Bye, bye Reno's East. It's OneNorth now

(Because of a reporting error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Scott Berman's wife is a co-owner.)

THURSDAY, June 27— Reno’s East will soon be OneNorth Kitchen and Bar.

Scott Berman, owner of OneNorth on West Saginaw Highway, confirmed today that he has purchased the longtime East Lansing sports bar.

“I’m standing in it right doing a final inventory,” Berman said by phone.

Berman predicted the location, which closed yesterday, will be open again in late September or early October “after significant remodeling.”

Reno’s East is the second restaurant that owner Jessie Stipcak has sold to Berman. In 2020, Berman acquired Reno’s West, 5001 W. Saginaw in Delta Township from her and remodeled it. Stipcak was not immediately available for comment.

Berman also owns OneNorth restaurant in Jackson and Culver’s in Eastwood and recently purchased St. Johns Brewing Co. on North Clinton Avenue in St. Johns.

Berman said he bought Reno’s East because it “has been an institution.”

“Jessie is iconic, and the Fata family before her,” he said.

Stipcak started at Reno’s East as a waitress in 1996 while a Michigan State University student, according to its website. In 2003, she purchased the business from the Fata family when Steve Fata was ready to retire. Fata had opened Reno’s East in 1992. Stipcak also owns Reno’s North on Old U.S. 27 in Dewitt Township.

The old Reno’s East “is a tremendously exciting property with a great history,” Berman said. “Kathy (Fischer, his wife)  and I live in East Lansing, so we are close to it.”

Berman said it will have the same menu as OneNorth on the west side but will also have daily specials. Berman said he expected to employ about 90 there.

Berman, 65, has lived in Greater Lansing for a decade. A Detroit native who was raised in Grand Rapids, he said he has been in the restaurant business “in every capacity, from bottle washer to president of U.S. Foods,” based in Wixom. He graduated from the University of Alabama.

The new OneNorth will continue to be the home of the MSU sports coaches shows, Berman said.

Asked about getting into restaurant ownership in his seventh decade, Berman said, “This is our retirement. Some people golf.”