COLDWATER — When the Avra family purchased the old depot at 32 Railroad St. in April 2022, they thought they could open a restaurant in six to eight weeks.

Almost a year later, the Train Wreck Grill and Ale House is ready to open officially Saturday, March 11. 

“When we came in the building it was kind of a wreck” hence the name, said owner Elizabeth Avra.

“It was a hodgepodge after three previous owners over the years. The building is old, it's crooked. It's fun. It's got character.”

In the century-old freight depot, “you can't find anything straight in this building. You can't find anything that's perfect. And we figured, let's embrace it — rather than try and change it,” she laughed.

The menu is eclectic.

“I can't say if it's really Italian or American or classic or French or whatever,” Avra said. “We've got three really good cuts of steak, quality meat. We've got a couple of chicken dishes, a chicken bruschetta and chicken marsala. We've got a pork chop, and we've got four different pastas.”  There is also seafood.

To make sure there is something for everyone, “we also have chicken fingers and a hamburger.”

Everything is freshly made in the kitchen or grill. Nothing frozen or pre-made, Avra said.

“There is nothing on the menu you’d be scared to eat,” she joked. “We’re just a nice place in Coldwater to go to lunch or take someone to dinner.”

Back in the 1990s, the depot was first the Claremont House restaurant. It then became Carnegie’s on the Tracks and closed in 2003. Los Tequilas turned it into a Mexican eatery in the 2010s, before moving to East Chicago Street.

After the last closing, the building stood vacant for three years. Avra said her family completely tore out most of the kitchen and working areas. They kept the charm of the old depot as much as possible upgrading the infrastructure.

Each upstairs booth is dedicated to a famous train station with photos.

The classic bar remains but now there is beer on tap, including Michigan favorites.

There is seating for 135 in the main areas. The upstairs room is for smaller meetings and larger parties.

Still under construction on the west end in a larger freight room with its own separate licensed bar, is space for events for around 150 people.

Avra brought in some good managers and found a staff of around 30 who have trained over the past few weeks.

“For full-time employees, we offer paid vacation, 401K and health insurance as well. We're closed major holidays, which is a big deal for the restaurant industry. We're not asking anybody to come in and work Christmas or Thanksgiving, but we're also going to close on Fourth of July, Easter and New Year's Day. And those holidays are paid to full-time employees.”

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Elizabeth Avra is the sibling with restaurant experience in the entrepreneurial family.

She was at the Branch Area Career Center food service program for three years and studied food services in Kentucky. Avra worked at Applebee’s and bartended locally. She also managed several years at Culver’s.

Train Wreck does take reservations. For more information, visit trainwreckgrillandale.com or facebook.com/TrainwreckGrillAndAleHouse.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Train Wreck Grill & Ale House opens in Coldwater