Walking into Harry's Steakhouse, you might think that you have entered a luxurious, old steakhouse in Chicago or New York in the 1940s.

In the accompanying entry, the black and white photos of Greta Garbo and the pipe music of Judy Garland (singing "I am wild with Harry") are the first hints of the atmosphere of waiting.

Inside, a highly polished walnut bar invites guests to relax on custom red leather rotating stools.

In the restaurant, cozy cubicles, sparkling crystals, white linen tablecloths, black linen napkins and exposed bricks on the interior walls create an atmosphere that infuses the place with ancient and long traditions.

"People say they don't feel like they are in Grand Forks anymore," said Hal Gershman, the owner of the restaurant named after his father. "The atmosphere here is a classic of the 1940s."

"Some people say it feels like a dinner club, like going back in time," general manager Matt Walkowiak said.

This is the original intention of Gershman. He is a long-time businessman and former councilman of Grand Forks. When he first envisioned a steakhouse, his father Harold Gershman opened a restaurant in the early 1940s. The restaurant had been in business for several years, and Harold closed it and opened his first liquor store, the Central Package Store, in the same location in 1944. The original two-story structure was built at the turn of the 1900s and demolished in 1970. As part of the urban renewal, the IRS constructed and occupied the existing buildings at DeMers and Fifth Street. Later, it was the location of a law firm.

Harry's Steakhouse owner Hal Gershman, chef Lane Leech, and general manager Matt Walkowiak took photos near the "Wise Guys" stall in a downtown restaurant. Eric Hayden/Photo by "Grand Fox Herald"

"This is the real hook for me-back to where Dad started," Gershman said, adding that he had never considered another location for the restaurant.

"It is completing the circle here. This is one of my motivations," he said. "I like to complete the circle."

Gershman started to propose the Harry Steak House idea about eight years ago, when the employee shareholding plan for his expanding business, the Happy Harry Bottling Store, became "solid," he said. "This gives me time to deal with this matter."

In order to create the dining space they dream of, Gershman and Vokoviak went to New York in 2019 to dine at the five best steakhouses in New York City. Gershman said that they keep a lot of records of what everyone likes and dislikes.

Visitors to Harry's Steakhouse will notice that when they approach the bar, they will see a large black and white photo of actor James Cagney, holding a silver tray full of beverage essentials. Cagney blinked, with a mischievous smile. He said this is one of Gershman's favorite photos.

The walls are decorated with pictures of other former Hollywood stars, further enhancing the atmosphere of the 1940s.

Above the bar, the TV screen shows silent movies and scenes from bygone great dancers such as Gene Kelly, Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. In a recent mid-week afternoon, a nostalgic movie clip of Bob Hope and Cagney elegantly tapping was played on the screen, bringing the audience into a simpler and perhaps sweeter time.

Gershman said the screen was installed "so people sitting in the bar can watch something." Gershman said that the big red leather rotating stool next to the bar is easy to get in and out, "very comfortable, you don't rush to leave."

The bar has an "extraordinary bourbon area and a tequila area", he said, as well as non-alcoholic beverages made from tea, which give the beverage a basic flavor.

The bar offers a full menu, suitable for guests who like a casual atmosphere. The bar is "open seating," Walkowiak said, but it is recommended to make a reservation for the restaurant, which can be made by calling (701) 757-2333. The steakhouse can accommodate about 100 guests, has 28 employees, and is open from Monday to Saturday from 4pm to 11pm.

A view of one of Harry's Steakhouse restaurants in the heart of Grand Forks. Eric Hayden / Grand Forks Herald

Gershman said that although the atmosphere here exudes the atmosphere of the past, "everything is new" except for the exterior bricks that date back to the 1970s.

The interior brick lining the restaurant seems to be a century old, but it was newly installed by B&M Masonry of Grand Forks.

Gershman, who bought the building in 2018, said that under the guidance of JLG Architects and a construction company in Santa Barbara, California, the space was demolished and the roof was raised 7 feet. The three-year renovation includes the installation of the most advanced-artistic HVAC, lighting, plumbing, kitchen and bar equipment.

Innes Construction is the general contractor. Almost all other contractors and subcontractors are regional companies, including Woodside Industries, Cavalier, ND and B&M Masonry and Caya Paint, Grand Forks. A company in Minneapolis provided customized seats.

"We have very high standards," Gershman said. However, "They did not avoid work, but were excited about it."

The bathrooms are beautifully furnished, equipped with non-contact faucets, and only provide warm water. Each stall has a wallet hook — "so you never have to put your wallet on the floor," he said — and a coat hook.

The decoration is influenced by the Art Deco style, immersed in dark red, black, gray and white tones. A long caramel-colored leather bench extends along one side of the interior room, with a row of mahogany spindles at the top, separating the dining room and bar space.

Gershman said that the restaurant also has a large fireplace with a golden cream mirror hung on it, which was installed in the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York in 1931.

One-foot-long curtains are hung from brass rods at the top of the booth to enhance privacy and reduce environmental noise, allowing diners to talk normally. Acoustic tiles attached to the underside of the table and on the ceiling can absorb noise. The walls are insulated to eliminate street noise.

In each booth, padded pillows increase the seating comfort of customers.

