Local gem to celebrate makeover, anniversary

A hidden gem in Maricopa will shine a little brighter this fall.

Roots Eatery, a purveyor of rustic American fare on the John Wayne strip, is amid a $58,000 renovation that includes new floors, ceilings and lighting.

It’s also installing a new dining patio just in time for its third anniversary.

Owner Chris Spear said the renovations serve as a long-term reinvestment into the restaurant.

“We’ve been open for three years, it’s time to put some money back into it,” he said.

The restaurant closed for two weeks in July for interior renovations, including:

• Wooden plank ceiling
• Pendant lighting above tables
• Dimmable, recessed lighting
• Reclaimed wood chair rail
• Stained concrete floors
• Baseboard molding

The changes create a brighter, more refined space, which Spear said boosts the restaurant’s ambience.

“I’m excited about it all,” he said. “I think everyone will enjoy their meal a lot better when they’re not sitting with fluorescent lights above their heads. It’s a little more intimate and personal for them.”

At summer’s end, the patio will go up in a gravel-covered area in front of the restaurant. Plans include creating a fenced-in dining area covered in bistro lights for up to 15 people.

The patio would not only add more seating options for diners but Spear said he hopes it will also entice more customers to the restaurant.

“We’re excited about the patio because that’ll be a focal point,” he said. “This is a great location, but we’re still tucked in a little corner. The patio and those lights will draw people’s eyes to us.”

Patio construction will begin in August, with a goal of all renovations completed in September, just in time for Arizona’s hospitality season to begin.

“Come September and October, all the snowbirds start coming back and we start ramping it up,” Spear said. “We’re going to have something beautiful for them to see.”

Since three’s a charm, Roots Eatery will also celebrate its third anniversary today through Sunday. With each purchase, diners can get a raffle ticket to win a bottle wine.

“We’re ultimately thanking Maricopa for supporting us so we can do this for them,” Spear said.