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Published April 01, 2011, 12:00 AM

Old Broadway sold?

A new restaurant is brewing to open in downtown Alexandria. Over the years, the property at 319 Broadway has been a well-known landmark in the Alexandria community. It was originally built as a private residence in the 1860s. In 1926, the property became a funeral home and then went back to being a private residence in 1929. The building was vacant and in need of repairs at the time it was converted to The Bronc’s On Broadway restaurant in 1986. Then, in 1993, the eating establishment was sold and the newly named Old Broadway took its place.

By: Al Edenloff, Alexandria Echo Press

  • Old Broadway
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    Old Broadway Food and Spirits at 319 Broadway in Alexandria has been closed for more than four years. If a pending sale is finalized, it will reopen as MainStreet Brewery as soon as this May.

A new restaurant is brewing to open in downtown Alexandria.

Old Broadway Food and Spirits, which has been closed for four years, is in the process of being sold and if all goes as planned, it will re-open as MainStreet Brewery.

Although the transaction is still pending, the new owners, Chris Anderson of Alexandria and Chuck Ronnebaum of Miltona, hope to open the new restaurant this May.

With more than 15 years of experience in the restaurant business, Anderson and Ronnebaum said they look forward to continuing the tradition of “excellent food, cold drinks and warm hospitality” in the downtown area.

MainStreet Brewery will offer a full lunch and dinner menu, cocktails and more.

Anderson was previously the chef and owner of Anderson’s Outpost near Miltona. He said that many of his most popular dishes will be featured at MainStreet Brewery.

“Our menu will include mouth-watering prime rib, chops, chicken, all-you-can-eat crab legs, steak and premium fresh vegetables,” Anderson said. “All the food you remember from Anderson’s Outpost will once again be available in Alexandria – from awesome corn muffins to the famous handmade pizza to the southern-style barbecue.”

The restaurant also plans to offer reservations for special events, such as business meetings, wedding parties, holidays and more.

The current owners of Old Broadway, Jill Blashack Strahan and Joani Nielson of Tastefully Simple, said they’re pleased that the restaurant will be opening again soon.

“We are so excited to welcome and support MainStreet Brewery,” Blashack Strahan said. “Old Broadway will always have a place in our hearts, and we wish Chris and Chuck all the best as they continue that legacy in our community – while starting wonderful new traditions of their own.”

Terms of the sale were not disclosed. Old Broadway was recently listed for sale at just under $1.5 million.

The pending sale represents a resurgence of sorts in the local restaurant industry. Just last week, plans were announced to sell Bug-A-Boo Bay on County Road 42 to new owners, John and Caren Timmerman, who plan to open in May.

Old Broadway’s history

Over the years, the property at 319 Broadway has been a well-known landmark in the Alexandria community. It was originally built as a private residence in the 1860s. In 1926, the property became a funeral home and then went back to being a private residence in 1929. The building was vacant and in need of repairs at the time it was converted to The Bronc’s On Broadway restaurant in 1986. Then, in 1993, the eating establishment was sold and the newly named Old Broadway took its place. It was owned by Frank and Lisa Bistodeau. Jill Blashack Strahan and Joani Neilson of Tastefully Simple purchased the property in May 2004. It closed in January 2007 but is now set to open in May as MainStreet Brewery.

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