O’Leary’s Irish Pub and Grill, originally set to open March 14 in time for St. Patrick’s Day and later scheduled to open June 1, opened Monday morning for business.

“It’s a soft opening,” owner Mel Witmer said. “A soft opening is an easy, quiet opening. Then we’ll have a grand opening in a few weeks.”

The two-story bar and grill at 260 E. Lincoln Highway caters to a family audience, offering a diverse menu that includes steak, filets and lobster.

Witmer said the grand opening, the date of which has yet to be announced by Main Street DeKalb, will be a larger celebration. Downtown business owners plan to stay open late that night to accompany the small restaurant chain’s latest opening.

O’Leary’s Bar and Grill, already an economic staple in Dixon, should help revitalize DeKalb’s downtown area, said Jennifer Groce, executive director of Main Street DeKalb.

“I think the Irish pub will be an incredible addition,” Groce said. “They’ve got a really good spirit about the community and getting involved.”

Community Development Director Paul Rasmussen said the pub ran into financial difficulty updating the old Maurice’s location and meeting fire codes.

Mid-construction, Witmer sought help from the city of DeKalb to update his building, with unforeseen costs totalling about $90,000, Rasmussen said.

The costs included a special ceiling; a wall that takes two hours for a fire to burn through; an elevator fit to house an entire medical gurney; and a special liquor license to accommodate the uniqueness of the downtown area and the pub.