Like many operators, Michael Symon and his partners shuttered all of their restaurants in mid-March not knowing when they would reopen the doors. Today, the company announced that all five restaurants would be reopening in the coming weeks. B Spot eateries in Woodmere, Strongsville and Westlake will reopen for lunch and dinner on June 24, Mabel’s BBQ downtown will reopen for lunch and dinner on June 24, and Lola next door will reopen for dinner on June 25.
“We’re super excited to get back open, to bring our staff back and feed our customers safely,” Symon explains. “We feel very fortunate that we have great patios, a great staff and we’re looking forward to upping our carry-out game as well.”
Symon admits that the reopenings come with numerous challenges, not the least of which is a reduction in seating and countless new safety restrictions to follow.
“It’s like we’re opening five new restaurants, but all the rules are different,” he says. “We’ve been planning this for weeks. It’s like starting all over again. And because of the products we use that require special butchering and aging, we need to give our suppliers and purveyors 10- to 12-day notice.”
While guests can expect to experience the same high-quality ingredients and preparations, Symon says that menus likely will not be exactly the same as pre-Covid.
In advance of Father’s Day, B Spot will be rolling out fully furnished Burger Kits that can be ordered online and picked up at the B Spot closest to you. Each grill package will include six (6-ounce) grass-fed beef hamburgers, six hand-milled flour buns, choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, seasonings, Shasha sauce, sweet-hot pickles and Duke’s mayo. 10-percent of the sales will go to Urban Community School.
Purchasers also receive a special Zoom link to cook virtually with Symon live on Father's Day. The kits can be purchased by following this link. Orders must be placed by Friday 6/19 at noon for pickup on Saturday, June 20.
