Former bartenders Mark Feilen and Andy Sylke hope their first restaurant, Taylor & Dunn's Public House, becomes a place that Mequon residents can relate to. That's why when they bought the former Millie's Spaghetti Factory, they set out to preserve its historical significance while creating a new tradition.
Longtime friends Feilen and Sylke say they want the restaurant and bar at 10365 Cedarburg Rd. to become a central meeting point in the Mequon community.
"We call it the corner of Main and Main," says Sylke, waving toward the busy intersection of Donges Bay and Cedarburg Roads.
For Sylke and Feilen, location plays a big part for Taylor & Dunn's. While searching through the register of deeds, Sylke and Feilen discovered the legacy this property has held over the years.
The first record of ownership dates back to 1839, when local carpenter Taylor Havelon owned 640 acres of the sprawling landscape. Havelon reportedly helped build the first Catholic Church in the area. A few years later, Andrew Dunn, a Wisconsin legislator, dubbed the Godfather of New Lisbon, helped the Mequon community flourish. Feilen and Sylke continue to discover new secrets of the property as they renovate the building.
"We certainly feel a degree of humility being in such a historical place. We just hope to provide excellent service and have a good time while doing it, and leave something for the next guys," says Sylke.
With Mequon's population rapidly increasing, they'll have their work cut out for them.
"We believe we can coexist with other area restaurants and help create a destination area for Mequon. We just want to be included in the growth of the community," says Sylke.
"We like the people, we like the area," adds Feilen. "We want to create a place that we'd like to go ourselves."
The camaraderie and amicable atmosphere that has become synonymous with Irish pubs are characteristics Feilen and Sylke hope to infuse into Taylor & Dunn's. Sylke and Feilen abide by a simple motto: Good food. Good drink. Good cheer.
Taylor & Dunn's will serve mostly American fare with an Irish twist. And don't be surprised to see Sylke or Feilen serving up the suds, themselves. They'll also feature live trivia nights and game-day specials.
Sporting emerald green walls and dark wood molding, the lower level dining area is flanked with floor to ceiling windows that face the lush outdoor greenery, which, during nice weather, will transform into a large open patio.
The main dining area can hold more than 70 patrons, and the restaurant will have a smaller dining area for families and bigger parties. The bar section features a long, sinewy countertop overlooking the lower level and the busy Cedarburg Road intersection.
The pub section will open in mid-November, serving drinks from 3 p.m. to bar time, every day of the week. Feilen says the restaurant will open one month later, with full kitchen service from 4:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. and expanded hours on the weekends. A Web site is forthcoming, but the phone number is (262) 242-8030.
