Michael Kim of Dallas, Texas, who took over ownership of Dayton’s Spaghetti Warehouse as well as its sister restaurants in Toledo and Akron in December, is launching multiple renovation projects that he says will improve the restaurant experience for both customers and employees. And he’s doing it because he likes what he sees happening in downtown Dayton and in other Ohio cities.
>> NEW DETAILS: Dayton Arcade deal closes, city leaders celebrate
“It’s an amazing comeback story,” Kim said. “I’m sitting in Dallas, Texas, and I can feel it.”
>> Yes, you can still get tickets to Dave Chappelle's show in Dayton — and for less than $100
“If all of these plans for downtown Dayton happen, it will up everyone’s game,” Kim said. “If we do something special here with Spaghetti Warehouse, we’ll play our part in this entire elevated experience that people will have when they come downtown.”
>> Plans for new BBQ restaurant in Centerville may have hit a snag
>> JUST IN: Local pizza chain inks deal to serve at Rose Music Center
Kelly Byrd, the restaurant’s general manager, has worked at the restaurant for the last 10 of its 39 years, when the restaurant endured some of downtown Dayton’s lean times. The improvements underway around downtown, Byrd said, “will make staying here all worthwhile.”
>> Oakwood chocolate shop scores shout-out from Forbes
Known for its trolley-car seating and towering lasagna, the Dayton Spaghetti Warehouse has operated at 36 W. Fifth St. since 1980, outlasting dozens of its peers as downtown’s fortunes ebbed and flowed. Plans are taking shape for a 40th anniversary celebration next year, Kim said.
>> COMING SOON: Biscuit, barbecue restaurants announce plans to open
But for now, renovations are underway or planned for 2019 that include modernizing the kitchen, renovating the restaurant’s bathrooms, giving banquet rooms a significant makeover, and re-designing and renovating the bar area. The investment will reach six figures just this year alone, Kim said.
>> BEST OF DAYTON: 3 fries that are a cut above the rest
The kitchen improvements, nearly completed, will enhance the quality of the restaurant’s food as well as the working conditions for employees, Kim said.
>> Three area Sonic restaurant sites sold
The kitchen makeover also has added flexibility: new menu items and specials are in the works, Kim said.
Credit: Spaghetti Warehouse
Credit: Spaghetti Warehouse
About the Author
