Boosters Bar & Grill marked its grand re-opening Monday with a morning ribbon cutting and all-day festivities as super fans and local residents picked up free T-shirts, sampled new menu items and enjoyed views of the golf course.

The Suleiman family recently purchased the year-old restaurant and kept its sports-forward spirit, including an homage to The Villages High School Booster Club. Photos of longtime boosters lined the walls, honoring the local fans who show up to games and events week after week.

The restaurant is the newest addition to the Suleiman family’s already impressive portfolio of local assets. Technically located in Sumterville, Boosters sits on the Shallow Creek Golf Club and is considered part of the broader Middleton expansion.

The Suleimans have built their reputation on quality, consistency and gracious hospitality, and they saw Boosters as a chance to bring that standard to an area experiencing rapid growth.

Cousins David and Joseph Suleiman lead the project and say Boosters lets them merge their experience with a concept tailored to this community.

David says the setting elevates the guest experience.

“The views out here are some of the most beautiful around, and since the bar is open to the outside, you can watch the golfers while you enjoy lunch or dinner and a game.”

Joseph says Boosters was appealing because of its potential and location.

“We wanted our footprint in this area,” he says. “It’s growing and high energy, and Boosters caught our attention because of the concept and the location.”

He also says the menu was a major focus for the rebrand.

“Quality and consistency are very important, and having a chef here who can add to that is amazing,” he says. “Yes, it’s technically a sports bar, and you can come in for a pretzel or you can order a New York strip and watch your favorite game. But as a chef-operated kitchen, the scratch-style menu will be consistent with our brand.”

Executive Chef Alicja Kahlig says the rebrand allowed her to expand the menu and bring more from-scratch cooking to the kitchen.

“People care about what they eat, so we make as much as possible from scratch to avoid additives you find in other places,” she says. Her goal is to bring her lifetime of world experiences and cater to the Villages’ dietary wishes.

“I want to keep the food fresh and consistent because this community appreciates it.”

Several Booster Club members attended the ribbon cutting and said the updates bring new life to a place they already enjoyed. Loree Pulford says the changes make a noticeable difference.

“Most of us are boosters, so it’s been a great place to get drinks and hang out,” she says. “The atmosphere is beautiful, and we’re excited about the rebrand.”

Donna McNulty says she loves the fact that the company will work with people’s dietary requests, but the location is still the biggest draw.

“We’re about two minutes away by golf cart,” she says.

Booster Club president Gary Nellans says the recognition inside the restaurant brings the purpose of the rebrand full circle.

“We get to know the kids, they get to know us, and when we go to the games they see familiar faces,” he says. “Being able to support them here brings it all together.”