Restauranteur James Galbraith is working on a third restaurant concept slated to open in late Summer in downtown New Buffalo.
Galbraith is the young, creative, hard-working force behind two successes in the Benton Harbor Arts District, the upscale New American featured menu place called Houndstooth at 132 Pipestone, and the unique Tex-Mex spot known as Anemel at 225 East Main Street.
Galbraith, while keeping a watchful eye on those two establishments, is now turning his attention to creating a large, indoor-outdoor food and beverage experience in New Buffalo in a prime downtown location at 207 North Whitaker Street. For reference, it’s across from the Amtrak station and half a block East from the popular Stray Dog burger bar.
Galbraith explains that he wasn’t necessarily ‘looking’ in New Buffalo. However, interesting ideas seem to ‘find’ him. And that’s what happened when he met with Ben Holland, who owns the real estate involved in the project. Galbraith says Holland was looking for a food and beverage concept, and the pair immediately ‘clicked’ in their vision for the site. Initially, they chose a simpler Mexican-based concept, but soon turned their attention to a contemporary New American menu that will focus on tourists in season but be attractive to locals all year long.
Galbraith explains the theme:
“The restaurant will be called ‘PostBoy’. Our team named the restaurant after the founder of New Buffalo Captain Wessel D. Whittaker’s ship Post Boy, which in 1834 crashed ashore near where the town is found standing today. The 10,000-square-foot home of the new restaurant, which formerly housed a Subway and Keller Williams Realty office, is currently undergoing a dramatic transformation to draw inspiration from a mix of coastal and Danish aesthetics with retro touches that are both nostalgic and comforting.”
Galbraith says that’s the ‘secret sauce’ in how he creates restaurant concepts as well as menus: Take something that’s familiar—like a flavor—that invokes positive nostalgia. Then present it with a ‘twist’ or a flair that challenges the customer but makes the experience fun. Familiar flavors, a little flair and some fun! Galbraith says it works almost every time and that formula will be his guide as he creates the menu for PostBoy in New Buffalo.
Galbraith and Holland will use an existing building that allows seating about 100 diners inside. However, there’s a huge outdoor space being transformed into a multi-purpose patio, both for outdoor seating and as a waiting area. Galbraith smiles as he describes an old postal truck that’s being restored for the patio space and will offer shirts, hats, and other souvenirs tourists will love. During the busy summer season, guests will approach an outdoor host location, then follow a ‘paver path’ to their indoor or outdoor dinner seating.
Galbraith believes his focus on the total dining experience is something that sets his restaurants apart from many others. He says the old concept of ‘fine dining’ has been replaced by “chef driven but never pretentious—ever!” He is proud to have worked under several of Chicago’s premier chefs in their signature restaurants. Places like Intro, Blackbird, BOKA, S.K.Y., Elske, Bellemore, and more.
But Galbraith knew he wanted to make his own way in the industry, and eventually to mentor others with similar dreams. At 39, he’s now at a point where that’s beginning to happen. And he credits his team for giving him the confidence and ‘head space’ to keep growing and moving forward.
“Quite simply I’m very lucky to have an incredible staff and partners. Nothing I do comes from my sweat alone. It’s really all the people around me that deserve a giant nod and applause.”
Galbraith gives special thanks to two special business partners: his sister/partner Cheyenne Galbraith at Houndstooth and his wife/partner Gabrielle Galbraith at Anemel.
Galbraith expects it will take until late Summer to put all the pieces together to open ‘PostBoy’ in New Buffalo. But he’s confident it will be worth the wait—and the hard work. He already wonders when and where the next opportunity will present itself.
Headline Photo: Ben Holland & James Galbraith, partners in ‘PostBoy’ restaurant development in New Buffalo
