Sugar’s Owner Prepares For Change

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

The era of a true Overton icon is coming to a close. Sugar’s Homeplate, which has operated in downtown Overton for more than 30 years, is in the process of coming under new ownership. According to Sugar’s owner Judy Metz, the restaurant is currently in escrow and is expected to officially change ownership on May 17.

“Actually, if all goes as planned we will be open, as Sugar’s, until May 18,” Metz said. “Then after that, the next day in fact, Sugar’s will be closed and a major transformation will begin.”

At that point, ownership of the property will pass to a company owned by celebrity Las Vegas illusionist Criss Angel. Angel has plans to do significant renovations to the building. If all goes well, those renovations are expected to take about six weeks, Metz said.
“His renovations will be extensive,” Metz said. “I think it is going to be really nice when it is all finished.

This old building really needs some tender loving care and he is going to give it that.”

Metz couldn’t give details about the proposed menu for the new place. This is something that would be announced later by Angel. But the menu offerings will all be different, she said.

“So if you want to have your favorite Sugar’s food, you’d better come and get it quick,” Metz said with a chuckle. “It will only be here for a few more days.”

Something else that won’t be staying is all the signature sports memorabilia on display in the Sugar’s dining room. Judy said that she and her husband Sugar Metz, will be taking all that stuff with them. “We are also keeping the name of Sugar’s Home Plate as well,” she said.

But for avid collectors, the memorabilia may show up again soon. The Metzes plans to use the Sugar’s brand, and its internet domain to open a new online sports collectibles shop.

“You have no idea!” Judy said. “What you see displayed in the restaurant is just a minor part compared to all that Sugar has collected over the years. Some of that stuff would blow your mind!”

One thing at Sugar’s that is expected to survive the ownership change is the staff. There are currently nine local people who work at Sugar’s. They are expected to stay.

“Criss plans to take on all of my employees, which really thrilled me to no end,” Judy said. “In this economy, the way it is right now, I really didn’t want them to have to go out and start over.”

Angel is planning to bring in a new chef who will train the staff on how to prepare and serve the new menu items.

Judy said that it has been a bittersweet experience facing the realities of selling Sugar’s. “It has been an emotional rollercoaster ride the last few weeks,” she said. “I have some days when I am excited and happy. And then there are other days when I just can’t stop crying.”

The restaurant opened as Sugar’s Homeplate in April of 1991. Just prior to that, the Metzes were living in southern California. But they had a beautiful little place in what was then the mobile home village at Overton Beach.

Sugar had come up for a stay at Overton Beach with an old high school friend, Jeff Sybilrud. Jeff and his wife MerryAn also owned a place at Overton Beach. In fact, they were the ones who introduced Sugar to the area.

During that trip, Sugar learned that the owner of the restaurant, which was then called Maria’s, had an urgent need to sell the property immediately.

“At some point I had told Sugar that it might be fun to own a little restaurant somewhere,” Judy said. “Next thing I know he is calling me asking me if I was really serious about that restaurant thing. I asked why. He said, ‘Because I just bought one for you.’”

Shortly after that, the couple moved permanently to their Overton Beach home and were getting ready to open Sugar’s Homeplate.

“The community just welcomed us with open arms,” Judy said. “Before long, we had all kinds of people showing up to help us get ready to open.”

Preparing food for the community, and seeing joy that it brought to people’s faces, has brought a lot of happiness over the years, Judy said.

“We have watched four and five generations of families grow up,” Metz said. “We have had the excitement of watching children go on missions and return as young men and women. We have seen the pride of people in their heritage and community. It has been wonderful!”

In drafting a farewell, Judy had a litany of ‘thank yous’ that she wanted to express. Many people in the community over the years who had pitched in, given advice and provided service.

These included Lon and Judy Empey and their family, the Brammer family, the Marshall family, the Scaccos of Valley Refrigeration, the Whitneys of Whitney’s Water, Bruce Woodbury, Tom Collins, Marilyn Kirkpatrick, Ace Robison, Delmar Leatham, Blake and Denna Anderson, Tom and Claudia Gamaleri, Ramona and Bert, Steve and Susie, Kathy Nelson, the Brown family, Virginia Rice, Fern Barber, Melissa Rowland, Rosemary Cronchey, Marty Wilks, Silky Bonet, Lois Perkins, Alice Crites, Kayleen Schulz and the many Sugar’s employees both past and present. “And there are so many more!” Judy said.

Judy recognized that this change to downtown Overton will not be comfortable to everyone.
“But, you know, all things have to change, eventually,” she said. “And I do believe that Criss Angel will do something wonderful here that will bring more people to downtown Overton. And that is something that the community truly needs. So I really do feel good about this change.”