Iowa’s first Montana Mike’s opens in Newton Monday

Come Monday morning, Newton will be home to Iowa’s first Montana Mike’s Steakhouse, a full-service steakhouse chain with a ski-lodge feel.

The new restaurant has spent the past four weeks moving into the building previously occupied by Country Kitchen, transforming the location into a lodge-like setting with an outdoorsy feel. A full bar has been added with
custom cabinetry, and the kitchen has been reconfigured. Prominently displayed on the walls are taxidermy heads of wild boar, ram, deer and elk.

“The biggest thing we push with Mike’s is all steaks are aged and cut fresh daily,” said David Glazer, franchise field consultant for Stockade Companies, the parent company that owns the Montana Mike’s brand. “All food is prepared fresh and all appetizers are hand-breaded to order.”

Local owner John McCollum is excited about the changes, noting that the front door and tiles are all that people might recognize from the old Country Kitchen decor.

“It brings a big city feel to a small town.” McCollum said.

McCollum, who also owned Country Kitchen with his wife, Angela, said another area where big changes are taking place is in staffing. They’ve increased the number of employees drastically — from 20 to 97 — adding to the number of servers and shift supervisors, as well as adding bartenders and hostesses.

“That’s the level that Montana Mike’s wants to provide,” McCollum said. “They want to put an emphasis on quality service, and you can’t do that with a thin staff.”

Before the new restaurant opens its doors to the public, they plan to use this weekend as training for the new employees. A friends and family night is scheduled for Friday for acquaintances of current employees to test the menu, and Saturday will be used as a VIP day, giving prominent community members and a guest the opportunity to sample from the menu free of charge.

“The VIP day is raising money for the Boys and Girls Club,” Glazer said. “It’s a free meal, but cash bar, and all the money from the cash bar goes to Boys and Girls Club.”

Final renovations and finishing touches on the restaurant will be completed by Friday evening, with doors opening to the community at 11 a.m. Monday.

“To me, it’s just a great fit for Newton,” McCollum said. “We’re the first of Montana Mike’s in Iowa. They’re very excited to have us and we’re very excited to be a part of them.”