They might be stuck in Scotland because of the Coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped two Villages snowbirds from paying special homage to the now-closed Katie Belle’s in Spanish Springs Town Square.
Liz Easdale and Janice Lawson, who usually spend May through October in their Village of Mira Mesa home, recently purchased a new garden shed for their home in Old Kilpatrick, a village just outside Glasgow. That left a dilemma when it came to their old shed – one the couple quickly figured out how to resolve.
“We were saddened to hear that Katie Belle’s is closing down,” Easdale said. “So we thought we’d build our own. All our restaurants are still closed but we now have our own Katie Belle’s!”
When the retired physical education teachers finished their backyard project, a friend who also stays in The Villages suggested they call it Katie Belle’s. The couple took it one step further and dubbed their new creation “Wee Katie Belle’s” to honor one of their favorite Villages haunts.
“We used to frequent the old Katie Belle’s on a regular basis,” Easdale said. “In fact, friends would know to look up at the outside balconies to find us sitting there as they drove past in their golf carts.”
Easdale said she and Lawson have fond memories of the bar staff at the Villages landmark that originally was drawn on a napkin by late Villages Developer H. Gary Morse.
“When then saw us at the top of the stairs they would have two pints of Coors Light poured for us arriving at the bar,” she said. “What service!”
Like many Villagers, Easdale said they were disappointed when the old Katie Belle’s was refurbished in 2015 and moved solely to the second floor of the Van Patten House. But she said with restaurants in Scotland still closed because of the COVID-19 crisis, they’re quite happy with their own version of their beloved Villages hangout.
“Once lockdown is over here, we are sure we’ll have plenty of visitors wanting a cold beer out of the fridge at Wee Katie Belle’s,” Easdale said.
