Janesville's hidden gem

Doug and Shelly Yotter became owners of the Purple Goose Smokehouse and Saloon, located at 228 North Main Street in Janesville, in 2023. Since acquiring it, among other things, they have changed the establishment’s name: the Janesville restaurant was formerly called  Purple Goose Eatery and Saloon.

 

Although the light-up sign out front doesn’t show the name change yet, Doug held his hands far apart and said, “I have a list this long of things that need changing around here.” Then he pinched two fingers together till they were almost touching and said, “This is how much I’ve been able to get to.” 

 

The restaurant’s new menu will be shared in a few weeks. According to the Yotters, the biggest change will be the smoked brisket, pork butts, ribs and smoked chicken. Doug says he also has a special recipe chicken and wild rice soup which has bacon and Italian sausage and, “About a half cup of Italian seasoning” with a flavor all its own.  “We also have the hungry man dinner every Friday, and the broasted chicken buffet on Wednesday.” Doug does the work back in the kitchen and Shelly handles the bar and the ordering up front, “Ours is a perfect marriage,” Doug proclaims, “but both of us agree our employees are our number one asset.” The Yotters have between 10 and 15 people working with them, from bartenders, to wait staff, to cooks.

 

The couple purchased the restaurant from founder Judy Jacobs, who had opened the Purple Goose in 2002. According to Doug, Jacobs retired and is now living “up north.”

 

The Purple Goose has a bar in front and the restaurant in back, but that’s only half the building. The other half is a community room for special occasions and big events. “We get weddings in here and from the school we have pizza parties.” He tells of one time when “there must’ve been 50 kids running around.” He pointed to the bar in the community room and said, “This whole bar had pizzas down to the end; the kids were so well behaved I was amazed.”

 

Speaking of the community room and other features at the restaurant, including a popular game near the entry, Doug observes, ““I love that game. I leave a few quarters in there sometimes, so the kids can play it. We want kids in here when they’re young so they get those memories and grow up thinking about the Purple Goose.”

 

Back on the tangent of things he’d like to change, he comments it would be nice to add a sort of conveyor belt that would deliver pizzas down the line.   

 

Doug has many ideas for ways he would like to see the spaces in the restaurant expanded, including developing a space for future shows and events. The community room was once the Janesville Legion meeting hall, and could have space for as many as 500 people.  “But that” said Doug, “Like our baked potato bar, will just have to wait till we get to it.”

 

With an ever changing menu and selection, the Purple Goose has earned its back-alley nickname, “Janesville’s hidden gem.”