Thursday, December 28, 2023
Bluebird Location to Re-open as Greider’s House Featuring Patsy’s Pizza
ABOVE: Maren Greider, who operated Patsy’s Pizza, pauses from her work yesterday preparing the former Bluebird for the soon-to-open Greider’s House restaurant in Morristown. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Morristown’s most famous round table is about to re-cross Midway Street. Its owner is coming with it.
Maren Greider, whose mother, Tracey Greider, owns the former Patsy’s Pizza and soon-to-open Greider’s House restaurant, said she couldn’t be more excited about the 200-foot move to the former Bluebird Restaurant location. It’s the same famed establishment at which previous owner Donna Tracy hired her almost 20 years ago.
“And now I’m back,” Maren Greider said.
The chicken fryers have been removed, but Greider’s nerves were fried yesterday as workers transferred Patsy’s large pizza ovens across Main Street.
The transition to this point has gone well. Cleaning the old Bluebird has been on-going since September, including community members volunteering at a recent work day. And Patsy’s closed Friday night, with eight employees - four still in high school - switching from carrying out pizza to carrying out directives for the move.
“I think you don’t realize how busy you are until you’re trying to take on something else,” Greider said. “But we have the most amazing staff on earth.”
The closure process has certainly been smoother than Patsy’s opening.
“Mom and I took over the day the governor shut down,” Greider said of the March 2020 covid-related restaurant closures.
She had just spent three hours passing out flyers announcing the change of ownership. “About 30 minutes after I got done, the governor came on and said, ‘We’re shutting down,’” Greider recalled.
But luck was with the fledgling restaurateurs.
“I bet 85 percent of (Patsy’s) business was already carry-out and delivery,” she said.
Hard work and more luck followed, with construction workers at Bunge offering the latest boon to the establishment.
Now the Greiders, who own the rights to the Patsy’s name, are taking their recipes to a bigger location. They had already expanded offerings when the Bluebird closed last December.
“I only opened breakfast when (the Bluebird) shut down,” Greider said.
She even used the 550-degree pizza ovens for scrambled eggs. “But I’ll have real eggs here, too,” Greider said yesterday while seated at a Bluebird table. “Our menu is about to hugely expand.”
So is her dining room, growing from the former showroom of Padgett’s Chevrolet to the expansive Bluebird. “I bet you could fit at least six (Patsy’s) in here,” she said.
Although the checklist still includes food ordering and inspections, Greider’s House should open by the second week of January. Hours will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, remain open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and closed Sunday. Unlike Patsy’s, the new restaurant will remain open through the afternoons.
Bluebird faithfuls will recognize more than just the round table where regulars sat, which Greider purchased and is now happy to return. Much of the artwork that survived a 2013 fire will be back on the walls. The salad bar is still in place and the hot buffet will be used for a lunch pizza buffet. Stage seating remains.
“Donna (Tracy) said, ‘If you want all remnants of the Bluebird out, I can get them out,’” Greider said. “But I don’t. This place is legend.”
And 158 E. Main Street holds particular significance to Greider. “The morning of the fire, Courtney Lawrie, Megan Linville and I were standing in the walk-in talking about how Morristown is our home,” she said.
Lawrie now operates the adjacent Longbranch Saloon, and Greider is proud to be part of the new restaurant’s oversight.
“I don’t think I have imposter syndrome, but every now and then I think about how…,” she paused, “to be running it now is pretty cool.”
This Day in Shelby County History
2013: The Shelbyville girls basketball team won 54-52 in the opening semifinal game of the Shelby Shootout. The last time the Golden Bears had won a game - any game - in their own holiday tournament was in 2006. Taylor Pierce scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Alexis Tackett came off the bench to score 14 and Riley Achenbach finished with 11. Scott Larrabee was coach.
2003: Mayor-elect Scott Furgeson formally announced several appointees. Mary Jo Phares and Tim Barrick were appointed to the Shelbyville Board of Public Works. Sharon Bernard was named Sewage Utility Office manager. Furgeson’s secretary would be Suzan Baughman. Mike Babbitt was appointed to the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Board. Kyle Baker would be city attorney, John West would be Police Chief and Todd Anderson, Fire Chief. Tom DeBaun would continue to serve as Director of the Plan Commission. Brad Fix would retain his position as Wastewater Treatment Plant superintendent. Tim Lawson would remain city engineer, and Karen Martin remained at Parks director.
