Lately, life has been a roller coaster ride for bar owner Sue Miller.

In late August Miller decided to buy the bar on the southwest corner of Clark Street and Newton Avenue. Within two weeks she was off and running with her new business, Your Place.

&uot;The former owner asked us to run the Downstairs (the basement bar),&uot; Miller said. &uot;We just decided to buy it out.&uot;

Miller is originally from Texas, where she worked as a waitress and did some bartending. She then moved to Indiana where she ran a day care. Three years ago she moved to Albert Lea where she managed the Windjammer restaurant.

Owning a bar was not really a goal so much as a chance, Miller said.

&uot;I’d kind of always wanted to own a restaurant, just because that is where a lot of my background is,&uot; she said.

Her background in that business made Miller want to offer great food to separate her from other bars. Your Place serves up a wide variety of appetizers, as well as steak and pork chops. Miller said that hamburgers are the customer favorite.

&uot;My mother cooks the food here, so all of the food has that homemade taste,&uot; Miller said.

The bar also has live music in the basement, which goes by the name The Downstairs. Bands from all over the state and even Iowa put on shows just about every weekend.

Upstairs the atmosphere is a little bit more laid back, with karaoke on most nights.

The bar is also well known for its post ‘last call’ breakfast which it serves from 1 to 2:15.

&uot;We like to put some food in people after they’ve been here all night,&uot; Miller said.

Owning the building as well as the bar, Miller said she wants to do everything she can to make the business succeed.

&uot;If the business doesn’t make it I’ll have a huge house to live in,&uot; she said laughing.

Last week Your Place as well as many clubs in Albert Lea suffered the loss of a good friend and entertainer , when Sheila Johnson died as a result of an automobile accident.

&uot;We’ll miss her dearly,&uot; Miller said with great emotion. &uot;For everyone throughout the community it was a tragedy.&uot;

Johnson had led karaoke at Your Place on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. She had done the same at many other clubs throughout town such as the Eagles, the Union Center, and the Moose Club.

Johnson’s daughter Heather Quimby will be paying tribute to her mother on Thursday night at Your Place starting at 8:30 p.m.