Brooks family to take over, upgrade, Springville Sports Grill in Plover
By Brandi Makuski
On May 6, Springville Sports Grill will close for the last time after a regular day of business. On May 7, it’ll reopen as Springville Sports Barn.
After 17 years at the helm, owners Emmy and Mary Danielski are passing the reins to Chris and Tammy Brooks.
“I’m getting older, and it’s time. It’s just time,” said Emmy Danielski. “I’m not going to retire, but semi-retire, work less hours.”
Chris Brooks said he and his family are longtime customers of Springville. Years ago, Brooks also drove late-model stock cars, and the restaurant was his sponsor, under the former moniker of Springville Wharf. It’s not the only connection the family has to the restaurant; Brooks’ aunt was one of the first employees when the business first opened in 1981.
Since then, the company has undergone numerous changes. Menu changes. New owners. And a relocation about 10 years ago from 1800 Post Rd. to 2811 Plover Springs Dr. when the village’s segment of Bus. 51 was widened by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
“It was probably a year ago that I caught wind that they were thinking about at least semi-retiring,” Chris Brooks said. “This has been a staple of Plover for 43 years, so being a local business owner already, this is a great venue and we wanted to make sure it stayed in the community.”
Brooks owns Central Door Solutions in Plover. He’s been involved for years in the location Tourism Commission and the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association. Tammy Brooks also works in the agricultural sector in fertilizer sales. And it’s the ag industry that the Brooks want to celebrate.
“We’ll start doing some renovations on the outside and the inside, bring it a little more up to date,” Chris Brooks said. “It’ll take on more of an agricultural theme — still heavy on the sports, but honoring the ag [business] that we have so much of here.”
Springville will take on a large dairy barn look, Brooks said, with bright red paint, copulas, crossbuck doors, white fencing, and a new logo.
Emmy Danielski said the restaurant has always made its own dough, grated its own cheese, and sourced local food products as often as possible. Brooks said that will continue, and he’s working on securing deals with local farmers.
“Portage County is heavily known for its ag connection; Tammy and I both have worked side-by-side with ag for a long time so this will be a representation of that,” Brooks said. “We’ll keep the sports theme, but this’ll give it a little more of a twist and recognize the ag industry.”
The Brooks family will keep on the existing staff, about 15 people, mostly part-time employees, and the younger daughter Peyton will work in the restaurant while the couple’s older daughter, Shelby, heads off for college.
Another exciting change, according to Brooks: He’s bringing on Jake Shearier as a general manager. Shearier is known for Jake’s Kitchen, which formerly operated out of the Plover VFW. Shearier will add some of his pasta and seafood dishes to the menu.
“But we’re still going to be known for pizza — and for the famous ‘original’ Italian fries here in Plover,” Brooks said. “We’re excited for the new venture and we can’t wait to show Plover and the rest of the community what’s in store.”
