Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurie Erickson.
Hi Laurie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Andrew Van Dongen and Laurie Erickson are the owners of Landmark Grill in Midvale, Utah.
We bought the restaurant in February 2022 — and honestly, it kind of felt like a shotgun wedding.
Andrew has always wanted to own a restaurant or bar. He grew up in the food industry. His mom and uncle owned a restaurant, and over the years he’s worked as a server, bartender, and general manager. He’s also a realtor. I’m a graphic designer. One day we were both sitting on the couch working, and he came across a listing for a little diner while looking at properties for a client. He looked over and said, “Well, this is interesting…” and I said, “Oh crap.” I just had a feeling we were about to dive into something, even if I didn’t know what it was yet.
He went to check out Landmark Grill the next day, and soon after we met the owner, MariAnn Jesse. Ten days later, we owned a restaurant.
MariAnn is the daughter of Nick Ligeros, who ran the well-known Nick’s Cafe in Salt Lake City for decades. When she opened Landmark, she brought back a lot of the favorites from Nick’s, including the Original Roundhouse, which is still one of our most popular dishes today. So many of our guests have great memories of eating at Nick’s in the old medical center, and they love seeing those same menu items still on the menu. When MariAnn decided to retire, we saw what she had built and knew right away that we didn’t want to change a thing. The food was great, the customers were loyal, and it had a history that mattered. There was no need to fix something that was already working.
While the heart and most of the menu have stayed the same, we’ve worked hard to enhance and grow Landmark Grill. One of our favorite additions came from our daughter, Adrian Landrum. She’s a pastry chef and owns The Cupcakery, and her pumpkin and apple breads have quickly become customer favorites. Customers ask for them all the time, so we’ve fully embraced “pumpkin year-round.”
We were also incredibly lucky with the team we inherited. Every single staff member stayed on after the sale, and they’re the heart and soul of Landmark. Our staff are loyal, experienced, and truly care about the restaurant, and about each other. They’re more than just coworkers. It really feels like family. The way they greet regulars, support one another, and show up day after day with pride in what they do… that’s what makes Landmark special. Without them, it would just be another faceless diner. They make it what it is.
We’ve both kept our day jobs while running the restaurant, so it’s definitely been an adventure. Andrew handles the daily operations and does a great job keeping everything running smoothly. He’s built strong relationships with our regulars and really cares about the guest experience. I take care of the branding, accounting, and everything behind the scenes. I’m also the weekend bartender now, which has actually been a lot of fun.
We outgrew our original space pretty fast. It was just under 1,700 square feet and we knew we needed more room. After a few locations fell through, we were finally able to buy a building in early 2025 and moved into our new spot that April. It’s almost 6,000 square feet now, which gives us the space to do a lot more.
We’re open for breakfast and lunch, Wednesday through Sunday. With the new location, we were able to get a full restaurant liquor license, so you can now enjoy a proper brunch cocktail with your Roundhouse or Eggs Benny. We’re also building out an additional dining area with a full bar that’s set to open in mid-November. That space will have a sports-friendly vibe and we’re excited to extend our hours and roll out a new dinner menu with it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t exactly been smooth, but we’ve figured things out along the way. We didn’t come into this as restaurant owners. Andrew had years of experience in the industry, but owning a place is a whole different thing. We were both still working our regular jobs, and suddenly we were also running a full-service restaurant.
One of the things we were really lucky with was the staff. Everyone stayed on after we bought Landmark, and they’ve been a huge part of why it works. They know the regulars, they know the flow, and they’ve helped keep that sense of continuity that people love. We bought a restaurant, but we really don’t own it…they do!
The hardest part has honestly been the rising costs. Food, supplies, equipment — it all adds up fast, and it’s something we’re constantly trying to stay on top of. We also outgrew the original space faster than expected, and after three locations fell through, we weren’t sure if the move would ever happen. But eventually, we found the right building, bought it, and made the transition happen.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Landmark Grill?
We’re a breakfast and lunch spot in Midvale, open Wednesday through Sunday. The food is classic comfort — think Eggs Benny, biscuits and gravy, big burgers, and our house-made pumpkin and apple breads. Most of the menu has been the same since the beginning, and that’s by design.
Since taking over in 2022, we’ve added a few things: brunch cocktails once we got our liquor license, baked goods, and a fresh approach to branding and experience. We’re also getting ready to open a second dining area with a full bar, and we’ll be adding dinner service when that opens in mid-November.
Andrew is there every day, keeping things running and connecting with customers. The biggest part of our brand is service. Making sure every guest feels like Landmark is their place. Everyone is welcome here. We make it a point to remember names, faces, and favorite orders. One of our favorite traditions is the Landmark Legends wall, where regulars get their own personalized coffee mugs.
We don’t just deliver a meal. We deliver an experience.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is to trust our instincts but also be willing to figure things out as we go. There’s no manual for owning a restaurant, especially when you jump into it the way we did.
We’ve also learned how important it is to play to our strengths. Andrew has years of experience in the industry and knows how to run a floor. I’m organized and creative, so I focus on the branding, and all the behind-the-scenes pieces. When we each stick to what we’re good at and trust each other to handle it, things go a lot smoother.
And most importantly, we’ve learned how far kindness and connection go. Whether it’s staff or customers, when people feel seen and appreciated, it creates something special. And that’s the kind of place we want Landmark Grill to be.
(And don’t buy a restaurant in 10 days. Maybe take a month! Ha!)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LandmarkGrillUtah.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landmark_grill/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landmark.grill
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/fUzRzGWLd3yMckGjjSipXg
- Other: https://share.google/OZm7oLnPiruMXSgBa
