BARTONVILLE – To Jolene Howard, “pizza and theater go together hand in hand.”
It’s why she recently took ownership of Tyroni’s Italian Cafe.
The longtime local pizzeria is part of Howard’s larger vision of bringing dinner theater to Peoria. Also the co-founder of Upstage Theatre Company, she sees similarities between an engaging show and a good meal.
“People make memories, special memories, through those different interactions and experiences,” she said.
Dinner theater, she noted, combines the two to offer the “best of both worlds.”
While she is working to introduce Tyroni’s to new audiences in unique ways, she also plans to perserve the 40-year-old staple.
‘We’ve got to go to Peoria’
Howard’s passion began with the theater.
She got involved in productions at just 5 years old and went on to earn a degree in musical theater. Earning a living in theater alone, however, proved difficult. Howard traveled from the east coast to the west, before ultimately coming across The Gaslight Theatre in Tucson, Arizona.
The theater serves up family friendly melodramas, Howard said, melding food, comedy and music while encouraging patrons to engage by cheering for heroes and booing at villains.
“That is really the ideal theater genre for me and my husband,” Howard said. “That’s what we love and that’s what we wanted to bring to Peoria through Upstage. And that model is pizza and theater together because everybody loves pizza … whether you’re 2 years old or 102.”
Howard most recently lived in Colorado, where she became an owner of a dinner theater and owner of a separate Greek restaurant.
As the couple’s children grew and moved away, however, they were left without family in the area.
Their son, who works for the Peoria Fire Department, settled in the area and recently married. So, Howard said it made sense to move closer to him.
Along with this, Howard toured the Apollo Theatre during a visit and saw “so much potential and opportunity in that space.”
“That’s another reason that we were like, ‘OK, we’ve got to go to Peoria,’” she said. “This could be amazing.”
Plans to purchase and renovate the historic Peoria theater were underway, Howard said, as she found an investor and crafted business and renovation plans. Her dreams of reviving the Apollo fell into limbo, however, after she said the investor encountered an unexpected health challenge.
Howard isn’t giving up on the Downtown Peoria theater, though, with a revival still her ultimate goal. The space, she said, would be “truly ideal” for her vision of a dinner theater in Peoria.
“It’s just paused,” she said, until she can secure the investment needed to bring the building back to life.
‘A great reputation’
The Apollo was not the only space Howard considered ahead of moving to the area.
With ownership experience in Colorado, Howard searched for a business to buy in the Peoria area. She considered Tyroni’s, but moving from Colorado proved to be “a huge endeavor.” Once settled, Howard and her husband also worked to get Upstage Theatre Company up and running.
Amidst it all, purchasing the longtime pizzeria fell to the wayside.
Until she received a call from her broker.
“He said, ‘Hey, you know, Tyroni’s is still for sale, you know, if you’re still interested,’” Howard said. “And I said, ‘Oh, well, now I have a second to breathe, I might actually still be interested.’”
She quietly visited the restaurant and said the “food was fantastic.” Paired with decades of history and a strong following, Howard was sold.
“It definitely has a great reputation,” Howard said, “and it’s been a legacy restaurant for 40 years – owned by the same family who’s taken care of it, you know, good name in the community, and then after eating the food, I was pretty much sold.”
Former owner Trey Barnes announced the transition in a July 1 Facebook post – describing the business as “a second home” and thanking the community and staff for their support.
“While this chapter closes, the gratitude we feel will never end,” Barnes wrote. “Thank you for believing in us, supporting us, and allowing our family to be part of your lives for so many years.
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for everything.”
As Howard took the helm, she received a largely positive response from the community. There were some worries, of course, about whether the menu or recipes would change, but Howard said that will not be the case.
She learned the Barnes family’s pizza dough recipe – so secret, she said, that it is not even written – and plans to maintain the rest of the menu, as well.
“I don’t want to change the food,” she said. “The food is fantastic.”
Along with this, Howard said the store’s staff have remained and are able to offer feedback and insight on the restaurant’s regular operations. Ultimately, she wants to take time to become well-acquainted with the longtime business.
“That’s my priority is making sure that I keep things running as they have been, for now, until I understand every nook and cranny. I like to know everything first,” Howard said. “And then if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
While the food will stay the same, Howard hopes to grow the restaurant’s presence on social media and work to incorporate more entertainment for guests.
‘Helps both businesses grow’
Outside of the storefront, situated at 5908 S. Adams St. in Bartonville, Howard is already working to expand Tyroni’s reach.
The restaurant catered a recent event for Upstage Theatre Company, currently operating out of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall, or GAR Hall, at 416 Hamilton Blvd. in Downtown Peoria.
“I figured, ‘Well, you know what? Let’s just jump in with both feet,’” Howard said.
Tyroni’s will continue to provide meals for shows and events moving forward. Typically, Howard said guests will purchase tickets for dinner and a show, with the food served during the performance.
Howard said the partnership works well, as GAR Hall only has a catering kitchen and serving Tyroni’s allows the restaurant to reach to new audiences.
“It helps both businesses grow,” she said.
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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Theater owner with big plans takes over beloved Bartonville pizzeria
Reporting by Cassidy Waigand, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cassidy Waigand, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
