As Tanner’s Bar and Grill closes in on its eighth anniversary of opening in Platte City, the co-owners prepare to make a big change to the business, including a switch to a smoke-free building. Allan Shepherd and Mike Johns have given 90 days notice to officials with Tanner’s that they plan to drop the name. The duo cites the high cost of the monthly franchise fee for wanting to break away. With a built-in clientele in place, now feels like the right time to go in a different direction and operate independently.
Tanner’s opened in Platte City back in May of 2007.
“They don’t come here because of Tanner’s,” Johns said. “People think the worst all the time, and this is not the worst. It’s actually the best for us.”
Shepherd and Johns want to keep the public involved in the process and are currently collecting suggestions for the restaurant/bar’s new name. Forms can be picked up and filled out behind the bar.
A new patio area, complete with seating and televisions, will be constructed on the northwest corner of the building. That will be the lone designated smoking area on the premises, but most other changes will be minor.
“We’ll be 95 percent the same,” Shepherd said. “Other than the sign, you won’t really see anything different. Same people doing the same things.”
No firm date has been set, but Shepherd and Johns hope to have the transition complete by June. They plan to have a reopening/rebranding customer appreciation event at some point to display the new look, which will also include some minor touchups to the building’s interior.
The menu will be tweaked, but most of the fare will remain similar. The break from Tanner’s will provide a bit more control over the selections, but Shepherd and Johns already had a certain freedom on what to offer.
The bar will also continue to feature 32 beer taps with a rotating selection available.