Polar Enterprises see change of ownership
It’s a new year, and, for Polar Enterprises, a new era. Though everything may have appeared business as usual to regulars, Sunday, January 5 marked the transfer of ownership to Mymy and Larry St. Clair from brothers Patrick “Pat” and William “Bill” Krier, whose family owned and operated the Polar Café and bar for 25 years.
“We did all the work we did over the years and improved it in a lot of ways, but now somebody could take it to a newer life, improve it more,” Pat Krier told the Nugget.
The brothers will be staying on for the next few months to make the transition go smoothly, and because the liquor license transfer takes a bit of time, to the dismay of brother Bill who’s looking forward to his next venture.
“I’d like to be out of here completely, but they still keep us hanging around,” Bill Krier said.
Pat and Bill inherited the Polar from their parents Jeanette and Tony Krier, and have run the iconic Nome establishment for decades serving not only food, but a gathering space for locals to eat, gossip and get some of the best views of the Bering Sea.
Before the Kriers, Polar Enterprises was owned by Betty and Ernie Gustafson who bought the building from Mae and Keith Hedreen in 1968 and transformed it into what it is today. The renovations by the Gustafsons created the café and the apartments above, with “floor to ceiling windows, a gorgeous ocean view,” new owner Larry St. Clair said.
During its time the seafront building has endured challenges and disasters. Polar Enterprises has been on the market for a few years. The St. Clairs took a tour before ex-typhoon Merbok hit in fall of 2022 but decided against purchasing it then. Merbok really did a number on the building, and the Bar and Cafe closed for months to clean up the flood damage and reinstate the building to code.
This was the second hit to the business this decade. Two years before, the COVID pandemic “plummeted” business, reported by the Nugget in 2020, when the Krier’s divulged $70,000 in losses after being shut down for two months and then only opened for takeout for four months before they could open the doors again.
New life
Why buy it now? Short answer: the St. Clairs were interested in the restaurant and rental space.
Mymy currently owns and operates a nail salon in the Old Federal Building and Larry is a gold miner who employs temporary workers who come to Nome in the summertime. “The best way to get an apartment for workers is to control an apartment,” Larry said.
Mymy is excited to get into the kitchen and cook for Nomeites. Passionate about making food for people, she has a lot of ideas like incorporating traditional Filipino dishes into the menu.
“I’m excited for the restaurant because I work with love,” Mymy said.
One of the major changes they’re looking to implement down the line is transforming the old liquor store space into a salon for Mymy’s nail business.
But before they even think about that renovation, there’s a lot of cleanup to be done in the restaurant and bar. Starting with general appliance upgrades and window replacements.
“As the large ticket items have broken, they haven’t reinvested into it. They haven’t had the money because the restaurant isn’t doing good. The bar is supporting the restaurant,” Larry said.
On day one as new owners, the St. Clairs replaced broken refrigerators. Now they’re tackling product inventory, setting up wholesalers and deliveries. Larry said before food orders were almost completely done by going to local grocery stores, which was not only expensive, but unreliable.
In the next few months patrons will start to notice changes in the cafe; new furniture will replace the folding chairs and tables that line the faded red walls.
As they talked with the Nugget, the St. Clairs got excited about the possibilities for the businesses, explained their idea to put a coffee shop inside the restaurant, which would hopefully stabilize the café’s finances. For now, they’ve started offering to-go coffee.
Windows, flooring and a new paint job will all come later, but the St. Clairs have a vision for the building they’re hoping to execute before the end of next summer.
For now, they’re prepping for the influx of customers the Iditarod will bring. The focus is on the bar, where the menu has already been transformed with prices reduced significantly across all drinks. Many beers have gone down from $9 to $5 or $6 and the 75-cent pool table is now free.
The bar is also getting into late night eats, serving hot dogs with plans to expand the menu.
“It’ll be the only food available after 10 p.m. in Nome,’ Larry said.
The classic red upholstery that makes up the large cushy booths in Polar Bar is as iconic as it is damaged. Larry said he plans to pull everything out and start new, but the new will still mimic the current vibes.
“Everyone I talked to said they’re okay if I change it, but they want the concept to stay the same,” Larry said.
Being a staple for so long, the Polar businesses have acquired a sturdy group of regulars. As they look to changes and improvements, the St. Clairs have been surveying them on what works and what could be better.
Café Community
Anyone who’s had a mix-up with their UPS package in Nome has ended up at Polar Cub Cafe. From noon to 1 p.m., every weekday, Ramon Gandia holds office at a reserved table in the restaurant, a place for community members to come and pick up packages or square away issues with their deliveries.
Gandia operates the UPS service in Nome out of his house, but the cafe provides a public space for handling business. “They’re closed at noon next door, so I open at noon here,” Gandia said, referring to the U.S. Post Office which can be seen out the window from his table.
Though he’s there every weekday for work, Gandia also comes to dine on weekends. And any of his employees who join him get their lunch paid for.
“They made $110,000 off of me last year,” Gandia said, proudly.
Gandia’s been coming here since they opened in 1975, he said, and, other than a six-year ban imposed after a fight with the late Tony Krier, he’s Polar’s most devoted patron. In return for his loyalty, he’s always got a seat in the house, a table which his crew has customized with drawings, placards and special-order hot sauces that will “blow you away.”
The UPS service in Nome has been operated by Gandia since December 8, 1997. An exact date from a straight shooter, who will tell anyone that the food in Polar used to be better.
“That’s what I miss about the old Polar, the steak and shrimp on a Friday instead of tuna and clam chowder,” Gandia said, referring to that day’s special advertised on the whiteboard.
But he’s stuck around for a reason. “What do I like about it? Well, it’s American food and it’s quiet,” Gandia said. “Here it has an atmosphere.”
Atmosphere indeed. As the afternoon bloomed, Gandia’s employees entered the restaurant, filling two tables, chatting and eating in the otherwise empty dining room. The low sun slunk outside the windows and the cracked expanse of sea ice was vaguely visible through the smeared panes.
Waitress Deanna Schuldt fielded requests, moving diligently between the cramped kitchen and her tables.
No one ordered from a menu –there is one – but not necessary for regulars. Schuldt had coffee on the table before the perpetual patrons sat down.
“Generally, they cook whatever you want in here, if you ask nicely,” Gandia said.
Improvements to the menu is the best advice Gandia has for the St. Clairs. Bring back the salad bar, ice cream, pie and expanding the specials are all on the wish list.
But no matter how the place evolves, Gandia will be at Polar, every weekday, noon to 1 p.m.
“Anybody who’s ever been anybody in Alaska has come to eat here at the Polar Café, every governor, every representative, and then the local ones, they always come and eat here,” Ken Shapiro, another member at the UPS table said.