It’s a Whole New Ride at the Club Car
By Lauren Hoyt
October 2005 - Think you know the Club Car? Think again. New owners
Marcy Provencher and Gina Eilert of Millbury have revamped the Water Street
staple and they’re making it the place to be for a weekday lunch
or a weekend night out.
Since opening the place just over a month ago, the co-owners have already
made a number of improvements, and they’ve seen considerable success
with their new model.
The pair jumped into the restaurant business with conviction even though
neither had actual experience in it. Marcy worked as a bartender for a
few years in Millbury, while Gina has a business background. The pair
combined their skills for the new venture. “[Gina] has the business
sense, and I have the bartending sense,” Marcy said. “We make
a pretty good team.”
The pair had discussed opening a café or bar together and were
exploring the options in Worcester, specifically in the Canal District.
“We were down the street looking at some commercial property. We
walked into the Club Car and we said, ‘This is the place,’
Marcy said. “We just knew.” That optimistic feeling has carried
over into the grand opening of the restaurant, which they feel has been
successful. “The business is really growing, judging by the numbers,”
Marcy said.
Gina adds that the Club Car has a fun and diverse customer base, and that
increases its word-of-mouth popularity. “We have a great crowd,”
she said. “It’s very mixed, and everyone is welcome.”
Marcy believes that the growing Canal District, especially the offerings
on Water Street, have contributed to the success of the Club Car. She’s
happy that other businesses on the street, like Blackstone Tap, are enjoying
success too, and she welcomes new bars and restaurants because they help
perpetuate a positive vibe around the district.
“The more bars on this street, the more people [here],” Marcy
said. “They’ll bar hop up and down the street, and eventually
you’ll hear a lot of street shuffle.” Looking forward, Marcy
and Gina plan more improvements for the Club Car, both for the restaurant
and the bar. The restaurant will soon launch a new menu with many homestyle
items and will be available for private parties. And these proud owners
also want to capitalize on the area bar scene and draw in bigger crowds
with live entertainment. They currently offer live music on weekend nights
with local acts Obsession and Roof Control. Judging by the popularity
of these music nights, they want to bring in new bands in the future.
Marcy and Gina have also made the bar more sports-oriented, and they’ll
soon be organizing theme nights ~ think Thirsty Thursday, Mardi Gras nights,
80s nights ~ and offering drink specials.
“In the future, I’d love to hear people say, ‘The Club
Car has great entertainment. Let’s go there tonight,’”
Marcy said. “But our name is already out there, so we’ve already
been successful.”
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