Nov. 17, 2022

Late-night pizza delivery is coming to Brookings with the expansion of Boss’ Pizzeria & Sports Bar to the college town.

Franchise owners Darren Newborg and Dallas Wilkinson have taken over The Lodge Sports Bar & Grill in the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites on the northwest corner of Sixth Street and Interstate 29.

“Delivery will be huge,” Newborg said. “It will be for the whole city of Brookings until 3 a.m.”

That will start Dec. 12 — if not sooner — with the change to the Boss’ Pizzeria menu. They’re continuing to operate the restaurant and bar in the 100-room hotel as The Lodge until they get the right equipment in the kitchen, update the audiovisual offerings and hire additional staff, said Newborg, former area manager of Johnny Carino’s in Sioux Falls. He grew up playing soccer with Wilkinson, and the two worked together at Carino’s. Now, Wilkinson is a part-owner of Boss’ at the Ramada by Wyndham in Sioux Falls.

They’re hiring for all positions. Call Newborg at 605-351-4455 or apply through Facebook.

The Lodge had stopped serving food before the two took it over, but they’re offering a temporary menu until they can make the switch to Boss’ menu, which includes pizza, broasted chicken, pasta dishes and sandwiches.

“We’re going to do a bunch of remodeling to update the decor,” Newborg said “It’s kind of a setting from the ’70s. We’re going to spend some money and make it more modern and comfy feeling.” He envisions pops of SDSU’s school colors and Jackrabbits jerseys and other memorabilia.

They’re installing bigger TVs — 14 total — and ticker boards that will scroll sports news, focusing on SDSU and Brookings High School. Boss’ will have NFL Ticket and offer coverage of other big sporting events. The bar has a full liquor license.

They’re hoping to become a hangout for college students and other residents in the area.

“The good thing for us is there’s a bunch of apartment complexes near the hotel and restaurant. … We’re also in between campus at the Swiftel Center, where they do a lot of concerts.”

They’ve already started a darts league, and there’s one pool table, with a second on the way.

They plan to double the number of video lottery machines to 10 and move them into a separate area, Newborg said. Gamblers will get free drinks and snacks.

Boss’ will provide catering, and the hotel has a banquet facility that can be used for events. There will be four TVS in there that also can be used as video displays for business meetings.

Eventually, they’ll offer a full breakfast for hotel guests – possibly by early next year, Newborg said.

For now, The Lodge is open from 4 to 9 or 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. It will be closed for a few days after Thanksgiving for remodeling. Find updates on Facebook.

It has been a busy year of expansion for Boss’ Pizzeria & Sports Bar and the original concept Boss’ Pizza & Chicken, which Jeremy Seefeldt started in 2005.

Boss’ Pizzeria took over the Tea Steak House location in Tea; Boss’ Pizza & Chicken opened in downtown Fargo and in a Ramada hotel in Urbandale, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines; and franchise owners opened a Boss’ Pizza & Chicken in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee.

That brings the business to eight Boss’ Pizza & Chicken locations, three Boss’ Pizzeria & Sports Bars and Boss’ Burgers & Cheesesteaks.

A friend of Seefeldt’s operated a Boss’ in Brookings from 2009 to 2011.