DUPONT -- Consider it a work in progress turning an empty former restaurant into third Tipsy Turtle restaurant location with hopes of drawing in customers from all over.
"We repainted the whole place, replaced carpeting, adding the Turtle spin to it, some TVs," said Tipsy Turtle co-partner Jack Walker.
The Tipsy Turtle will replace the Damon's and Midtown Sports Bar that used to house this building right near the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. It'll be the largest Turtle spot with double the staff members of its Swoyersville counterpart, and the only one of the local chain with a catering room.
"We all believe that we'll make it. We'll make it work," said Walker.
With the restaurant a little off the beaten path and all of this construction going on near it by the airport, some are concerned that the restaurant might not do so well.
"There's not really much up there, like I said. Not too many people are going to travel out of their way to go up there," said Onzriea Reynolds, of Avoca.
"I would always encourage new business, new growth. I think an issue that they may have is that it seems like people are only willing to support the chain restaurants," said Louis Domenico, of Saylorsburg.
Tipsy Turtle partner Jack Walker doesn't think the location will be a problem.
"Both Tipsy Turtles that are open right now are destination places. They're not on the beaten path. They're not on the way to the mall. And we do just fine," said Walker.
The third Turtle is expected to open for business by the end of the month.