At a time when some restaurants are cutting costs, discounting or even closing their doors, Johns in Saskatoon, Sask., has held its own.

With a long-running history in Saskatchewan’s largest metropolis, Johns is a fixture on the corner of a busy downtown block. This year, the classic steakhouse went through a rebranding of sorts.

A new look, new logo and tagline, and a new website have ensured current and potential diners take notice.

A stark black exterior and stylized white lettering replace the gold and maroon colouring of years past.

But don’t let the facelift fool you. Johns is still the classic steakhouse it has been for the past 35 years.

Operations manager Dave MacIntosh says the mini-makeover is a way to keep fresh and keep their restaurant top of mind.

“Some people think the restaurant business is really hurting,” he says, adding sometimes a coat of paint and a new sign can signal that your establishment is here to stay. “It’s to let people know we’re not going anywhere and they can trust us to be there for them.”

While Johns has a solid corporate clientele base and has long been the classic steakhouse of choice for an older generation looking to celebrate a special occasion or chow down on some red wine and red meat after a golf game, Johns, with the help of newly minted operations manager MacIntosh, has set its sights on a younger generation.

Hence the new tagline: Not just your parent’s steakhouse.

“People have been coming here for generations,” he says. And while the restaurant’s core clientele has grown and aged, the new tagline is meant to appeal to the children of their longstanding customers – as well as young people in general.

It seems to be working. MacIntosh says they’re starting to see an increase in 30-something diners and weekend or even weeknight “date nights” are routinely busy.

While a fresh look and a younger demographic is important to Johns, it maintains a deep emphasis on both the clientele who propelled it to its current success as well as the classic steakhouse feel of rich mahogany and white linen.

Johns prides itself on resting somewhere between The Keg Steakhouse-style casual and white-glove fine dining – an important balance that makes the establishment both casual enough for an everyday dinner but fancy enough to take a client or celebrate a special occasion.

It’s a balance MacIntosh takes pride in.