Liberty Restaurant

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Updated: 6:06 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, 2012 | Posted: 8:00 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012
Downtown champion, local bank make ownership dream possible
By Michael D. Pitman
Staff Writer 
MIDDLETOWN — 
The Liberty Restaurant — once a long-time institution in downtown but has opened and closed three times since 2000 — has a new owner who believes she has the right recipe to have sustained success in fulfilling her dream thanks to an economic development program.
Sally Hollon is the first business owner to be accepted for a micro loan, a program of Downtown Middletown Inc. and First Financial Bank.
“I basically had no money to open this place,” said Hollon, who worked 14 years at Stefano’s and nearly four decades in the business before trying her hand as an owner. “They came up with this loan … and the money they gave me is what I’m using to get my food and everything in this building.”
Downtown Middletown is experiencing some of the strongest redevelopment efforts seen since the city took the roof off the City Centre Mall more than a decade ago, and DMI has played a significant role in some of the current redevelopment efforts.
In September, the downtown champion partnered with First Financial to offer $100,000 in micro loans to current or potential downtown businesses to help spur local economic development. Hollon was granted by First Financial the maximum loan amount of $10,000, said DMI Director Patrick Kay.
“We’re here to make sure that businesses fit within downtown,” he said.
Interested businesses submit plans to Downtown Middletown Inc., and if they approve of the plan, the business owner makes the loan application to the bank — though there’s no guarantee the one-time loan will be approved.
Restaurants will be a key component in the downtown’s success, Kay said. By this spring, he said there will be seven restaurants in the downtown between ones that exist now and those that will be open by early 2013.
“When you’re bringing economic development anywhere, you’ve got to start with your anchors,” he said. “Restaurants are the anchors for the downtown, any downtown.”
Hollon will be the face of the Liberty Restaurant as the new owner, but the musical instruments and pictures of musical icons that adorn the warm, bright red walls of the restaurant won’t be the reason she believes she will be successful.

Several restaurant-industry friends who will work for her preparing and serving the made-from-scratch menu items with Amatulli Produce products. But what probably will drive people to the Liberty Restaurant, Hollon said, is what the restaurant has been known for: the famous Liberty Hot Dogs.
“We have the original chili recipe,” she said. “It will be the same hot dogs they served 50 years ago.”
But Hollon hopes the “down-home cookin’” will also keep people coming back. Her menu’s specialty, stuffed burgers, will be complimented by various plate specials, including meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, pork chops and stuffed peppers.
The Liberty was started by Irene Valen, the mother of retired 12th District Court of Appeals Judge Tony Valen, and after being open for more than eight decades, it closed in 2000 — then again after two short-lived resurrection attempts in 2004 and 2007.
When the restaurants reopens, which is expected to be on Dec. 17, Hollon hopes it will last as long — if not longer — as its eight-decade first run.
“I’ve worked in restaurants all my life, and it’s been a dream to own one,” said Hollon, who started in the business as a teenager in her home state of Florida. “I had an opportunity to run one a few years ago … and I passed on it. But nothing’s holding me back, now.”

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Vivian Moon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187	Post Options Post Reply Quote Vivian Moon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Liberty Restaurant Posted: Dec 09 2012 at 1:10pm
	Updated: 6:06 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, 2012 \| Posted: 8:00 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012 Downtown champion, local bank make ownership dream possible By Michael D. Pitman Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN — The Liberty Restaurant — once a long-time institution in downtown but has opened and closed three times since 2000 — has a new owner who believes she has the right recipe to have sustained success in fulfilling her dream thanks to an economic development program. Sally Hollon is the first business owner to be accepted for a micro loan, a program of Downtown Middletown Inc. and First Financial Bank. “I basically had no money to open this place,” said Hollon, who worked 14 years at Stefano’s and nearly four decades in the business before trying her hand as an owner. “They came up with this loan … and the money they gave me is what I’m using to get my food and everything in this building.” Downtown Middletown is experiencing some of the strongest redevelopment efforts seen since the city took the roof off the City Centre Mall more than a decade ago, and DMI has played a significant role in some of the current redevelopment efforts. In September, the downtown champion partnered with First Financial to offer $100,000 in micro loans to current or potential downtown businesses to help spur local economic development. Hollon was granted by First Financial the maximum loan amount of $10,000, said DMI Director Patrick Kay. “We’re here to make sure that businesses fit within downtown,” he said. Interested businesses submit plans to Downtown Middletown Inc., and if they approve of the plan, the business owner makes the loan application to the bank — though there’s no guarantee the one-time loan will be approved. Restaurants will be a key component in the downtown’s success, Kay said. By this spring, he said there will be seven restaurants in the downtown between ones that exist now and those that will be open by early 2013. “When you’re bringing economic development anywhere, you’ve got to start with your anchors,” he said. “Restaurants are the anchors for the downtown, any downtown.” Hollon will be the face of the Liberty Restaurant as the new owner, but the musical instruments and pictures of musical icons that adorn the warm, bright red walls of the restaurant won’t be the reason she believes she will be successful. Several restaurant-industry friends who will work for her preparing and serving the made-from-scratch menu items with Amatulli Produce products. But what probably will drive people to the Liberty Restaurant, Hollon said, is what the restaurant has been known for: the famous Liberty Hot Dogs. “We have the original chili recipe,” she said. “It will be the same hot dogs they served 50 years ago.” But Hollon hopes the “down-home cookin’” will also keep people coming back. Her menu’s specialty, stuffed burgers, will be complimented by various plate specials, including meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, pork chops and stuffed peppers. The Liberty was started by Irene Valen, the mother of retired 12th District Court of Appeals Judge Tony Valen, and after being open for more than eight decades, it closed in 2000 — then again after two short-lived resurrection attempts in 2004 and 2007. When the restaurants reopens, which is expected to be on Dec. 17, Hollon hopes it will last as long — if not longer — as its eight-decade first run. “I’ve worked in restaurants all my life, and it’s been a dream to own one,” said Hollon, who started in the business as a teenager in her home state of Florida. “I had an opportunity to run one a few years ago … and I passed on it. But nothing’s holding me back, now.”