There’s big news for springtime at The Irish Pub & Grill, a popular spot at 8009 Hills and Dales Road NW in Jackson Township. A new all-weather patio with seating for 50 to 60 people has a projected March opening.
The name is Ed’s Smokehouse, but Liz Hampton, Ed’s older sister, is running the show these days. “It’s the same thing, same menu, cooked the same way—nothing’s changed,” Hampton said about the restaurant that’s been in business six years at 1009 McKinley Avenue NW in Canton.
In late September, Heather Reamy opened a little drive-up bakery on an alley in downtown Canton. Despite the offbeat location, Little Flour Baking Co. was an instant hit. On many days, Reamy sells out her entire inventory of muffins, scones, éclairs, cookies, danishes, brownies, cupcakes and other sweet temptations in an ever-rotating array of flavors.
On February 25, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank launched its 2020 Harvest for Hunger, its biggest annual fundraiser, with a goal of $1.32 million and 100,000 pounds of food. And then came COVID-19, and with it Gov. Mike DeWine’s stay-at-home order.
Christy Williams started her home-baking business, Little Chunk of Goodness, because, she said, “I couldn’t afford groceries.” Williams was working two jobs, one of which was cashiering and doing dishes at a bakery. “Customers kept coming in and asking if we had royal icing cookies. I had no idea what they were, but there was obviously a huge demand for it. So I Googled it.”
A place that relies on the downtown lunch crowd, Conestoga Grill has been hit hard by COVID-19. But owner Dominic “Deco” Vinas is soldiering onward with pasta, pizza and burgers.
With the arrival since last fall of Scratch Steakhouse & Lounge, UnHitched Brewing Co., In the Mix Bakery and the tourist-attracting Umbrella Alley, downtown Louisville has become a destination. “I definitely got here at the perfect time,” said Demond Germany, owner and executive chef of Scratch Steakhouse.
“We have a ton of regulars,” said Jacob Bruckner, the enthusiastic co-owner of North Canton Nutrition, a smoothie and juice bar that opened in February. “We help gain a healthier lifestyle and achieve fitness goals,” he said.
It certainly seemed bold and risky to launch a new bakery in April, in the midst of the coronavirus stay-at-home order. But following her longtime dream, Ashley Graham, 23, went ahead and followed her plan to open In the Mix Bakery at 234 E Main Street in downtown Louisville.
It was on First Friday in August 2012 that a downtown Canton standby, George’s Lounge, reopened with three new owners. “We’re all from Canton. We saw what was happening downtown, and we thought the location was perfect,” said Ryan McMichael, who partnered with his twin brother, Aaron, with whom he has a chiropractic business, and John Degenhardt, a friend of theirs since elementary school.
