DOWNTOWN SHARON Slowdown forces Hot Rod Cafe to close

The owners hope a new restaurant moves in by spring.
THE VINDICATOR, YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
SHARON, Pa. -- The Three By the River restaurant complex will soon be reduced to two.
George Warren, president of Best Wings USA, announced that Hot Rod Cafe will be closing by Oct. 7.
The original restaurant, called Old Express, was opened in the abandoned Penn Central Railroad Station in 1971. A nightclub followed in 1972 and Quaker Steak and Lube was opened in 1974, all in the same complex of buildings.
The original restaurant became the Hot Rod Cafe in 1994. The other two restaurants, Quaker Steak and Lube and Tully's Pub and Grille, will remain open.
Warren said Hot Rod Cafe had been operating on a limited basis for about the past 18 months, opening Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. He said daily specials and entertainment acts on the weekends were not enough to bring in the needed crowds.
"To be in this business today you have to be a high volume restaurant," he said. "You cannot rely on bar business or entertainment business."
Changing times
According to Warren, there just isn't enough business of any type in the downtown Sharon area to support the restaurant. He said times have changed drastically since the restaurant's beginnings.
"The traffic situation in downtown is far reduced from what it was. When we came into town Kaufmann's was here, J.C. Penney was here, Wilson Furniture was here, most of State Street was full. Most of those businesses are gone. It's a tough business right now downtown," he said.
Hot Rod Cafe has a seating capacity of about 350. Its owners said the restaurant sees between 2,000 and 2,500 customers a week.
Warren said many potential patrons may also be reluctant to come to the restaurant and have a drink because they fear being stopped by police as they drive home. He said the area has no night public transportation. A cab company servicing the downtown area runs until 1 a.m.
Looking ahead
Warren said Best Wings USA does not want to take on another restaurant concept. He said it is instead looking for a steakhouse, seafood or buffet franchise to move into the location.
"We will get something in the building," he said. "I would certainly hope by spring we would have something going on."
The tables and fixtures, as well as the cars that decorated the interior, will remain in the building while it is being shown to potential franchisees.
jgoodwin@vindy.com