By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
A lot of history is involved when SamB’s moves back down to 146 N. Main and Beckett’s will move to 163 S. Main St.
Both will keep their names and cuisine.
The history dates back to 1972 when Jim Ferrell opened the first Sam Bs. Selling “Sam B’s sandwich of the absurd” out of a spot on East Wooster at a time when a submarine sandwich was a novelty in BG. He opened SamB’s at the North Main location in 1988, and eventually moving it to South Main Street into the former Kauffman’s. Ferrell had purchased Kaufman’s in 1997 from the Kaufman family.
George Strata, owner with his wife Amy of Beckett’s, worked at Kaufman’s back when he was a student in Bowling Green State University. They operated Beckett’s since 2007, first more as a sports bar, and then as a burger-focused eatery catering to the local crowd.
Now Ferrell and Strata are writing a new chapter.
Strata said he felt he needed to own his own building to secure his future, and he was interested in expanding, something not possible on South Main. Ferrell, on the other hand, is looking to scale back his commitments. At 70, he and his wife, Kathy, “want to be able to pack up our puppy and drive to the Badlands and come back when we want to.”
So Ferrell is selling Strata the three-story building on South Main and retaining ownership of the North Main Street building.
There’s a lot of work to be done by both families before the transition is completed..
Beckett’s will be closed Saturday through next week. George Strata hopes to be up and open in their new location on Thursday, June 3. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
There are changes to the space that they want to make, but those will have to wait until they settle in, George Strata said.
The menu will stay focused on burgers, but down the line it will expand, making use of a kitchen space that’s five times the size of the Beckett’s kitchen.
They also have far more space in the main restaurant, not to mention the larger banquet rooms on the second floor.
Strata realized as demand built up even during the pandemic that he needed more space. He doesn’t want people waiting in line to get in.
Strata said the main room on the south side of the building, which was called the “taproom” when he worked there, will be the main space and have the sports bar feel. The room on the other side will be for dining.
He’d like to develop the back lounge area for entertainment – trivia night, name that tune, live music. And he foresees hosting private parties and catering.
There’s a challenge, Strata said, in moving into an iconic location in downtown. Stan Kaufman started the restaurant in a former tavern 60 years ago.
“People that travel to Bowling Green a lot will be looking to that spot as a great restaurant destination,” he said. “The challenge is to make sure that keeps happening. I don’t take that lightly by any means.”
Ferrell said the building has lots of potential. He’s just at the stage of life where he can’t take that on. Right now he’s concentrating on his return to the North Main location. “I’ve got a big renovation down there.”
That includes work on everything from the floors and the restrooms to the hanging of a new large abstract painting by Emanuel Enriquez to adorn the walls. Staying put is the portrait of both restaurants’ namesake, the Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, that’s painted on the wall. The renovation will take the better part of the summer to complete. Ferrell is aiming to reopen around Aug. 1.
“I love it. We get to downsize and we get to keep our brand,” Ferrell said.
That includes all the favorite entrees. Customers will find two steaks, salmon, crab cakes, pasta dishes, and daily fresh fish all on the menu. “I don’t want to disappoint the people who like what we’re doing,” he said. “The menu has got to be smaller, but that’s the trend anyway.”
He’s planning to do dinners at first. He wants to have a place where people want to hang out after eating, and not just head home.
While he aspires to go back to serving lunches that will depend on his ability to hire staff and other factors.
He has full faith in his chef Matt Lawrence, “the best chef I’ve ever had.”
Lawrence came to SamB’s after working as head chef at Mancy’s Italian in Toledo.
“He really loves food,” Ferrell said. “He’s terrific at details, sauces, and treatments, and stuff I’ve never heard of lots of times.”
He will also be taking on more of the role of general manager. “If he can run it, he can own it,” Ferrell said.
For now, “we want to dig in on this make sure it’s the best restaurant we’ve ever had. I’m convinced it will be.”
