The owners of Cooper's StrEATside Bistro, a popular food truck in Springfield, are opening a new permanent location.
The new Cooper's Alleyside is opening at King Pin Lanes, 3115 E. Sangamon Ave., on April 20.
Kendra Cooper, who runs the food truck with her husband Justin, says a brick-and-mortar restaurant has always been their goal. They started the food truck full-time in 2014 and plan to continue it along with the restaurant.
"The experience so far has been really good," she said. "The truck gives us a lot of versatility."
The couple totally renovated the large kitchen, dining area and bar. The restaurant will seat more than 100 people, and the Coopers say their previous staff of four has grown to 19 people. The permanent location also allows them to take on additional catering jobs and host parties in the bowling alley's banquet area.
Kendra Cooper says the new restaurant's summer hours will be from 11 a.m. to 8 on Sundays and Mondays, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Weekend hours will start at 11 a.m. and run until 9 p.m. She says the restaurant will add breakfast to the menu in the fall.
Justin Cooper says the new restaurant will use local ingredients when possible and will offer some exotic dishes like a hotdog wrapped in bacon and topped with pico de gallo, queso and mayonnaise. He says the location at King Pin Lanes is ideal because of the high volume of traffic at the nearby intersection of Dirksen Parkway and Sangamon Avenue.
"We're just really excited," he said.