Several stalls with full curtains are called "smart" stalls to pay tribute to the big city gangsters who need maximum privacy to conduct business.

The private dining room near the main entrance has a square table that can accommodate eight people and a pair of floor-to-ceiling curtains that can be closed to provide a quiet dining environment for family or social gatherings.

Obviously, all aspects of the environment have received close attention, including-perhaps especially-lighting. The ceiling lights can be dimmed, and the small lights installed in the booth create a sense of intimacy.

"Lighting is very important," Gershman said, pointing to the soft light in the room, "a bit rosy."

Hal Gershman and Matt Walkowiak are standing outside Harry's Steakhouse on DeMers Avenue in the heart of Grand Forks. The restaurant is located at the same location where Gershman's father Harry Gershman opened Happy Harry's liquor store in the 1940s. Eric Hayden/Grand Forks Herald

As the two first "customers" of the agency, Gershman and his wife Casey noticed that the bright lights in the kitchen make dinner guests uncomfortable. "This is unacceptable," he said. In collaboration with the designer, they installed a panel with colored and frosted panes to minimize the intensity of light.

The attention to detail extends to the water glass. There is a style suitable for still water on the table, but if the customer orders soda, the glass will be removed and replaced with a different one-so that the waiter does not need to interrupt the customer’s conversation to ask him or which Gershman said that she was drinking while adding water to the glass.

Gershman said that every detail has been reviewed and approved. "Nothing is accidental."

Even the coffee cups are kept warm with special equipment in the kitchen.

"I hate cold cups," he said.

He said that the waiter had been trained and was "very attentive but not bothering." At a recent dinner, a Herald reporter received expert advice on menu selection and quality service from Patrick Bailey. He is a native of Williston, North Carolina and an UND graduate. He is from New York. A high-end restaurant in was recruited to join the steakhouse, which was confirmed. The staff here.

Gershman and Walkowiak seem to often use "comfort" and "comfort" to describe the environment they respect as an "American classic".

"People like steakhouses," Walkowiak said. "They like a more casual atmosphere. It's about creating good feeling and comfort."

"It will never grow old," he said. "Seeing how people react when they come in, that's the best part."

Serving as general manager at Harry's "has always been a dream," Walkowiak said. "I have always envied the classic steakhouse-it's the pinnacle of dining. It's fun-it's really fun."

There are about 10 employees in the kitchen, under the guidance of head chef Lane Leech, who used to be Walkowiak's employee at Ground Round. Gershman said that she and her employees received valuable advice and skills from Golden Holmes, who was the former Sanders 1907 long-term chef and owner.

Rich is a native of Karlstad, Minnesota. He moved to Grand Forks at the age of 4 and graduated from Red River High School in 2000.

Leech is the parent of four boys, ranging in age from 8 to 15 years old. She earned a culinary degree at Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs and has worked in the restaurant industry in Colorado and Colorado for many years. She said her experience encompasses high-end restaurants and more casual venues, such as the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Colorado Springs, where she has worked for many years as a candy chef.

Appointed as the head chef of Harry's Steakhouse "After years of hard work in the kitchen, it really makes a lot of sense," Leech said. "I am very happy to have the opportunity to do (this job) at Grand Forks." Bringing her experience to this position, "I think it makes me a better boss," she said.

"It's fun, and a good opportunity to do this with Matt, who I have known for a long time, and the wonderful person Hal."

Gershman hopes this restaurant is famous for its steaks, he said. "High-quality aged beef-aged for at least 21 days." He and Walkowiak developed the menu, but the staff can also recommend items.

"Before trying, there was nothing on the menu," Gershman said. He pointed out that the cheesecake came from New York.

He said that planning and opening Harry was "the most complicated thing I have ever done." "Every day there are an amazing number of moving parts and decisions. I can't do it without Matt (Wokowiak)."

Gershman also spoke highly of the other pillars of the steakhouse, including chef Leech; Michelle Kennedy, head of the house; and bar manager Paul Conlon. Gershman said that, along with the team members they convened, "they are all very talented and creative." "I am really proud of them."

On a recent tour of downtown Grand Forks, Governor Doug Burgum stopped to look at Harry's. There, he said that the restaurant might become a tool used by local employers to recruit potential new employees.

Governor Doug Burgum listens to a speech by local businessman Hal Gershman while visiting Gershman's new downtown steakhouse "Harry's" during his visit to downtown Grand Forks on Tuesday, October 5, 2021. Photography: Eric Hylden/Grand Forks Herald

"Every company in town trying to recruit doctors, professors, engineers, no matter who they want to come to North Dakota, they will bring them here for dinner and try to complete the transaction," Burgum said.

Gershman also received praise from local residents.

"What people say is that this is a gift to this city," Gershman said. "I've never thought about it this way, but it's a good thing."

So, what would Harry Gershman, Hal's father, who died in 1977, think of this restaurant?

"He really likes it," Gershman said. "And he is happy to be named after him."

The reward for Hal Gershman may simply be to see customers enjoy Grand Forks' newest downtown restaurant.

"It's great to see people having fun," he said.

Editor's note: This story was originally published on the Grand Forks Herald website on October 22nd.