By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer

Bryan, Nicole Brushmiller complete final stages of renovations for restaurant

(June 11, 2020) Like many restaurants that had only indoor dining before the pandemic, The Globe on Broad Street has now designated a space to serve customers outdoors.

The Globe owners Bryan and Nicole Brushmiller hope to reopen the venue with outdoor dining in July.

Upon reopening their doors, they plan to host live entertainment to honor the 100-year-old theater.

“We’re really excited to bring back arts and entertainment to Berlin,” Bryan said.

Bryan is planning a causal barbeque and smoked foods menu that is “culturally relevant to the community.”

“No one else around is really doing that in Berlin,” he added.

Bryan and Nicole Brushmiller

The Globe will also offer craft beers from his Burley Oaking Brewing Company and craft cocktails.

The Brushmillers, who own five properties in Berlin, including Burley Oak Brewing Company, Burley Café and Viking Tree Trading Company as well as lease two other properties, bought The Globe in November 2019 and have been working on interior renovations for months that respect the history of the building.

Bryan said the project is about 80 percent complete.

Last Thursday, the Berlin Historic District Commission approved requests from the Brushmillers to restore aspects of the cultural landmark and create an outdoor dining space.

On June 3, the Historic District Commission approved plans to create outdoor dining at The Globe on the side of Gay Street as owners Bryan and Nicole Brushmiller continue months-long renovations at the historic entertainment venue.

The Brushmillers plan to replace The Globe sign on the building’s entrance in likeness with a soft yellow lighting vertical sign made from natural gas lighting.

In addition, they will match the existing fence on the side of Gay Street to enclose outdoor seating that will include a bar with eight bar stools and individual tables.

The Brushmillers said the wooden fence will be six feet high and have an emergency gate for patrons as well as a larger gate for product deliveries.

The outdoor dining space will include a roof made with corrugated plastic, Bryan said.

The outdoor seating will not be visible from the street.

A walk-in cooler will be placed outside on an existing concrete pad, where a shed used to be located, to provide more space in the kitchen.

“At present we are planning on painting the walk-ins with a dark neutralizing color and adding trellis to grow natural greenery,” Nicole said.

Bryan added that they are considering roses, wisteria or a climbing vine to accompany the trellis.

After long discussion, the commission did not resolve the matter of placement and a potential enclosure of a dumpster.

“We have been trying to figure out if there is a way we can come together and put one in a lot … and then we could all contribute and co-share,” Nicole said.

The “passion project,” as Bryan calls The Globe, is an estimated all-in cost of $250,000.