New bar to fill void left by Tequila Cowboy closure in Lansing Mall

DELTA TWP. - Less than three months after the Lansing Mall lost Tequila Cowboy Bar & Grill, another bar and entertainment venue is planned for the space.

The new bar, Overdrive, along with Hit and Run Karaoke Bar & Grill, which would be located within Overdrive, should open there sometime in August, said co-owner Don Johnson. 

Johnson, who lives in Homer and manages several country artists who performed at Tequila Cowboy Bar & Grill before it closed in April, said he signed a lease for the 20,000-square-foot mall space last week.

Tequila Cowboy occupied the space for three years. It was part of the TC Restaurant Group. The Ohio-based company owns several restaurant chains.

Johnson said the location, which offers seating for 400, has potential.

"The fact that it is one of the largest entertainment venues in the area is what appealed to me," he said. "Local ownership will set it up for success."

Lansing Mall management confirmed the new lease for the space Tuesday.

Live music, including country, classic rock, blues, R&B and possibly some pop will be offered at Overdrive weekly, Johnson said. 

Hit and Run will offer karaoke, comedy shows and acoustic music.

Overdrive and Hit and Run will both offer a full-service bar and a one-page menu that includes burgers, tacos, soups, salads and pizza.

Johnson said he and co-owner Aaron Smith plan some renovations over the next several months to "brighten it up and make it our own."

Lighting and sound systems will be updated, the dance floor will be expanded and the stage moved.

"This will make it so everybody in the bar can see the stage," Johnson said.

The new venue will employ 40 people, he said. Several former employees of Tequila Cowboy, including managers, have already been hired.

Johnson said wait staff and bartender positions are still being filled.

Tequila Cowboy was the latest in a string of store closures at the mall. Macy's closed its location there in 2017, and Younkers shuttered its store there last year. Both spaces are still empty.

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Contact Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @GrecoatLSJ.