Jacob Harver, the owner of The Lemon Grove, stands in front of the restaurant’s new location at 110 W. Federal St., where a grand-opening event will be Thursday starting at 7 p.m., featuring local music and food.
Lemon Grove is holding its grand opening on Thursday. They moved to a new location at 110 W. Federal St., Youngstown.
YOUNGSTOWN
Lemon Grove owner Jacob Harver remembers, as a boy attending preschool at First Presbyterian Church in Youngstown, taking trips downtown with his class.
Later, when Harver was in high school, he had more freedom to wander into such city mainstays as Cedar’s Lounge.
Today, Harver’s restaurant and bar is just as much about the city’s past as it is about its present and its future.
So, on Thursday, when The Lemon Grove marks both its third year in business and the grand opening of its new location at 110 W. Federal St., where the Rosetta Stone Cafe and Lounge was once located, it will celebrate the community and some of the people who have fought to renew the city’s downtown.
“The motivation from the beginning was really just to be a part of the downtown,” Harver said as he sat sipping coffee at a table that overlooked a sweeping new dining room featuring artwork and a sculpture rising from the bar out over the main floor. “It hasn’t been a life dream to own a bar or cafe or something, but it’s always been a desire to be involved with the culture and the people.”
Grand-opening events begin at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Lemon Grove will feature a special menu put together by local chef Rasul Welch, who has achieved international success as a food photographer working closely with some of the world’s leading chefs.
“I have a lot of respect for Jacob and the way he’s tried to build a business socially,” Welch said. “I’m really excited about the pot-sticker appetizers. It’s one of my favorite things to make; they sort of melt in your mouth with this crispy, deep-fried flavor, but they’re still sophisticated.”
Pan-roasted pork loin and Gaucho steak will be among several other menu options. The event will be emceed by Richard Elmsworth, also known as Ultimate Donny of the Youngstown band Gil Mantera’s Party Dream.
After dinner service, The Tribe of Eos Bellidancers, local indie-rock band The Zou and DJ Dennis Thomas also will be on hand.
Renovating the space at 110 W. Federal St., which first opened last week, was a community effort with local artists Jason Van Hoose and Paris Kreich contributing work.
Khaled Tabbara of The Zou said his band “didn’t even think twice” about playing the grand opening.
“We love the Lemon Grove — it’s a great venue, and it’s a great asset for downtown Youngstown,” he said. “Beyond the beauty of the new venue, [Harver’s] mission is a social one, and I really do feel like it’s a culture over there.”
But Harver said that culture doesn’t exclude anyone. He expects hundreds to be on hand throughout the evening Thursday. As the restaurant moves forward, the expanded space will allow the Lemon Grove to move forward with its vision of more concerts and more art, something Harver said will continue to draw an eclectic clientele.
“We’re trying to provide food as art; the culinary experience is an art form,” Harver said. “We want to do things that are interesting for everyone. So at 7 p.m., bring the family down for a dinner that you can’t get anywhere else.”
Comments
When The Rosetta Stone opened its doors it was only because of taxpayers dollars at work. The Rosetta Stone was a partnership oif George Lenahan and Chuck Sop. They received $100,000 from the City of Youngstown (while roads are falling apart and the murder rate going up) and over $600,000 in guaranteed funds from The Small Buisness Administration administered via Huntingon Bank. If they kept their doors open for three years the city would FORGIVE that $100k. The Rosetta Stone closed after 2 years and never paid back the $100k.
Furthermore Rosetta Stone and others who open bars and taverns downtown get breaks in licenses, fees, etc.
Jacob Harver received $25,000 from President Obama + money from the city to keep his Lemon Grove afloat.
Jacob Harver is now the head honcho of a company called 110 West LLC. They received $340,000 from The Small Business Administration to move the Lemon Grove to the Rosetta Stone.
George Lenahan is a member of the 110 West LLC.
Amazing what those tax dollars will do for the people who can't earn it the old fashioned way.
