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BY SHARON PORTA
Times Correspondent | Sunday, February 25, 2007 | (No comments posted.)
Taverns, as they used to be called, have changed in the past several decades. After 45 years, that is also true of the Idle Hour on Kennedy Avenue in Hammond, which is now the Coach's Corner. That longtime establishment has had a name change and new owners, and has been transformed to a sports bar with five flat-screen TVs, bar games and more.
"We made many changes and did a lot of cleanup here," said owner Diana Lazovich. "We wanted to create a place in Hessville with a nice atmosphere where people could go have a good time and a cheap beer."
However, the owners plan to add another draw within six months. Owner Miso Lazovich's parents are the owners of the former Golden Shell restaurant, another old East Side favorite which closed 12 years ago. The Lazoviches plan to use those old Eastern European recipes to draw more customers to their new place.
"The Golden Shell was very famous for its food," Diana said. "We've spent all of our money transforming the bar, so we have to wait about six months to build a kitchen here. My mother-in-law is bringing her old recipes. My in-laws will be very involved."
They also have a large selection of fine wines. The Lazoviches had wanted to open a bar for several years. Miso already owns a security company, for which Diana has handled the books for years.
"But we wanted to open a business together that would be fun for us," she said.
"We have a lot of friends, it's homey in here. We wanted to build something that would be attractive to the local people. The City of Hammond has been very encouraging, working with us to open here."
Until the kitchen opens, Coach's Corner serves bar pizza. While the Idle Hour had shortened hours, Coach's Corner opens as early as 7 a.m. to try to get the people coming off the late shift at work. The Lazoviches are also using the hospitality lessons they learned through former jobs within the casino industry to lure customers back to their place.
"Through our training, we know what it takes to make a customer feel welcome," she said. "People like that when they walk in here, I know their name and what they like to drink. We are getting such a good response from our customers, everyone loves the TVs, the new bar stools and tables. Once we bring the Golden Shell food in here, it will be a huge draw."
Coach's Corner
Location: 6208 Kennedy Ave., Hammond
Phone (219) 844-1111
Owner: Miso and Diana Lazovich
Opened: Jan.18
Number of employees: 10
Type of business: Bar
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