Wanda Bishop has long dreamed of owning her own restaurant, and that dream became a reality once the doors of the Dutch Market Eatery opened on Tuesday.

The restaurant features a family-friendly environment for lunch and dinner during the week, and there is a casual vibe for breakfast and lunch on Saturdays.

Bishop’s menu keeps her cooks entertained and her guests guessing.

“The menu changes, and it’s going to have a section of daily entrees that will change,” Bishop said.

Her menu will have certain staples, like meatloaf and fish and chips, but she doesn’t want her customers to get bored with the food.

“I know a lot of people in the area that don’t cook and they want to go somewhere, but if the menu doesn’t change often, they get tired of it,” Bishop said. “I want to keep it fresh and new.”

She doesn’t want her kitchen staff getting bored, either. Bishop has worked in kitchens at chain restaurants and found herself getting bored, because the menu never changed.

“Once you work there for six months, it gets old cooking the same things,” Bishop said.

Bishop knew she wanted to be involved in the restaurant industry since she was in high school, and immediately after graduating she received an associate degree from Johnson and Wales.

“I wasn’t really interested in anything,” Bishop said. “Food was the only thing I was interested in, and my guidance counselor told me I could make that a career.”

She also received a degree to become a training specialist from Old Dominion University and recently finished her master’s in entrepreneurship from American Public University in 2017.

The dream for a restaurant became a reality when she found the perfect location in Holland.

She found the location in October of last year, and after some deep cleaning and painting, she was ready to make it happen.

Opening up a restaurant in Holland has been great for many reasons for Bishop. Not only is she following her dreams, but she is able to reconnect with people.

Bishop grew up in Holland, and she has been able to reconnect with friends she knew from high school.

“I have met two new cousins I was not aware of, and I had someone come in that I hadn’t seen in 30 years,” Bishop said.

The restaurant, located at 6713 S. Quay Road, will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

The restaurant will serve breakfast and lunch on Saturday rather than lunch and dinner and will be closed on Sundays.

“It gives the staff a break, and I want to go to church on Sundays,” Bishop said.