Questions & Answers with community faces

Alex Moravec (47) was born at Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital and graduated from Frankfort High School in 1995. His first job was bussing tables and washing dishes at The Brookside in Beulah; he followed that up with hauling canoes for Riverside and scooping ice cream at Kilwins. 

Moravec then attended Michigan State University (MSU) for two years in the criminal justice program, followed by a semester at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC). 

During this time, Moravec was coming home to Northern Michigan during the summers and on the weekends to work at Boonedocks in Glen Arbor as a cook and a bartender, having graduated from bussing tables and washing dishes. After two and a half years in, however, Moravaec was beginning to realize that college—and criminal justice—was not the path he wanted to pursue anymore.

“And I was running out of money,” he admits.

At this point, Moravec moved to Leelanau County to live and work for the next 27 years, continuing on at Boonedock’s.

For the past decade or so, though, he has been feeling the pull back to his native Frankfort—Moravec has been looking to run a restaurant of his own in this area, but he needed an investor. Fortunately, Jason Kendall (53), a customer at Boonedock’s that Moravec has known for many years, was also looking to purchase a restaurant.

“He knew I was looking for something, and I knew he was looking for something, and nothing had worked out for me yet,” Moravec says. “So I mentioned that Frankfort was a great place and there were probably a couple places that might be worth checking out. He looked into a few places and found out that the Villa was for sale.”

The Villa Marine Bar & Grille is a year-round casual restaurant with a patio that overlooks the marina at the edge of the commercial district in downtown Frankfort. It is the only place that stays open late—with a lively bar scene and karaoke on the weekends. At one point, the location was an auto repair garage, but it was turned into a bar after that. The Villa has been owned by Gerald “Jerry” Hendricks for nearly three decades.

But on January 1, 2025, Moravec and Kendall purchased the Villa. It took a few weeks to transfer the liquor licence, but they had a “soft” re-opening on Friday, January 17; the next day was the big Detroit Lions game against the Washington Commanders, competing for the NFC title, and Moravec knew that he wanted to be ready for the bar’s big launch on that day, considering that the Villa has been a favorite place for locals to watch big games on the big screen televisions for decades.  

Continuing with our interview series on impactful Benzie County characters, The Betsie Current caught up with Moravec as he was preparing the restaurant for the day and working on changes for the upcoming summer. 

The Betsie Current: What made you want to get into the restaurant industry?

Alex Moravec: I’ve been in the restaurant industry for more than 30 years. When I realized college wasn’t for me/everyone—and that I could make a pretty good living in the business—that’s when I started down this road.

Current: What does a typical day of work look like for you? 

Moravec: Getting to the restaurant a few hours before we open in the morning, starting with paperwork, and reviewing the previous night’s business. Then I come up with a game plan for the day—like new food options, new specials, are there any games on that we can utilize our big screen for, etc. After that, I greet the staff and let them know what our plans are and how we want to prepare. I usually end up in cleaning mode in the basement for a few hours a day and then transition into dinner mode. That’s always my favorite part of the day, because I get to talk to the customers about our plans for the business, next steps, menu, and the very common, “Hey, I know your parents…”

Current: What are your favorite items on the menu? What are your top sellers?

Moravec: The pizza is my personal favorite; just can’t go wrong with one of our pies. The perch dinner or sandwich has been a favorite for years, and our new shrimp po’ boy and my strip sandwich are “can’t miss” options!

Current: How have you seen your work grow and change? How do you hope that it will continue to grow? What is next? What do you want people to know about the transition of the Villa? What will stay the same, and what do you see changing?

Moravec: Taking over a business and putting a specific touch on it takes time and isn’t always the easiest process, but I think we have things going in the right direction. Taking care of the locals is always one of my main priorities, and we’d like to see more and more of them take some time to come see us and the changes that we are making. Before long, it will be summer, and we will have a variety of new options for everyone to try. The goal is to be up and running completely before spring and the busy season. For now, we offer daily food specials at a reasonable price for everyone to enjoy! And we do have big plans for expanding and remodeling in the near future. Unfortunately, in this business, it takes time to implement everything that we would like to see happen. With that being said, we would like to keep some of the “old school” Villa aspects, while adding a few new touches to the equation.

Current: Can you tell us a little more about that journey for you, personally,? Also, we hear you are a “sober” bartender; what is that like?

