Big Papa Makes His Mark

Dec. 27, 2014

After decades with McDonald’s restaurants, Mark Hisem decided it was time to do something on his own.

"I ran a management company that owned and operated [McDonald’s restaurants] throughout northern Michigan," he says.

When the company was liquidated after the death of its owner/operator and the restaurants were sold to others, Hisem looked at his options. "I was too young to retire," he says.

Hisem and his oldest son Marty decided to take a chance on a vacant restaurant on the south side of Traverse City.

"I thought we could do something with the space," he says.

THE SCENE

The building on US 31 just north of Chum’s Corners has gone by a variety of names over the years: Club 31, The Gin Mill, Spike’s Peak, Northern Lights. Whatever the name, Hisem says its reputation stayed pretty much the same. "It was a shot and a beer and a fight place," he says.

Hisem and Marty set out to change that.

They completely renovated the interior, taking it down to the studs. Then, they built it back up again, creating a light, airy feel with plenty of TVs, but he doesn’t want to call it a sports bar.

"Everybody’s a sports bar. You throw three TVs on the wall, you’re a sports bar. We’ll have the big game on, but when kids come in, we’ll turn a couple of them to cartoons. We want to be a family restaurant."

THE MENU

Breakfast is served from 11am to 2pm and features standard fare: omelets, corned beef hash, pancakes, eggs. The standout item here is the steak and eggs, a four-ounce sirloin with eggs, roasted redskins and toast.

Soups include potato and corn chowder, chili and a soup of the day. Featured salads are steak, chicken and chef, the meats atop fresh greens with cherry tomatoes and a choice of dressings, including house-made ranch, chipotle ranch and blue cheese.

You can build your own third- or halfpound burger on a pretzel bun. If you’re not that hungry, you can opt for the more dainty sliders.

Build-your-own continues with sandwiches: ham, turkey or roast beef and a variety of toppings, as well as a BLT.

Pork ribs and pork tenderloin start the dinner options. Chicken and beef kabobs up the ante. Mahi mahi (blackened or traditional), grilled meatloaf and New York strip and ribeye steaks round things off.

Big Papa’s also offers a number of nightly and weekly specials, such as salmon and pasta, and a variety of sides, including Brussels sprouts fried with bacon or risotto.

THE BEST

When asked about the top choices, Hisem says the classic sandwiches are both the best and most requested.

"The prime rib, BBQ, Philly cheese – they’re all really popular," he says.

Rotating specials also find favor. Hisem says the Swiss Bliss – fried cheese planks made with Swiss cheese – are a hit, as are the gyro sandwiches.

Also popular are the beer dinners where various specials are paired with craft brews from nearby Brewery Terra Firma.

THE REST OF THE STORY

Hisem is known as Big Papa to his grandchildren. When visiting the property while it was undergoing renovation, they’d say, "This is Big Papa’s restaurant." So, the name stuck.

"After a while, I thought I liked the name.

It means a lot to me," Hisem says.

Not only can his grandkids and other youngsters watch their shows while the adults check on the games, but everyone can be sure to hear to their favorite too. The Soundog app allows patrons to log in to any program being shown and gain access to its audio through their smartphones.

THE SKINNY

Breakfasts start at $3.99. Sandwiches start at $5.49. Salads start at $8.99 (house salad $3.49). Appetizers start at $5.99, entrees at $7.99.

Big Papa’s is open 11am to 10pm Sunday through Thursday and 11am to 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

It’s located at 273 US 31 South at Chum’s Corners in Traverse City. For information, call 231-421-9008. Online, visit BigPapasTC.com or their Facebook page.