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Published April 11, 2021

After a very difficult year, the owner of River's Bend Supper Club in Howard was thrilled to see the reservations flood in for last week's Easter brunch.

'We were completely reserved out,' said Steve VandenLangenberg (aka Steve Van). 'We missed out on Easter and Mother's Day last year, the two biggest days of the year for us. It is wonderful. Business has been really good; I'm hitting pre-COVID numbers.'

Unlike fast-food restaurants, Van said his business was especially challenged when businesses were forced to close.

'The start of the pandemic was scary,' Van said. 'We had to close for two months, and although we tried to carry out, it isn't part of my business. The food doesn't carry as well as fast food. If you get crab legs or lobster and drive home 20 minutes and then set things up, how is it going to taste?'

He used the time to improve the patio so it would be ready for outdoor seating where it was easier to social distance. Sanitation measures were put in place, employees were temperature checked, and masks were required. Still, the number of customers was limited.

'The whole world has been on hold,' he said. 'We didn't have one Christmas party this year, but we are now seeing a big resurgence, and I don't think we'll be affected this year. In fact, I am expecting a banner year. People are sick of takeout pizza and burgers. They want the whole experience, and we are in a good position to give that to them.'

Considering what customers want and then delivering it has been the driving force behind his record of successful business ownership. In Green Bay, he was the owner of The Pancake Place for years, and then after moving to San Diego, opened and sold three other businesses; a nut and dried fruit wholesaler, a sports bar and restaurant, and a diesel truck repair shop.

But being a person who is always up for new opportunities, Van, a fan of supper clubs, was intrigued when he heard that River's Bend was for sale.

'My family was here and I was visiting and one of my friends said, 'You know River's Bend is empty and has been for a year?' and I thought, 'How could that be? It's such an iconic restaurant,'' he recalled.

He took a tour in 2015, and although it was in need of care, he thought he was the right person to renovate it and bring it back to its past glory. Supper clubs were having a resurgence, both among past customers and the younger generation, and he saw a need.

'When I was back here and saw that all the main supper clubs in the area were closed, I just thought that Green Bay needed River's Bend,' Van said. 'There are books and TV shows about Wisconsin supper clubs. You'd be surprised at the people who are gravitating toward this. They love having an Old-Fashioned, the ice cream drinks like a grasshopper, and an actual salad bar.'

After buying it in March 2016, Van spent six months renovating the bar, putting in a craft beer system, adding new woodwork, making the fireplace more attractive, and creating a feeling of warmth.

'I want people to go, 'Wow!' but still feel comfortable,' he said.

Along with his fiancee, Lilia Amatore, they fought the stigma created by previous ownership that it was not performing at a high-quality level. Instead, they focused on all that River's Bend had been in the past and worked to build a reputation as one of the best places to dine in the area.

'Originally, I had thought about changing the name because of the negativity that had surrounded it for years, but I decided to stick with it because everyone knows it,' Van said. 'We brought it back to the way we thought it should be.'

He emphasized the unique location; being about 20 feet from the edge of Duck Creek, and said no other restaurant can compare with the scenic view. In addition, he and Amatore add a personal touch by making a point of being visible and available to customers.

Most nights, she greets and seats customers, and he visits tables and talks to customers. Van says he appreciates getting feedback and is always looking for ways to improve. His goals incorporate the ideas he gets, and although his financial projections could not have anticipated the pandemic, Van says things are getting back on track.

'I want to continue the growth we were experiencing and I think we are in a good position to do that,' he added. 'If you give top quality at a fair price with good service, you can never go wrong.'

But as Van, now in his 60s, improves River's Bend with the goal of making it one of the best destinations in the Green Bay area, he also looks ahead.

'We love it, but retirement is in my future,' he said. 'When I'm over the point of, 'I've done it,' it would be great for someone younger to take it over.'

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.