Giving it his best shot

The restaurant at YSU will feature seven televisions with sports channels.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- He earned the moniker "Mighty Moe" for his prowess on the soccer field.
But ask his attorney and friend Robert A. Henkin, and you'll get a few other nicknames, including "maniac."
That name is one Mohammad Fard earned for his persistence, perfectionism and hard work.
All three traits are obvious in Fard's new venture on Elm Street at Lincoln Avenue, adjacent to Youngstown State University.
Mighty Moe's Sports Restaurant, which will open in about a month in a former Burger King location, is a dream come true for Fard.
The restaurant will offer American, Italian, vegetarian and Middle Eastern fare and feature seven televisions for sports enthusiasts.
Fard, a YSU graduate, played soccer for the university and the soccer player on the Mighty Moe's sign -- wearing No. 10 -- looks much as he did during his playing days (He says he owns "all the records").
History
Fard was Mighty Moe long before he came to YSU. He played soccer as a teen in California, to where he had emigrated from Iran in 1978 when he was 14.
He worked in the food industry for years to support himself and ran the successful Point Caf & eacute; near YSU before selling it when he underwent knee surgeries. He also operated the Point Pizza on Powers Way before selling it. Fard now is a co-owner of the Tri-County Sports Complex in Struthers, where he recently renovated indoor soccer courts and added a restaurant.
While Fard says soccer is his first love, he always wanted to start his own franchise that offers quality food to college students. In his restaurant, he said, students can get a fresh, hot, full combo meal for $5.49.
"His dream, over all the years of testing the marketplace, was this empty building," Henkin said.
When others told him he was crazy, Fard held on to his vision. Working through the group that owned the Burger King franchise was futile, but Fard told his friend, "Let's still go after it."
After discussions with a real estate agent, applying for a city initiative, and obtaining a Sky Bank loan, Fard owned the building.
"If there's a will, there's a way," he said.
The businessman received about $48,000 from the city through the Youngstown-U.S. Small Business Administration Revitalization Initiative that combines city financial programs, low-interest bank loans and SBA loan guarantees. He, in turn, must make an investment of about $296,000 to buy the building and equipment.
Perfectionism
But, Fard said, he's easily spending $500,000. That's where his perfectionism comes in.
Instead of being content with the repainted walls and booths, Fard had every wall tiled -- so they can be easily cleaned -- and every booth reupholstered.
He bought a pizza oven that cooks food in 6.5 minutes and an automatic fryer that self-lifts its basket and drains its oil daily.
And then there's the food.
"Nobody has this menu," Fard said. "If there are 10 students at the same time, I can satisfy all of them, every day of the week, and they'll never get tired of it," he said.
Fard said all food is made to order. He refuses to use generic products and will make his own sauce, dough, gyros, pasta and fruit smoothies. He told Henkin, "If I won't eat it, I won't sell it."
That's why Fard, a Muslim, will use only all-beef products and no pork. He also won't serve alcohol.
"The idea is to have available, in a campus setting, a restaurant that will have the same french fries and hamburgers but that students, within their budget, can sit down and have a meal that's not pre-cooked, pre-frozen or portion controlled," Henkin said.
Work force
Fard said the restaurant will employ 12 to 20 people. It will offer delivery, have a pickup window and will operate six days a week and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. He expects to be open from 7 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m.
Fard and Henkin said they have used Youngstown-area businesses to refurbish the restaurant such as Kirkner Electric, Andre Cabinets, Accent Marble & amp; Tile, Simon Roofing, All Brite Sign Co. and Sherwin Williams. Dubick's Fixtures of Cleveland supplied the restaurant equipment.
"An athlete seems always to be pursuing excellence. The import of quality rolls over into his habits," Henkin said.