BY ALLEN HOWARD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Teresa Eitel (L) and Trish Hill serve it up at the Silverton restaurant.
(Michael Keating photo)
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SILVERTON -- JoAnn Bachman and Jacky Frank of Springdale waited in a car at 10:45 a.m. Monday for Grafton's Restaurant to reopen.
At 11, when the restaurant opened its doors, they walked in along with four other customers.
"This is a great day for us," said Mrs. Bachman, 73, a customer at the restaurant since the 1930s.
The black English Tudor-style restaurant, which had operated in Silverton for 68 years until it closed July 18, reopened Monday under new ownership, but with most of the same customers.
"I am glad it is back," said Mrs. Frank, 60.
"You can't beat the atmosphere, food and the service here." That sentiment was echoed by Dan Ackman, 71, a regular at Grafton's for 60 years.
"I grew up in Kennedy Heights and came here regularly," Mr. Ackman said. He now lives in West Chester.
Jeff Hickenlooper, general manager, and Calvin Ingram, owner, were on hand to greet customers as the crowd quickly swelled to about 50. Many commented "Thank God it's back" as they walked in.
Mr. Hickenlooper said they want to keep their regular customers -- many of them older adults -- and also attract newer, younger customers. Mr. Ingram said they gave a private party for about 200 regulars Saturday night at the restaurant.
"We went down the list of the house accounts and invited people," Mr. Ingram said.
"We wanted to get to know them."
Much of Grafton's will remain the same.
Mr. Hickenlooper said he has expanded the wine list, and made a few lunch and dinner menu changes.
He had been general manager at the Mobil five-star-rated Maisonette and La Normandie restaurants.
Most of Grafton's old specials will remain on the menu, such as the chopped liver, crab cakes and marinated herring.
He said several new specials include coconut chicken, served with honey mustard; mussels alfredo, featuring blue mussels sauteed with alfredo sauce.
