Closed since the end of the 2022 season, The Blue Bird of Leland is showing signs of life after a lengthy demolition and reconstruction process. Late Thursday night, the restaurant announced on its social media accounts that it would be “opening this Friday and Saturday (October 10-11) with a limited TO-GO only menu.” That menu includes a few Blue Bird signatures, including pizza and fried chicken.

First opened in 1927, the Blue Bird is now in its third generation of family ownership. Those owners, Skip and Lynn Telgard, have spent the past few years pursuing a full rebuild of the restaurant, located at 102 East River Street in Leland. The new building will have seating for up to 100 people inside and about the same outside along the water’s edge – a much smaller footprint than before.

While the Blue Bird has not yet announced a proper reopening date, recent social media posts have indicated that the restaurant is getting “close” to that point. This weekend’s to-go menu is the first step in that direction – something the Telgards describe as “stretching our legs while we wait for a few remaining things to fall into place.”

The temporary takeout menu, which can be found online here, includes half a dozen pizza options, fresh fried chicken, a handful of pastas and salads, and two desserts. Orders can be placed via telephone, at 231-256-9081, with pickup times between 4-9pm Friday and Saturday.