Late last year, Jim Miketo announced the closure of Forest City Shuffleboard (4506 Lorain Ave.) in Ohio City, which he founded in 2017, after the termination of a lease with an out-of-state operator. At the time, Miketo said that he was working to secure a new, local owner who would give the brand the love and attention that it deserved.
He found that person in Tim Frazee, who operates Birdietown Mini Golf and Lounge (12501 Madison Ave.) in Lakewood with his wife Erin.
“We’ve known Jim forever,” Frazee says. “He owns the building that Birdietown is in. He reached out and said that he loved what we were doing there and asked if we would we be interested in taking over. I really love this place, and it would have been a shame to see it go.”
Forest City Shuffleboard is approaching its ninth birthday, and its new owners are working hard to make it look like it did nearly a decade ago.
“We want people to know that we put some time and effort into restoring the place,” adds Frazee.
When the doors reopen later this summer, regulars will find the same general look, feel and layout, but it will all be restored to its original luster. Crews have refinished the wood floors, sanded and repainted the shuffleboard courts inside and out, and scrubbed down the kitchen. The seating in the barroom will be updated and reconfigured and a pair of 100-inch TVs will be mounted.
“Seeing as though it’s already an arena vibe in here, the space lends itself to being a nice spot to catch a Guards or Browns game,” says Frazee.
Frazee recently brought in Rachelle Murphy, formerly of Rood in Lakewood, as the new executive chef at Birdietown. She will also turn her attention to the kitchen at Forest City, where she’ll create a new menu of well-crafted pub fare.
“So we’ll have incredible food here – elevated bar-style food that fits the concept,” says Frazee.
Come summer, Frazee will operate two of the region’s most popular old-school entertainment venues just three miles apart.
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