A longtime Lawrence bar and grill has moved to a bigger, more visible location.

After 14 years, Molly McGee’s moved from the shopping center at 2429 Iowa into the former Mexi-Kans location at 2412 Iowa. Molly McGee’s opened Feb. 7 at the new site.

Increasing the restaurant’s visibility is a major reason for the move, Overstake said. The restaurant’s current location is several hundred feet from Iowa Street while the new location is adjacent to the thoroughfare.

“Being along the street instead of tucked back in a strip mall should help us a lot,” said Tre Overstake, Molly McGee’s assistant general manager. “We didn’t get that much drive-by business because you could see everybody else, but you couldn’t see us.”

The restaurant didn’t change its basic theme. It kept its signature Lionel train set, which runs around the restaurant’s bar area, and the menu was kept largely intact.

Molly McGee’s increased seating capacity by about 25 people and added a room for pool, darts and video games, Overstake said. The new location allowed for an additional seven television sets to cater to the business’ sports fan clientele.

Many of the changes were designed to help the business compete with a growing number of casual dining restaurants in Lawrence, Overstake said. Since Molly McGee’s opened in 1989, south Iowa Street has attracted several similar-styled restaurants, including corporate giants Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar and Chili’s Grill & Bar. Other parts of the city have seen a similar trend.

“When it comes to restaurants, the town is starting to go very corporate,” Overstake said. “They’re tough to compete against. Basically anytime a franchise comes to town, it takes a piece of your business. But we feel like this gives us an opportunity to refresh and become more appealing.”