Corner Stable Now Open in Kings Contrivance

The Corner Stable officially opened its doors for business in the Kings Contrivance Village Center last week.

The restaurant opened Oct. 24, according to owner Chip Reed, who was pleased with the inaugural dinner service.

“We were packed and on a wait all night,” he said.

Reed said he hoped to see the restaurant serving a full menu — including lunch service — by the weekend.

“We wanted to give the kitchen a few days practice,” he said. “We have 95 employees and all of them are new.”

Just about all of those 95 employees are Howard County residents, Reed said.

“We wanted to make sure we were bringing jobs to Howard County,” he said. “We were very conscious of that.”

Reed said construction of the new restaurant took only seven weeks, which is fast by industry standards.

The new eatery replaced Michael’s Pub, which occupied the space for over 20 years. Reed said the building was basically gutted.

The only remnant of the former establishment is the Ravens Wall — a purple chalk board, signed by a number of players and coaches — which still hangs in the dining room.

Otherwise the restaurant looks completely different.

Reed, an avid sports memorabilia collector, has decorated the new location with items from his personal collection, he said.

Along the walls are autographed Preakness programs, photos of past Kentucky Derby winners and an autographed Cal Ripken jersey the Hall of Fame shortstop wore during the 1993 All-Star game.

Reed said he has close ties to Columbia and most of his family grew up in the area. His nephew, Bryan Hiller, the new locations general manager, attended school down the street at Hammond high.

Reed’s wife, Randy, who also helped design the new location, has family living in Columbia as well.

The signature dishes at The Corner Stable are barbeque ribs and crab cakes but the menu also includes sandwiches, salads and other seafood items.