|
|
Ericka Jackson and La’Ron Tivis are the owners of Fish & Chips in Ihlen. Pictured with them is their son, Eirmes, 2. They plan to have a grand opening for the new business on May 15. Photo by Kyle Kuphal
A new restaurant called Fish & Chips is scheduled to open soon in the former Split Rock Burgers & Brews and Glass House building in Ihlen. La’Ron Tivis and Ericka Jackson recently purchased the property and plan to have a grand opening for their new business on Thursday, May 15.
The couple moved to Pipestone from St. Paul about a decade ago when Tivis opened the Groom Room Barbershop on Main Street in 2014. In 2019, they opened a food trailer called Fish & Chips. The couple then moved to South Carolina in 2022. Jackson returned to Pipestone later that year and Tivis returned last year and reopened the Groom Room Barbershop in the 109, Suite A in Pipestone.
“We really appreciate the area,” Tivis said. “We’ve been here for a while and it’s given us an opportunity to grow in a lot of areas.”
Jackson and Tivis said they plan to offer food similar to what was available in the food trailer from the bar at Fish & Chips, which they call The Watering Hole. That includes catfish, perch, cod, tilapia and shrimp, along with onion rings, hush puppies, waffle fries, fried mushrooms, fried okra and other accompaniments. They’ll also have more standard bar food available such as a build your own burgers, pizza and chicken drummies, and fried pork chops.
On the other side of the building, they’ll have a buffet with home made macaroni, fried pork chops, greens, deep fried sweet corn, grits, egg bake and more. They said the southern soul food with a northern twist in the buffet represents their heritage and where they’ve lived most of their lives.
“We’ve lived here a considerable amount more in our lives than we have in the south, but we still keep our heritage and culture,” Tivis said.
The buffet will also include salads and fruit salads. Jackson said the restaurant will also have desserts.
Tivis and Jackson will operate the business with a couple part-time employees, primarily their children, and Tivis said they could use a couple more reliable workers.
The couple lives in Pipestone and has nine children between the two of them, ranging in age from 2 to 29. They also have six grandchildren. In addition to operating Fish & Chips, Tivis continues to operate The Groom Room Barbershop and Jackson works at Hiawatha Manor.
Once Fish & Chips opens, the bar will be open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 am. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The dinner buffet will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The breakfast buffet will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. There will also be a Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.