Eric Hagglund hopes to open his new Jamestown restaurant this fall and patrons can expect to pay $4 or less. Hagglund’s 4 Below restaurant is currently undergoing renovations and repairs in the space the used to house Mojo’s. P-J photo by Jordan W. Patterson

Eric Hagglund has been in the food industry for 23 years, or so he’s been told. But soon he will take the next step by opening his first restaurant, one that will charge less than $4 for every menu item.

Hagglund is currently renovating the old Mojo’s building at 104 E. 2nd St. to make room for his bar and restaurant, called 4 Below Haggy’s Bar and Grill. His hope is to have a real impact on the city of Jamestown, one that will be light on wallets.

“I’ve always had something in my heart. I’ve always wanted to do this,” Hagglund told The Post-Journal.

The title of the restaurant is an ode to his nickname “Haggy,” a moniker shared by his father and grandfather, and a reference to the new business’ a la carte menu system. Every item will be featured at a price lower than $4 with each item listed individually.

Even more expensive alcoholic beverages can be purchased by the ounce, at a price technically still under $4.

“‘Hey, I can go to 4 Below … I can still have a nice time and not break the bank,'” Hagglund envisions people saying before stopping by his new business.

The new business will primarily feature a 1910s to 1940s theme, but memorabilia hanging on its walls won’t be limited to that time period. For Hagglund, by implementing an old-style theme, he hopes to maintain some of what made Jamestown great, once before.

The new owner is in the process of renovating the kitchen including appliances, refrigerators and freezers. The upstairs, where the kitchen is located as well, will feature over-flow seating and will also be available for closed parties.

Hagglund said the hours will likely be from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., but that is subject to change. Additionally, he said 4 Below will be open seven days a week at first, but will likely close down for a few days throughout the summer when business is slower. Business hours will be listed on 4 Below’s window as the planned fall opening nears closer.

“I really wanted to get it back to more of a functioning restaurant,” Hagglund said. “I redid the entire kitchen upstairs so everything upstairs is brand new.”

Much of the reconstruction work is being handled by Hagglund and his father, Steve Hagglund, or also known as “Haggy.” Hagglund credits his own work ethic to watching his father work growing up.

A self-serve beer system will also be implemented in addition to the readily available main bar downstairs. Patrons can check in at the bar and receive a wristband that features a digital chip that tracks purchases. The self-serve system will be located across from the bar with three iPads that are connected to the two taps. The wristband scans into the tap and customers can then fill up their cup, being charged by the ounce and credited to the original bill at the bar.

Each section of the restaurant will feature its own sub-category of the “old school” theme Hagglund is looking for. With one section featuring nautical items, another will feature automotive objects including a 1910 refurbished gas pump on display. Much of the memorabilia will be Jamestown oriented.

“That to me is what screams Jamestown,” Hagglund said of the old school theme and adding Jamestown artifacts. “We’re an old town. … I want to have something that doesn’t lose what Jamestown is and what I’ve remembered it to be for the 43 years of my life.”

While the stage that was previously featured in the Mojo’s business has been removed, Hagglund said one-man shows and acoustic performances will be scheduled. Performances will be held at the front of the building, as opposed to where the previous stage was located in the back.

“On the weekends … I’ll be having some type of music,” he said.

Hagglund, a Jamestown native born at the former WCA Hospital and a 1994 Jamestown High School graduate, hopes his business can help the city and the people within it.

He plans on having special items added to the menu each month, with one being dedicated to a charity. The one item’s proceeds will go to that charity each month.

For Hagglund, who is currently working at Tyson Foods, the food industry isn’t anything new to him. However, bringing back a piece of his hometown while creating something new is a journey he’s ready to embark on.

“My passion is I think this area has so much potential and could do so much if somebody just put a little heart into it,” he said. “And that’s what I’m trying to do. I want things to be back to what it could be and what it should be for downtown.”

For more information, contact 4 Below at 720-4099.