WOODMERE, Ohio — Last year, Michael Symon announced that he would be closing B Spot, his gourmet burger bar at Eton Chagrin Boulevard. While that move miffed burger fans, the news that followed was music to the ears of barbecue lovers. Since last spring, the team has been busy remodeling the property in Woodmere into the shape of a mini-Mabel’s, which takes its design cues from the original downtown.
Business partner Doug Petkovic says that the decision to close B Spot and reopen the space as Mabel’s was based on many factors, including the age of the 12-year-old eatery.
“It’s funny, it was our first B Spot, it was our smallest B Spot, it was our busiest B Spot,” Petkovic explains. “Covid hit, we closed down for a while. Finding employees was difficult, so we decided to take a look at the whole footprint and say why not do something different.”
Of course, the restaurant group did not have to search far to come up with a suitable replacement concept. For five years, Mabel’s downtown has proved a consistent winner when it comes to food, service and setting. The barbecue joint nails the classics like slow-smoked beef brisket, pulled pork, turkey breast, kielbasa and pork ribs – all of which will be prepared onsite in the same type of equipment.
“We replaced everything in the space, from flooring to electrical to ceilings,” adds Petkovic. “But what we added was, we added a smoker room and a prep kitchen in the mall. So we’re smoking here on property, rolling it in carts over to our space here.”
Symon and Petkovic promise that fans of the downtown spot will find not only the same great lineup of smoked meats, but also some additional items as well.
“We are talking about the same menu,” says Petkovic. “We’ve added a smash burger, we’ve added macaroni and cheese, which we’ve done at Las Vegas Mabel’s. So we were able to do it with the equipment we have here versus the Mabel’s downtown.”
It’s not just barbecue fans who beat feet to the downtown eatery, but whiskey fans as well. Mabel’s is known and loved for its deep bourbon selection, which includes many hard-to-find distilleries and selections.
“Actually, the general manager of the Mabel’s downtown, he curates the whiskey list for both,” Petkovic adds.
For those who have visited the B Spot shop at Eton, the interior changes will look remarkable. Once again, Symon and Petkovic enlisted designers Scott Richardson and Richard Lalli to completely transform the Woodmere location. The new layout has the unmistakable look and feel of the original Mabel’s – all while greatly enlarging the bar without sacrificing any seating.
A new pick-up window and warming station was installed to improve the quality and efficiency of take-out and delivery orders.
Look for Mabel’s to officially open in early March. If you need to browse their menu, click here.
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