It didn’t take long for word to get out Friday morning that the Sagebrush Cantina had reopened for business.
After a test run on Thursday, the restaurant’s owners, managers and staff were ready and waiting for an onslaught of lunch customers on Friday.
From those waiting in line at the door, to staff members who’d been anxious for the day to finally arrive, the opening-day buzz was music to their ears.
The rebuilt Cantina has more space and greater seating capacity than the former restaurant, but by noon nearly every square foot of space was taken up by staff and customers waiting for a place to sit.
First-day hostesses Claudia Burns and Juliette Gresock barely had time to seat one table of four, before another group or two walked in the door.
‘They were lined up at the door by 11 a.m. It’s been crazy,? said Burns, who began working at the downtown restaurant before the old building was destroyed in a fire in 2004.
Gresock said the entire staff had been well prepared in anticipation of large crowds over the weekend.
‘I think we picked up where the restaurant left off (before the fire),? said Gresock. ‘The staff has been very excited and everyone is pumped up for this.?
Customers Kate Grand and Brian Scolari were able to squeeze into a pair of seats at the bar, just in time to order two of the Cantina’s extra-special margaritas. The couple wasn’t surprised by the large crowd.
‘Absolutely not,? said Grand. ‘We expected it to be busy. I used to come here before and really missed it. There’s nothing like a margarita in the afternoon.?
Cristal Negrete, a member of the waitstaff, had been working at Sagebrush owner Dia Zaraga’s other restaurant in Fenton. She said the reason she signed on was for the chance to work at the downtown Lake Orion location.
‘I’m very happy and glad to see such a great crowd,? she said, ‘and the tips are good, too.?
By the time word spread of the restaurant’s opening, the Cantina enjoyed a full house of customers on Friday evening, and again on Saturday following the village’s lighted parade downtown.
On Monday morning, with the stress and nervousness of the opening weekend behind him, Zaraga said things couldn’t have gone better.
‘It’s going really good,? Zaraga said. ‘It’s been a big weight off my shoulders to be back in business again. It feels so good — we’re really enjoying this. It’s back to having fun again.?