The Dugout Sports Bar & Pizzeria

It all started back in 1981 when I became employed as a dishwasher for the Scotch & Sirloin when they were located in the Britts Plaza in Vestal, NY. Shortly after they built a new larger restaurant up on Plaza Drive I was "promoted" to a bus boy. Even though this was hard work I really enjoyed it, hoping some day to get to earn the 'big bucks' as a waiter.4 years later I heard of an opening at Orlando's Restaurant on Main Street in West Endicott. I was hired as a waiter and sometimes filled in as the bartender. I learned how to take the guests' food orders without writing them down and amazed the restaurateurs by serving their favorite Italian dishes "as ordered". Soon, repeat customers were asking me to be their server. I stayed on with Orlando's for several years until they closed January 2, 1992. For several years after that I entertained opening "some type of eatery" but financing always seemed to stop my dream from moving forward. In the summer of 1996 I was approached about joining three other entrepreneurs on opening the old Mere Blue Restaurant into a Sports Bar. The closed seafood specialty restaurant needed many upgrades to pass the current strict restaurant codes. With four of us pooling our money together I figured I could scrape together my share of the investment. The next four months of hard sweat equity remodeling and upgrading proved successful with a grand opening in October 1996.Ideas about adding on a deck and other interior changes were rebutted by my three partners who were satisfied with the "status quo". It didn't take long before the long hours and hard work of owning a restaurant became a burden to my partners. I made them an offer they couldn't refuse and one by one I bought out their interest. As the sole owner I was now free to continue my dream. …. I added the outside deck in 1998 for my customers to enjoy our short warm season eating and drinking under the stars. For the next nine years I was at the drawing board designing (with many changes) our famous outside Mako Bar. Unique to this area it attracts many party goers daily who enjoy tropical style drinks listening to live music on week ends when weather permits May thru September.What is next for the Dugout Sports Bar & Pizzeria??? I am constantly on the lookout for new, unique items to add to our ever expanding menu. The Dugout staff appreciates the many "Readers Choice Awards" listed in the Press Sun Bulletin yearly and strives to maintain the quality of service, reasonable prices without sacrificing the quality of the food that you, the customer, deserve.