Moravec: I started off doing the easier jobs in the kitchen—washing dishes and prepping. I made my way from the kitchen to the bar, realizing I liked being in the “front of the house,” instead of the back, in the kitchen. After a few years, I was promoted from bartender to bar manager. At this point, I realized this could be a career instead of just a job. After many years of working and learning the trade, I decided to start looking for my own place. After many meetings and a road trip or two, nothing seemed to feel right until The Villa became available. I knew I had the right partner and a chance to come back home was too good to pass up! Working in the restaurant business has many many perks, but there are also downfalls. I got caught up in one and began drinking more than I should, and more often. After years of abusing my body with alcohol and some health issues, I decided that quitting would be best for me and my future. On March 9, I will celebrate my 17th year sober. Best decision I’ve ever made! Being a sober bartender, you really get a chance to see and hear many things and keep a good eye on all of the workings of a restaurant; it really gives me a different outlook on running a restaurant and the steps that can be taken to improve.

Current: What kinds of things do you do for fun, when you are not working? What other things are you involved with? How did you get involved with them, and why are you passionate about these causes?  

Moravec: I’m a sports and travel guy. So anytime I can get out on the golf course in the summer or take a trip to a new city/country during the “off season,” I try and do it; recently, I’ve been to Barecelona, Lisbon, Prague, and San Sebastián. I also enjoy playing volleyball on the Frankfort beach in the summers and in the local gyms in the winter; also watching the Lions, [University of] Michigan football and basketball. And every now and then, I get online and play a game of Risk—an online version of the classic board game—with the fellas. And, of course, taking my dog, Zeke, for a walk or car ride is a great way to relax and enjoy the area. I also put on a suicide prevention and awareness golf scramble every year at the Crystal Lake Golf Club on the Saturday after Memorial Day. We donate proceeds to Michael’s Place, a grief and counseling center, in Traverse City. It’s called the Treg Szerlong Memorial Golf Scramble, and we had more than 140 people join us last year, our eighth annual; we raised more than $11,000 last year, and we’ve raised more than $50,000 in total since we started. I started organizing this event after losing my lifelong friend to suicide. A few friends and I had never dealt with this terrible issue, and we decided that we could make a difference. The event started small but eventually turned into a complete sell-out every year. We hope to continue the Treg Szerlong Memorial for many years to come and try our best to make sure anyone who needs help can get it. 

Current: How have you seen Benzie County change since you grew up here? What are your hopes for the area in the future? 

Moravec: I was born and raised in Frankfort, but I moved to Leelanau County for quite a few years, while I was working at Boone’s. Many things have changed here, but the people are what make this place special. I hope to see our little community continue to thrive in the summer and winter seasons. It would be great to have Frankfort be a tourist destination, where all of our businesses can flourish all year long but still keep that small-town vibe that we all grew up knowing and enjoying.

Current: What are the biggest challenges and rewards of living/working in Benzie County, and in Northern Michigan in general? What is the best or most rewarding part of your job?

Moravec: It’s always a challenge to stay open during the “off season.” The struggle to find staff and keep costs reasonable for customers in this area—especially after the pandemic—has been hard for everyone in this business. But I do enjoy the work and reconnecting with friends, and the community is really the best part of the job. Having people come in to enjoy the Villa again and leave happy is hard to beat!

Current: What could Benzie County do to attract more and/or retain talented people in this area? What else does Benzie County need?

Moravec: Affordable housing seems to always be the biggest issue—it would be great to see more in town or close by. But, in general, I think Benzie County is doing a great job of keeping us on the map and creating opportunities for us all. 

Current: What are your favorite local events and activities? Any favorite dining, recreation, hiking spots?

Moravec: I always enjoy eating at all the restaurants in town. They all seem to have great food and a good variety of options to choose from.  It’s always hard to beat a day at one of the local beaches or taking any of the numerous trails for a relaxing stroll in the woods

Current: What does your perfect winter day look like in Benzie County? How would you spend it

Moravec: Netflix and chill. I’m not a fan of cold or winter. Spring, summer, and fall are when I like to enjoy the outdoors and our community the most. 

The Villa Marine Bar and Grill is located at 228 Maine Street in Frankfort. The Villa is currently open Mondays and Thursdays from noon to 11 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m.; Sundays from noon until 10 p.m.; and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. During the summer, the bar stays open until 2 a.m. most nights. Check out daily specials and events at “Frankfort villa marine bar” on Facebook. Call 231-352-5450 for more information. 

Featured Photo Caption: Alex Moravec (47) was born in Frankfort and returned earlier this year to take over the Villa Marine Bar & Grille in downtown Frankfort. Photo by Aubrey Ann Parker.