Former Villa, Malone’s building is transformed once again

The outside structure may not look different, except for the flags and new signs.

The wooden swinging doors still separate the entry from the dining room, but take a walk through those doors and you’ll find a completely renovated Chinese restaurant.

It looks nothing like the Villa, once owned by Don Eckel, of Lincoln, who sold it to Jan Kapps in 1992. Kapps sold the restaurant to Gary Malone, of Crete in June of 1994 according to Crete News files.

The building stands next to the Crete Inn motel on West Hwy. 33, once the Villa Madrid Motel. Malone remodeled the interior extensively upon the purchase and continued a menu of traditional home-style food and local Czech favorites.

The south-facing wall of the building was renovated to include windows, which were not a part of the Villa dining room as seen in the undated, Crete News file photo.

A Chinese restaurant, Great Wall Buffet took over in the last decade, leading to the current turnover in ownership and management.

Tony Li, of Lincoln, has opened his fourth Great Wall restaurant in Crete, with another remodel of the interior. He wants to be distinguished from the former occupants who operated a buffet. Customers who remember the Villa atmosphere and the brightness of the Malone’s dining room, will once again be surprised by the change inside. Li said the biggest difference is the way the kitchen as been transformed.  

“Customers can see me cook,” he said. This is very important. They can see how clean everything is.”

Li, came to the U.S. in 1989 and worked in restaurants in New York before owning several in Connecticut and New Jersey. His uncle in Lincoln gave him his first opportunity at owning a Midwest eatery in 1999. He revamped his first Great Wall in the Meadowlands Shopping Center then opened Great Wall II on West Gate Blvd.

“Crete is a small town,” he said.” People come in here to eat and I want them happy and feeling good when they leave.”

After three months of renovations, Li said his staff was ready for the grand opening on Monday. Some staff from his Lincoln locations were helping out because one of his other restaurants is closed on Mondays. He was encouraged to open the fourth location by repeat customers form the Crete area he has seen in his Lincoln stores.

If something is amiss in orders or the quality, Li wants his customers to let him know. A simple, “Hey, Tony,” will get his attention. He believes in good business and good food and making sure customers are happy, even if he is not at the Crete location.

Li is opening with a special offer for buying one meal, get the second at half-price during limited lunch and dinner hours. There is a limit per customer.
He said the most popular dishes are chicken specialties: Cashew, General Tso’s and Sweet and Sour.

One change at the Great Wall IV, from previous tenants is the open view of the kitchen. There is no buffet. Diners can see their food being made.

Woks are on the fire with fresh ingredients ready.