1993: The smoke hadn’t yet cleared in the Shelby County jail, even though the commissary had stopped selling cigarettes and other tobacco products. Prisoners had been stockpiling cigarettes since October, when Sheriff Mike Herndon announced the jail was going smoke-free, Capt. Darrell Adcock, jail commander, said. “I’m confident that the inmates have plenty of cigarettes right now,” Adcock told The Shelbyville News. Inmates would be allowed to smoke until their supplies ran out. But no smoking would be allowed in the new jail, Herndon said.
1983: Matt Stieneker, 12, Shelbyville, was recognized by the Columbus Gun Club as its most improved shooter. Matt, considered one of the state’s top young marksmen, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Stieneker.
1973: Shelby County Prosecutor Jerry Lux announced that retired city police detective Ezra Dagley had been appointed as special investivator on the prosecutor’s staff. Dagley, 49, would be appointed for one year. He had previouslly retired from the local police department. He and his wife, June, had two sons, Michael and Stephen.
1963: After much discussion, city officials determined not to remodel Public Square’s traffic pattern. Street Department employees got to work on resurfacing the parking area.
1953: Marilyn Mohler, W. Franklin St. was inducted as honored queen of Job’s Daughters, Bethel 37, in a formal ceremony at the Masonic Temple. Others installed included Amelia Stuart, senior princess; Beverly Muir, junior princess; Carol Hubler, guide; Joan Spindler, marshal; Carole Graham, chaplain; Kay Mohler, musician; Carol Ballard, recorder; Waunita Brown, treasurer; Linda Pruitt, Norma Lee, Sandra Kleinschmidt, Kathryn Boyle and Julia Walts, messengers; Joan Morris and Bonnie Miller, junior and senior custodians; Julia Gaines and Mary Nell Leap, inner and outer guards; and Marilyn Kleinschmidt, soloist.
1943: Shelby County farmers would be allowed to buy significantly more farm equipment in 1944, ration board officials said. The available equipment would include corn planters, combines, corn pickers, ensilage cutters, pick-up balers and other implements.
1933: A new airport was assigned to Shelbyville via the federal CWA program. The city would need to provide the land, and the federal government would cover the landing field costs.
1923: Local Salvation Army officials reported feeding 332 people on Christmas Day at its chapel on South Noble Street. The meal had been funded by local businesses and farmers, who donated potatoes, fruits, jellies and eggs.
OBITUARIES
Jessie W. Sanders, 90, of Shelbyville, passed away Monday, December 25, 2023, at Franciscan Health Indianapolis. She was born June 18, 1933 in Ripley Co., IN to Russell Duncan and Norma (Pratt) Duncan.
Jessie attended school in Milory, IN, and also attended Vine Street Methodist Church. Jessie worked at the Garment Factory for 12 years, then she spent 15 years with Western Electric before retiring in 1984. She loved going to McDonald’s and spending time with her friends. Jessie also enjoyed watching her humming birds. Her greatest joy came from spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Jessie is survived by her daughter, Angie Phares (companion, Marty Green); her daughter-in-law, Linda Hampton; her grandchildren, Jodi (husband, Jeff) Hardt, Kelli (husband, Doug) Warner, Danielle Phares (companion, Jared Hoop), Dustin (wife, Stephanie) Phares; her great-grandchildren, Nathan, Caydon, Corbyn, Ari, Alex, Oliver, Cashton; her sister, Melvalena Brock; and her brother, Larry (wife, Ging) Duncan; several nieces and nephews; and her beloved dog, Suzie. She was preceded in death by her parents, son, Ray Hampton; her sisters, Dorothy Sweet and Laura “Jeree” Smith; her brothers, Clarence Duncan and Howard Duncan.
Visitation will be Tuesday, January 2, 2024 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN 46176. Funeral services will be Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at 11 a.m. with Rev. Andy Lee officiating. Burial will be in Asbury Cemetery. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Jessie’s family.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Jessie Sanders Memorial Fund, in care of Murphy-Parks Funeral Services, 703 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, IN. 46176. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.