Alpena’s Bob’s Bullpen to transition to new location
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ALPENA – Bob's Bullpen in downtown Alpena is relocating a few doors down the street this fall after owner Bob LeFevre purchased a nearby building, a move driven by rising rent costs that will end the popular downtown spot's restaurant and arcade offerings.
The business will remain at its current location at 125 N. 2nd Ave. through August before shifting operations to 117 N. 2nd Ave. beginning in September. LeFevre said the decision came after building owners informed him rent would increase when the current lease expires.
"The building owners notified me in advance that rent would be increasing when the current lease expires. So, over the past year I have been experimenting with different ways to raise capital and increase the income of the store to meet the new demands," LeFevre said.
He made clear he holds no ill will toward his landlords. "My landlords need to do what they have to do to pay their bills and it's not my intention to bash them in any way," LeFevre explained. "Prices are going up for everyone, on everything, it seems."
Purchasing the new building required significant effort and capital that once seemed out of reach.
"Getting the building and the amount of money it takes to purchase something of that size was far out of my price range when I started out," LeFevre said. "Having a battle plan, sticking to it, and being able to adjust here and there as I go has been critical, luckily it didn't take me until September like I originally anticipated."
LeFevre's approach to funding the deal reflected a sensible philosophy. "I came into this with the idea that anything is for sale, even if I didn't plan on selling it. If it gets me to my ultimate goal, I am more than happy to do it, even if it means selling my vehicle and taking a bike to work."
The transition will unfold in stages. The restaurant and arcade areas will close first so staff can dismantle and remove equipment.
"The whole restaurant side will be closed off, along with the arcade, in order for us to disassemble everything and get it out. Then we will begin slowly working on doing the same with the retail side," LeFevre said.
Pending customer orders will follow the business to its new address. "We often do orders for people months in advance before we actually get the products, so we have a lot of things that are coming in that were ordered previously, that will not arrive until we are at the new store."
LeFevre anticipates a period when the new location may not be fully open to walk-in traffic.
"There will likely be a period where the new store won't be entirely open to the public," LeFevre said. "We plan on reaching out to all of our regular customers, putting signage up, and updating everyone via social media, so we can inform everyone as much as possible."
A blowout sale is also in the works, though details remain unsettled.
"There is a plan for some type of blowout sale but what exactly that will entail is unclear currently," LeFevre said. "We will inform everyone when we have more details."
In the meantime, shopping will continue. "Until things return to normal, we will be available for shopping."
LeFevre said the new space will retain familiar elements while emphasizing core offerings.
"There will be aspects of the store that we have had in the past that will be incorporated into the new space. It might not be done in the same way, and it might not be done to the same capacity, but we think the changes will be improvements on everything that we do."
The focus will shift toward essentials customers seek most. "We are really focused on getting back to basics and being able to zero in on the things that we find people are looking for mostly."
The loss of the restaurant and arcade is already felt by many in the community, LeFevre acknowledged.
"We are sad about it, we know the community is hurt by it, we feel all of that and we feel it with you," LeFevre stated. "It is a loss; we know that we filled a niche that is desperately needed in Alpena and often in situations like this, others will step up to fill in those gaps, and I welcome that."
He remains open to whatever follows in the former space. "Maybe it's an arcade, maybe it's something else, maybe someone steps in with another idea." LeFevre also believes competition or complementary businesses could emerge. "I wouldn't count out the idea that there won't be other people doing what we've done. I think people kind of stand back a little bit when one person is doing something because they are scared the market can't handle it."
What concerns LeFevre most is that customers might wait for a full reopening or grand-opening event before visiting.
"What worries me the most is that people will wait until we fully re-open, or we have a grand opening to come check us out. If they are interested and they are looking for stuff they can still contact us, we will have full ability to order things for people and we will still be operating throughout the transition."
LeFevre said he and manager of the bullpen, Wendi, are excited about the next chapter even as they navigate the practical challenges of the move. The new building includes apartments upstairs and a full basement, giving the business both retail space and additional income potential as LeFevre steps into the role of landlord for the first time.
Bob's Bullpen has operated in downtown Alpena for more than a decade, offering video games, trading cards, comics, grading services, repairs and related merchandise. While the restaurant and arcade components will not continue, LeFevre said the core retail focus remains strong and that the shorter move down Second Avenue should help minimize disruption for regular customers.
Updates on the exact timeline, sale details and reopening will be shared through the store's social media channels and direct outreach to regulars as plans firm up over the coming weeks.