Mahoning Valley Forum

Questions

When did The Hub Restaurant close?

How long has this building been closed?

The tenants were forced out of the building after the fire at the Youngstown Jewelry store.  I believe at least 5 years ago.  The Hub had closed sometime before that.

The jewelry store relocated to the Harshman Building at Boardman & Champion.

I don't know if the current owners of the building have repaired the fire damage.  The realtor listing says it needs "refurbished".

If there was a fire inside the place, I'm sure it does need "refurbished" lol.


It would be nice to see an entrepreneur buy the place and do something
with it.  The empty buildings that remain downtown are slowly but surely
being renovated and re-purposed. 

Did this building used to be a hotel?

No, it was a Legal Arts Building from the git-go. The Sears building originally stood there, but was torn down and the Legal Arts Building replaced it. This is not to say that every suite housed a law office though as witnessed by a jewelry store and a hash house of an eatery run by a "fry cook" to borrow an expression  from an old Master Chef friend of the family that owned a local high end restaurant that catered to the local blue bloods.

The last time I walked past the window of The Hub, I noticed that most of the restaurants' equipment was still inside the building.

The equipment, cheese shakers, salt & pepper--napkins, silverware---Its all inside there--Yes there is cheese in the shakers--(which just reminds me of twinkies-it lasts forever) I was in that bldg just a few years ago when someone was interested in purchasing and renovating it--That did not happen  but what I remember as I was  walking through...The upstair offices still had papers and files in them---With peoples names--Now not sure the legal part of that --but these where law offices--I even said this is like the people just walked away and left everything--very weird---

Now that is indeed strange, very strange indeed. I wonder if there is still food in the kitchen ... totally spoiled by now to be sure, but there all the same.

To add to the mystery ... offices with all the equipment and stuff ... now this is even stranger, a mystery worthy of Perry Mason to be sure.

Wonder if in looking around (snooping) one could find cold hard cash, and given the time that that building has been unoccupied, whose would it be since the occupants didn't return to claim their property?

Rushblvd you've brought us a mystery worthy of a TV series, or at least a special.

And where are the tennets today?

I know exactly what you mean towntalk--It's like an episode from the Twilight Zone. Sure those people went to work one day-even thought they would have a little breakfast--but something happened --something bad happened--They entered the Twilight Zone...

ps I am going to bet the food is spoiled--The cheese I am not sure.. :laugh:

If you investigate take someone with you--like Prof. Watson or Tonto-or  the Perry Mason sidekick-I don't remember his name

If there was any food left behind in the former Hub, I doubt there would be much.  That place really did close on its own, before the fire.

Too bad Rod Sterling is no longer with us because this would make the basis for a good eposode of the Twilight Zone - - - "The Building That Ate Its Tenets" or perhaps if we could show that it's haunted, we could bring in the ghost hunters from the SiFi Channel. If on the other hand the tenets were abducted by alien creatures and taken away in their UFO we could bring in the UFO hunters from the History Channel.

Another idea worth considering:

As for The Hub, we could bring in Robert  Irvine from the Food Channel's show "Restaurant Impossible "  to do a total remake of the joint.

Restaurant Rehab

Let Robert Irvine's next mission be your restaurant's rescue. Food Network's impossibly clever, creative chef will work makeover magic — in time for dinner.

Or maybe we can get the downtown characters to portray  in the episode of the Twilight Zone...."They Hubbed No More"---

Or if it is haunted, which I am sure it is--  of the people that used to work there and are no longer with us-Because-they could never leave- ::)-There spirits live in the hallways of the Bldg. Every morning they go downstairs to the Hub for breakfast then go back up to there offices--That is why the tables are still setup...

Or if the aliens came--they landed on the roof with there space ship and took only the ones that wanted to get out of Youngstown--They are probably doing lawyer work on another planet........

Or Food Channel's guy "REHAB the HUB"

I  am thinking we have a great movie idea going.....

Or at least a TV series starring our own Ed O'Neil and Maureen McGovern in the title roles.

Jay really gave us some great food to chew over. Maby we could even use the Symphony Orchestra to provide the background music that could be written by John Williams of Star Wars fame.

Just came up with another great idea ... after The Hub is rehabed by Robert Irvine, we could convince Iron Chef Bobby Flay to take charge of it. Just think of the great national publicity it would get.

The throw down to Bobby Flay will be the "Cookie Table"

There is a local guy who helps secure locations to be used in movies.  Maybe we could get him to help. ;D

Another idea for The Hub


Iron Chef Michael Symon is a restraunt owner in Cleveland who owns several trendy restraunts in Cleveland. He is expanding his operation and would be a great addition to the downtown restraunt scene.

Here's links to two of his Cleveland restraunts where you can get an idea of the menues.

As you will see, the foods they serve is superior to any of the restraunts now in downtown Youngstown save The Youngstown Club.

http://lolitarestaurant.com/

http://lolabistro.com/dinner-appetizers.shtml

^Rosetta Stone tried this type of menu.  I'm not saying that's why they closed, because they adapted their menu quite a bit to better suit the tastes of potential customers.

Frankly, I would VERY RARELY patronize a restaurant like this.  My tastes in food are much simpler. (but I'm not a foody, either.)

Then I guess you wouldn't dine at the Youngstown Club?

Quote from: Towntalk on October 12, 2011, 08:29:21 PM
Then I guess you wouldn't dine at the Youngstown Club?

Not unless I was invited to an event there.

IMO, a Steak n Shake, or something similar/non chain, would do best at the former Hub location.  A diner atmosphere would best embrace the styling of the building. (I think the first floor is too small for a high-end restaurant, anyway)  Maybe Chef Michael Symon's new restaurant could go in the rooftop penthouse?

My Mother was a great cook that turned out meals worthy of the Food Channel, and taught me how to turn out great meals on a budget.

When you dine in a restaurant that is high end the only difference between the meals that they turn out and what the Mom and Pop diner serve is the presentation.

Again, you could duplicate a meal served on the Iron Chef using ingredients from Giant Eagle or even Save-A-Lot or Sparkle Market.

What kinds of dishes do you particularly like?

Quote from: Towntalk on October 12, 2011, 09:09:08 PM
My Mother was a great cook that turned out meals worthy of the Food Channel, and taught me how to turn out great meals on a budget.

When you dine in a restaurant that is high end the only difference between the meals that they turn out and what the Mom and Pop diner serve is the presentation.

Again, you could duplicate a meal served on the Iron Chef using ingredients from Giant Eagle or even Save-A-Lot or Sparkle Market.

What kinds of dishes do you particularly like?

I like home-style foods.

I do understand what you mean about presentation.  But it's what they do to the food that I often don't care for.  For example, many years ago, I ate at Outback Steakhouse.  I got a steak, with a side of mashed potatoes.  I've never eaten there again, partly, because I didn't like that they put so much other "stuff" (seasonings, etc.) in the potatoes.  I also didn't care for how the steak was seasoned.  When I grill my own steaks, I only use garlic salt; if I'm feeling "exotic" I'll throw some mesquite chips on the hot coals first.

Personally, when it comes to steak I like mine rare to very rare with just salt and pepper. When it comes to mashed potatoes ... just a dash of salt a little milk in the mashing process and clarafied butter. When it comes to french fries I want mine with a nice crust outside, not the kind that the burger joints call french fries. When I'm ready to sit down to a steak dinner, all I want with it is a bottle of A1 Sauce.

Is that a bottle of chocolate syrup on the counter?!? :o  I never noticed that before!