said. “I am concerned about the people and their safety, and I want Harrisonburg to be a better place.”

Visit www.rocktowngrill.com for more information and nightly events.