Sullivans hope new restaurant owners have luck o' the Irish

0 Comments | La Crosse Tribune, Feb 26, 2001 | by Cahalan, Steve

TREMPEALEAU, Wis. - After nearly 33 years in business, Ed and Sally Sullivan are retiring and selling their Ed Sullivan's supper club west of Trempealeau.

But Scott Jensen and Chris Colombo, who will own the business and property as of Wednesday, plan to keep the supper club's name, staff and menu. They have decided to close the supper club's gift shop and convert it into a private dining room for banquets and other events.

Jensen and Colombo also acquired the two Sullivan limousines that take boaters from the Trempealeau Marina to the restaurant and back.

Their wives will help as needed. Martha Jensen is a Spanish teacher at Aquinas schools in La Crosse, and Lisa Colombo has a human resources position with CenturyTel in La Crosse.

The Sullivans and their family will help Jensen and Colombo as long as needed during the transition period. The three Sullivan daughters and their spouses - Kathy and Alan VanVIect, Sara and Shane Stoner, and Paula and Brad Stoner - have helped Ed and Sally at the supper club over the years. "We couldn't have done it without them," Sally said.

Ed and Sally Sullivan bought the Jackson's Riverview restaurant and opened it in June 1968 as Ed Sullivan's supper club. They added on to the building in 1974 and 1983.

St. Patrick's Day is the busiest day of the year at the Irish-themed supper club, which seats about 200 people.

Ed Sullivan, who is 63, and Sally, who is 62, said it's time for them to retire and for younger owners to take over. Jensen and Colombo, both 27, have been friends for the more than five years they worked at a local restaurant.

"We're proud to sell it to these two (new owners) because they know the importance of hard work," Sally Sullivan said. "They have the attitude it takes to run a restaurant. We couldn't be happier than to turn it over to these two young men."

"We heard it was up for sale and called Ed," Jensen said. "It's a great place to eat, a nice family restaurant and a great location," he said. "It's well-established."

Consistency and quality are two reasons why the supper club has been successful, Ed Sullivan said.

"People know what they're going to get when they walk in the door," Jensen said.

Reflecting on the past 33 years, Ed Sullivan said he is most proud of "our ability as a family to make our help feel like family. And the customer base have is so gratifying. It's because of our staff and the quality that people keep coming back."

Ed Sullivan's draws customers from as far away as Fountain City, Eau Claire and Tomah, Wis., and Rochester, Minn.

Although their supper club has done well, many other longtime restaurants have closed in the past 33 years, Ed Sullivan said. "There's a lot of competition around here," he said. "They grow restaurants around here."

"There aren't many place like Ed Sullivan's anymore," Jensen said. "It's not corporate. It's a supper club. We're not bound by corporate policies, so we can do what we want."

The Sullivans were raised in La Crosse and now live in Onalaska. The new owners live in La Crosse.

Although they're selling the supper club, the Sullivans will continue to host "The Blarney Party" music and talk show on Saturdays on WLFNAM in La Crosse. They will remain active in Children's Miracle Network activities. And they will continue to be part owners of the Trempealeau Mountain Golf Club, a golf course near Trempealeau.

The new owners have lived in La Crosse for about 10 years.

Jensen was raised in Mauston, Wis., and received a bachelor's degree in history and political science in 1996 from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. Colombo grew .up in West Bend, Wis., and studied business administration at UW-L.