There is no such thing as an easy day in the restaurant business. That is certainly true for Tupelo Grille owner Pat Carloss and his general manager Paul Abu-Taleb, who are not only keeping busy with day-to-day operations at the popular Southern-inspired restaurant in downtown Whitefish but are also launching two new eateries at the same time.

Carloss is opening a yet-to-be-named Italian restaurant in downtown Whitefish in mid-December before turning his attention to a major renovation at Columbia Falls’ Bandit Saloon, which he purchased earlier this year. The upcoming openings come as Tupelo marks 22 years in downtown. In that time, the restaurant has expanded four times and has cemented itself as a local favorite.