Grumpy’s prepares for monkey business

Here’s what’s happening at Grumpy’s regarding all that construction.

As of next weekend (Dec. 18 projected opening), the downstairs of the building, recently sold to local businessman Dave Talsky, will be transformed into a restaurant featuring Pacific Rim-themed cuisine.

The operator/manager/chef of the new restaurant will be James Feeney.

The establishment will have Monkey Bar in the title. That’s also the name of Talsky’s bouldering gym at Mammoth Mountaineering Supply and the former name of the coffeeshop he opened briefly inside Mammoth Mountaineering about a decade ago.

Mammoth Mountaineering Supply will relocate to the upstairs of the building by January 31.

Talsky, who also owns two other retail locations (Alpine Approach in the Village at Mammoth and the Mammoth Gear Exchange in Bishop) rattled off three quick reasons for the move: 1.) Needed more space 2.) Good deal 3.) Have always wanted to own my own building.

Grumpy’s Sports Restaurant will continue to operate in the near term upstairs, but will now serve food off the new menu.

Feeney, former owner/operator of the Starlight Cafe, is excited to get started. He said he plans to operate more traditionally at the Monkey Bar, in part because he’ll have some financial resources he didn’t have as a sole proprietor.

He’ll also inherit a seasoned staff from Grumpy’s, which will transition over.

“Starlight was a huge success on so many levels, particularly from a food standpoint,” he said, but financially it was always a struggle.

His popular Korean Burritos and Caesar Burger, among other items, will appear on the new menu.