Get excited for what’s to come. Selena’s plans to open by the end of March.
By BRYCE MARTIN
Pioneer Editor | [email protected]
Barb Swanke envisioned opening a new Mexican eatery in the heart of Bowman but her plans changed when she began hearing precisely what the community wanted: a place to enjoy a good steak and perhaps a full-bodied glass of wine.
Such a place was profoundly missed in Bowman, according to Swanke.
So she refocused her efforts to satisfy the community’s appetite and morphed her planned Mexican restaurant into something that would please a wider palate. Her plan is to now bring a Mexican-American dining experience, under the name Selena’s, to the city where she said finding somewhere “different” to sit down, eat and converse was near impossible.
“It’s all burgers and a lot of fast food,” she said of Bowman’s present dining options.
Swanke, 43, with the help of the building’s owner, Tony Chavez, has transformed the old hotel — and former Mexican restaurant — at the north end of Main Street, between Able, Inc. and Northwest Tire. It’s been an arduous task, according to Chavez, who purchased the building two years ago.
Walls were demolished to create a larger space, new handicapped-accessible bathrooms were added, real wooden flooring was installed wall-to-wall and the whole interior was painted in a soft, rustic salmon hue. That paint choice, she remarked, was made prior to changing her direction to incorporate a steakhouse atmosphere. She said, however, that the accompanying décor would well suit the look she’s aiming to achieve.
In addition to the handmade tables and benches she’s planning to bring in, reclaimed wood from Swanke’s own ranch completes a large bar against the back wall of the restaurant, which will offer a full range of beer, wine and liquor libations — she’s most excited to offer margaritas and daiquiris.
Swanke, originally from central Texas, and her husband, Kevin, reside in Marmarth but are no strangers to the Bowman community. Kevin was born and raised in the area; the two currently own and operate Diamond S Ranch in Marmarth.
“It’s our first choice,” Swanke said, forgoing conducting their daily business elsewhere. Opening a new restaurant in Bowman offered a larger, more diverse crowd than Marmarth, she added.
The community’s apparent yearning for succulent meat-centric meals resonated with Swanke, who spends most of her time on the ranch. It simply made sense for an area known for its abundance of ranches to have a steakhouse.
Before her new restaurant opens — they’re planning a mid- to late-March opening — there’s a few things needing completion on the interior. Opening day won’t come soon enough for Swanke, who admitted the path to illuminating a “Now Open” sign has been a long process filled with trial and error.
When she first stepped foot into the aging building where Selena’s will soon open, she felt dumbstruck. “The space won’t work,” she said. It was too small and in quite a state of disrepair.
But Swanke, along with Chavez’s construction team, was equal to the task. Working painstakingly long days and well into the night, over the course of several months it was turned into a fully operational restaurant.
As the finer details emerged, and the sawdust was swept from the floors, it was precisely what Swanke had envisioned.
Still, with the city only recently approving a liquor license for the establishment, a few things had to be changed so to be up to code.
That final work is now near completion. Now Swanke is working to wrap up the final details.
One appealing point is that Selena’s will be open on Sundays. “Everyone needs a hot meal. (And) on Sundays in Bowman, there’s not really a place to eat,” she said.
In addition to ordering off the menu, Swanke will offer a buffet that will feature different cuisine staples, and she is considering holding special events such as live karaoke on certain evenings.
“I want Selena’s to have more of an atmosphere,” she explained. “It’s something totally different.”
As for the name of the restaurant, Swanke touchingly said deciding to call it Selena’s was in remembrance of a good friend’s child that had passed away. It’s a tribute signaling that Swanke is in it for the long run.
While he is owner of the building, Chavez mentioned that his Mexican food truck, Tony’s Tacos, has no association with Selena’s and will continue to operate seasonally at its location near Frontier Travel Center on Highway 12 in Bowman.