SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — It’s a project more than a year and a half in the making, but the new addition to Parker’s Bistro is now just a few weeks away from opening. In Friday’s Your Money Matters, we have a look inside the restoration of the historic building.

“I love the arched window, they mimic what’s on the Parker’s side, they bricked them over when they added this building,” Parker’s owner Stacy Newcomb said.

In January of 2022, Newcomb purchased the building next door to Parker’s to begin restoring the 1934 property into additional restaurant space.

“We basically stripped the whole thing down to the brick and started over,” Newcomb said.

The demolition phase took a full year to get to down to the historic shell.

“It took a long time to get everything out of here, because it was an optometrist shop, all the ceilings were lower, the flooring was removed,” Newcomb said.

But now the wood rafters and concrete floor will be the main bones of Myrtle, working hand in hand with next door Parker’s, both buildings named in honor of her grandparents.

“We wanted to give this part a personality, instead of just Parker’s expanded,” Newcomb said.  “We’ll be serving the same menu on both sides but the Myrtle’s side will be producing all the drinks because it has the bar.”

The large bar was one of the main goals of the expansion.

“A space where people can sit down if they’re waiting for a table, that’s nice, we’ve never had that,” Newcomb said.

But Myrtle’s also gives the Bistro a chance to nearly double the number of tables for seating guests.

“Since it about doubles everything, we will be doubling just about everything else too, the kitchen size, the number of people working here, all of that,” Newcomb said.

The new addition not only adds a lot more dining room space for seating in the restaurant, it also has a second floor below that will be used for private dining.

“This also has windows like this part of the building does, so its a very nice spot,” Newcomb said.

All of the natural light is a rare find for the back side of a historic downtown building.

“We love the windows of course, that’s probably the thing that attracted me most to the building,” Newcomb said.

Parker’s plans to have construction complete by the end of the month, with a grand opening planned for right after the fourth of July.

The popular Main Avenue bistro has already hired several new staff members but are still looking to add some experienced staff before opening the expanded space next month.