Owners order up major upgrades for Bay Bell Restaurant

BAY VIEW — Bay View's longest-running business underwent a long-overdue overhaul.Debuting in the 1930s, Bay Bell Restaurant — known as the "best breakfast on the bay" — received a major facelift.The work consisted of new paint, flooring, doors and blacktop for a parking lot. Additionally, management continues sprucing up an outdoor area, called The Shack, where employees, by Fourth of July, will serve snacks, ice cream and summer-style drinks"We just needed to do these updates," Jim Johnson said. He's considered a partner along with his girlfriend, Judy Protzman, in running Bay Bell's day-to-day operations.Bay ViewÕs longest-running business, Bay Bell Restaurant, received many major improvements, on the inside and outside, of the eating establishment.They run the restaurant with three new co-owners: Ana English along with Rick and Meghan Hogrefe. The Hogrefes, within the past two years, have invested almost $20 million dollars in buying abandoned and/or underutilized properties and transforming them into more viable entities across Erie County. Residing in California today with Meghan, Rick is a Bay View native.Johnson, who also works as a Perkins fire captain, is the son of former owners Bob and Wanda Robertson. They sold the business earlier this year. Johnson's roots with Bay Bell date back to 1981, when he began working there as a teenager."I was a cook," said Johnson, whose daughter, Jaimie Johnson, and brother, Tom Johnson, works there as well. "It was our family business, and I've always liked dealing with people. That's why I'm still doing this."Business partners Jim Johnson and Judy Protzman also manage Bay View Center and Bait Shop.It's a similar thought process for Protzman, a village native, who began her tenure at Bay Bell back in 1996. "I love the customers. They're awesome," said Protzman, who even recruited her two daughters, Jessica (McIntire) Roncaglione and Brooke McIntire, to work there as well.And the customers appreciate these updates."It looks really good," said Jeff Nielsen, who eats at Bay Bell "pretty much every day" since the 1960s and remains partial to the sausage gravy. "It's really nice to see this being done in Bay View."Business partners and longtime employees Jim Johnson and Judy Protzman stand in front of the Bay Bell Restaurant in Bay View on Monday, June 4, 2018.Other than Bay Bell, Johnson and Protzman also manage Bubbles by the Bay, Bay View's first and only public laundromat, which opened in May, and Bay View Center and Bait Shop. All these adjacent properties fall under the H2 Property Holdings umbrella, run by the Hogrefes.Johnson and Protzman want to let people know they can expect even more changes coming to their businesses soon.Bay Bell Restaurant is open Mondays through Saturdays and early Sundays at 801 E. Bayview Drive in Bay View.Debuting in the 1930s, Bay Bell Restaurant, known as a place serving the Òbest breakfast on the bay,Ó recently underwent a substantial facelift.Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.