"We are a scratch food and craft cocktail restaurant that’s family focused," operating partner of the third location Jason Hoffman said. "What’s nice is that we do have some of the sports bar atmosphere."

While the location is still a place for people to dine, drink and watch the game, the menu is no longer freezer-food heavy, and 85% to 90% of their menu is made from scratch. 

"We have multiple walk-in refrigerators with very, very limited freezer space," Hoffman said. "We take pride in our food. Food comes first to us."

He said the drinks are also more refined. Bartenders are considered mixologists by the restaurant and have the freedom to create their own drinks. 

One North now has three locations: Jackson, Lansing and East Lansing. Two of these locations were previously Reno’s, a sports bar. The West Lansing location opened in 2020 and was voted Lansing’s Best New Restaurant in 2021 by City Pulse’s Top of the Town contest.  

Jessie Stipcak, the owner of Reno’s, approached Scott Berman, the owner of One North, in August 2023 about selling the East Lansing location. Knowing the area was prime real estate, Berman decided to move forth with buying the property only three years after transforming their Lansing location from a Reno’s, Hoffman said.  

The state of the building caused renovations and permitting to take longer than expected, and One North’s opening date was pushed back 90 days. The location opened on Dec. 30, right at the end of 2024. Now they are working towards gaining a clientele.  

"We market towards guests that want quality scratch, homemade food that changes on a regular basis and people that want cocktails and a nice, more upscale environment," Hoffman said. "Although we do have some of that sports bar feel to it on our bar side, we try to reassure that we have that family friendly environment also."

Hoffman said One North knows the college-age clientele is inevitable while being in such close proximity to Michigan State University, but they try to attract people that are looking for a quality dining environment. 

One North hired around 120 new staff members before opening, a majority being college students. The restaurant utilizes several platforms to market themselves and has been successful in reaching all generations. Some employees make TikToks to appeal to the younger audience. 

Aimee Corts, One North’s marketing manager, said their TikTok page didn’t see much growth with the other locations, but it seems to be working for East Lansing’s. 

"My staff does a really great job of also promoting from within their own social media which is great for us," Corts said. "We haven't asked them to, they’ve just done it themselves."

Corts said the restaurant has changed their interior branding. Rather than seeing the place covered in MSU colors like Reno’s had been, they focus on family friendly general decor. 

"If somebody wants to have a wedding reception here, they may not want it to be Michigan State all over the place, so we’ve kind of brought that down a bit," Corts said. "We still have our Coaches Corner and it’s totally decked out in Michigan State."

The MSU Coaches Radio Shows, presented by the Spartan Media Network, were previously held at Reno’s but transferred to One North with the change in ownership. Adam Nightingale, Tom Izzo and Robyn Fralick are among those who broadcast live from the restaurant. Over 140 people have shown up to One North for these events. 

Hoffman said within the last three weeks since opening, they have seen a decent uptick in business. One Lansing area local among those who have made their first visit is Tina Hause. Hause, 62, is a realtor and a member of the Facebook group, Lansing Foodies. She maintains she has been to every restaurant in the area at least once. 

"I feel that Reno’s — I love their food, love their salads, love their pizza — but I feel like it was definitely geared towards a younger crowd with a little less discerning menu," Hause said. "I think One North is more upscale compared to what Reno’s was."

Hause said the service is also better and the atmosphere is different. Hause enjoys the duality of the restaurant and is excited to see how they design their patio as it’s a main attraction to the west side location. She also said the new black tile interior is more sleek and upscale to attract clientele with a larger budget.  

"I think they are trying to attract more business people in the area because there’s so many businesses right around that restaurant," she said. "You can go for lunch or go for a drink after work or to meet somebody for dinner. It’s definitely the place that I want to go."