In six months it will be out of business and the taxpayers will be stuck with a tab well over $1,000,000.00 to keep the allusion going that downtown is back!
Don't worry about Oakhill SPINDIcator, look under your very noses at the abuse ofthe taxpayers money going into the downtown.
Government should not be in the business of funding bars, taverns, etc.
The B&O cost us millions. Anthony's on The River. The Rosetta Stone...
Author,
Very informative.
Quite liked the previous location, mostly. Hoping the new venue inspires the service staff to become a tad less... lackadaisical and unprofessional (though I will admit, always friendly). That would make it one of our faves.
I think business downtown is great. With that being said, I don't think every business is a great idea and there are several reasons for why I think the move to the former Rosetta Stone building was a bad move:
1 - They have never been known for having incredible food (see: http://www.yelp.com/biz/lemon-grove-t...) and that will be a huge issue with v2, a well established Italian joint with reasonably priced meals, being right next door. I believe Rosetta Stone suffered a lack of business towards the end because their quality of food really declined for whatever reason. I also find it funny they recently dropped "Cafe" from their name... they've never had great coffee for a cafe.
2 - You never know if you're going to pay a cover or not. This is a huge turnoff for a lot of people. At places like Cedars, you know you will pay a cover at the door and you know you can get cheap drinks at the bar if you want. At Lemon Grove, you can pay $0 one Friday, $5 the next, $3 the other. Your cheapest drink will be a glass of Straub for $2.50 that you can pay $1.50 or less at Cedars and watch a show with the best soundsystem in town.
3 - I don't think they needed all the new space. What they should have done was maximize the unused space at the orginal location -- dining on the second floor, rooftop patio just like O'Donnold's (a well established name) is planning on doing. If it was up to me, I would have removed the back patio to help expand the kitchen a bit.
4 - The new location is a radical change of environment compared to the orginal. I am aware of people who don't like the new location because it has lost the charm of the orginal. I would agree to an extent.
5 - Some of what "author50" mentioned above really raises some concerns. What is the status of this $100k that was never paid back as Rosetta Stone was never in business for the full three years? I feel that it should be at least parcially paid back since a partner from that venture is now a partner with 110 West [Lemon Grove]. I didn't hear prior about the SBA loan of $340,000... is there any verification of this?
According to the Mahoning County Auditor, George Lenahan purchased the building for $180,000 in 2004. The building was transfered to Rosetta Stone LLC and then Lenahan Holdings LLC before finally being sold to 110 West LLC for $400,000 on 7/3/2012.
More illusions of grandeur for downtown Youngstown. These guys are nothing more than con artist that find it easier to rip off the government than private citizens. Im sure if you had a newspaper that had some investigative reporters they would find out which of the politicians are getting their palms greased to get these loans (haha) for these con artists.
bad food
A positive note for downtown...stop being so negative all the time people.
@RK330. Go to the Mahoning County Recorders office and ask them to show you the loan documents that were filed in regards to 110 West LLC. There was a $200,000 first mortgage that went to pay George Lenahan and about $15,000 in back owed property taxes. There is a second mortgage for $200,000 for opening up the business, renovations, advertising,etc. The $400,000 is from the Small Business Administration via Huntington Bank.
Mr. Harver had no colleteral other than his signature and ahome on Midland Ave in Youngstown that is mortgaged to the hilt and property tax arreage bought by American Tax Funding.
Nice loans, too bad everyone can't get them...
Im waiting for the slogan of The Lemon Grove to be "Hail Marx! Hail Lenin!"
I thought the SBA doesn't loan money to start up a business. At least that's what they told me when I approached them about starting a coffee shop in an area of town that doesn't have one.
@author50 thanks for the info. I sure wish I could get loans like that too.
@peggygurney You didn't have the right 'backing'. They have given close to $1,000,000.00 to first The Rosetta Stone and second; the Lemon Grove at 110West Federal Street..
@RK330 You are welcome.
he tried donations
might be a nice place
if the food was nutritious and tasted better
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/l...