VOLGA It took two years of behind-the-scenes effort, but Volgas newest business, the Blue Goose Sports Pub, opened its doors on Jan. 24 and folks can in part thank South Dakota Public Broadcasting for that turn of fortune.
If youd told me three years ago that this was going to happen, I would have said youre nuts, Todd Collins said. This wasnt on our radar, not at all.
Collins and his wife, Theresa, operate the pub in partnership with Clark and Patti Jordre of Onida.
The Collinses initial hesitation changed after they watched a SDPB program focusing on Clark Jordres business in Onida, also known as the Blue Goose. It showed he was a community-minded entrepreneur.
At one point there was a, somebody in the community had lost their house due to a fire, Todd Collins said. He and his people had raised $24,000 or something like that. He always sponsored teams and things like that. We really wanted to be part of a community like that. So we watched that and said, Yeah, we wouldnt mind that, being part of a community.
And so now, several years later, the Collinses dream has been realized but not before a lot of sweat went into getting the building at 202 Kasan Ave. remodeled into proper shape to host a sports pub, Theresa Collins said. On top of all of that, the Blue Goose is also the couples first business venture.
The demolition was unbelievable, Todd Collins said. There were times where I thought we were just going to have to put a match to the place.
Yeah, his wife agreed, laughing.
We had no experience in old buildings, Todd Collins added. Its crazy the things that come up, and how expensive it is. Its been quite an adventure.
The couple had assistance from family members, including a son with a full-time job who found additional time to do much of the heavy lifting. The crew would come in at 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. at night and would stay until midnight or 1 a.m., including weekends.
It wasnt an easy task. In decades past, the building served as a bank in fact, its two vaults that housed money and bank records remain in place among other things. A lot of history built up and, with it, detritus as well.
This included plaster covering the original brick walls. Initially, the Collinses had no intention of removing it but, well, goals can and do change. They chipped it off little by little, then followed with sanding and glazing. To say there was a lot of physical work involved would be something of an understatement.
There was a hole from tearing these walls out. It left a hole in the plaster, which would have been very easy to fix, Todd Collins remembered. (Theresa) just started hitting it and chipping it and then pretty soon it got bigger and bigger and then we were like, Lets take it all!
He noted that they had seven dumpsters worth of material following the renovations, with each dumpster being 15 yards long. That was what was amazing to me.
On top of that, he said the walls were thick and built to never come down. If there was a nuclear war, youd want to be standing next to one of those!
High hopes
The Collinses, who originally hail from Brookings and now live north of U.S. Highway 14 on 466th Avenue, also known as Bruce Road, have high hopes for the Blue Goose Sports Pub in Volga.
Volga has a is steeped in tradition, Todd Collins said. People from Volga are proud to be from Volga. Theyre proud to have played sports in Volga. That was a big factor. They love their sports.
The pub shows it, too, with its brick walls plastered with trophies, jerseys, uniforms and mitts while illuminated helmets hang from the ceiling. The memorabilia comes from teams that range from local to state and beyond. One of the Blue Gooses special keepsakes is a Volga School trophy from 1923.
We have people coming in just bringing us stuff all the time, Todd Collins said.
Institutions represented include the Sioux Valley Cossacks, South Dakota State University Jackrabbits, Brookings Rangers, Sully Buttes, De Smet and Northern State University Wolves and Lake Preston.
Beyond the memorabilia, there are 14 televisions on which to view sporting events, including one thats set into floor near the pubs entrance. Lets not forget the food, either, especially since it involves pies from Georges Pizza in Brookings.
Theyve been really popular, Todd Collins said, adding that the pub orders 80 of the pizzas every week.
The iconic restaurant makes and freezes the pizzas for the Blue Goose then theyre cooked in the pizza oven at the pub, and sometimes customers will also take them home and cook them.
You know whats even cooler? Georges also has a special pie just for the sports pub; its called the Blue Goose and has Alfredo sauce with sausage and pepperoni.
Its our most popular pizza, Todd Collins said.
The pub offers a variety of beer, liquor and seltzer products as well, with the latter being a big hit with customers.
Seltzers are really big right now, Todd Collins said. Theyre like a can of soda water with fizz in it.
Or an old-fashioned wine cooler, Theresa Collins interjected.
Its a seltzer water. It doesnt have an overwhelming flavor, Todd Collins finished.
Both said the pubs taps have unique beers microbrews from the area, with plans to change them out every month or two.
Some weve already changed out because we ran out of one kind and had to put in another kind, Todd Collins said.
If thats not enough, a variety of whiskies and bourbons are available, including Black Velvet, Horse Soldier, Bulleit, Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Crown Royal. Beer products include Busch Light, Coors Light, Bud Light, Miller Light and Grain Belt.
Beyond business
While its always nice to have new stores, restaurants and whatnot, oftentimes a simple thing is overlooked: the staffers. Thats not the case with the Collinses, though.
Weve gotten a lot of comments about how friendly and quick (they are), Todd Collins said. Thats probably been the biggest relief to me. We hired 10 people, and only one of them had ever worked in a bar before only one of them had poured a drink. And now we trust all of them to work by themselves anytime. Theyre very good, theyre very quick learners. Hard workers.
The couple is also eagerly awaiting the arrival of warmer times in the months ahead, with plans for a beer garden and becoming even more involved with the community.
It seems kind of like cabin fever right now, Theresa Collins said. Summer theyll have Old Timers Day and that kind of stuff (well) get out and get involved in it, in the community part of it.
Thats really what we want, to belong to a community, Todd Collins added.
It looks like theyre going to get their wish, too. Their careers took them away from the Brookings area and into Minnesota for 30 or so years. His posts included teaching special education at Albert Lea (Minnesota) High School, and she was a computer programmer at Federated Insurance for 31 years. They returned to their roots two years ago and have four adult children three sons and a daughter.
Its a laid-back atmosphere, Todd Collins said of the Blue Goose Sports Pub. Just come and try it (and) see what you think. I think its the most unique bar Ive seen in a long time.
Oh, and about changing their minds after watching that SDPB program about Clark Jordres bar in Onida? Well, now its paying dividends in Volga.
I think we made the right choice, Todd Collins said. (We) picked the right community. I think were going to be fine.
Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
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