LEWISTON — Frontier House owners have been looking for a restaurant to take up residency at the landmark site. A pair of restaurateurs from Buffalo have been looking for the perfect spot to open a second eatery.
Jake Strawser and Daniel Hagen, the operators of the Billy Club restaurant in Buffalo, announced Friday they plan on opening Fairbanks in the historic building, bringing their philosophy to Lewiston while paying tribute to the property it will reside in.
“We are thrilled to bring our passion for food and hospitality to Lewiston,” Hagen said in the announcement. “We have always admired the Frontier House for its historic charm and significance, and we are honored to be part of its revival. We hope to create a place that will become a destination for locals and visitors alike, where they can enjoy great food and drinks in a beautiful setting.”
The duo’s Billy Club restaurant in Buffalo’s Allentown neighborhood has been open for more than seven years. Since then, they have looked at locations for a second restaurant. Strawser said they were approached by Ellicott Development, which is turning the second, third, and fourth floors into residential and rental spaces.
“As soon as we stepped into the property, we fell in love,” Strawser said.
The restaurant’s name, Fairbanks, is an homage to Joshua Fairbanks, who built the Frontier House back in 1824 as a hotel and tavern. It will occupy the building’s first floor, with storage, office space, and a private dining area in the basement, and have a seating capacity of around 100 people.
As for the food, it would be focused on having ingredients local to the Great Lakes Basin region, similar to how Billy Club operates as a farm-to-table restaurant. The two restaurants will share a general manager, beverage manager and sommelier.
“From a hospitality standpoint, a lot will carry over,” Strawser said. “It will be its own restaurant with its own dishes and chef.”
The property has been vacant since 2004, with the most recent restaurant on the property being a McDonald’s location.
Fairbanks is expected to open this summer. Hours of operation are not known, but Hagen and Strawser plan on expanding what hours they will have in the summer months.