Erie Quaker Steak & Lube to close; owner Nick Scott Sr. got offer he 'couldn't refuse'
Quaker Steak and Lube, 7851 Peach St., will close on Sept. 18, according to owner Nick Scott Sr.
"It's not a lack of business," Scott said. "The site drew interest from another party to lease the building, and not for a restaurant.
"I can't tell you what it is, but you'll understand that it's higher and better use and they made us an offer we couldn't refuse," he added. "That's the only reason they're closing."
He said the business has always had a "high volume" of customers and he remembers standing on the roof of the Quaker Steak and Lube building and looking down at what he estimated as 1,000 motorcycles gathered for a bike night, one of the restaurants' claims to fame.
"It was the first chicken wing (franchise) venture in Erie that took off," Scott said. "And of course, we got the idea (to franchise) from their success in their original location in Sharon."
"Back then, chicken wings were low priced and now they're a higher demand item," he said. "It did enormous volume, but as time went on, the popularity spread across the country, prices went up. And sometimes in this business you just can't refuse the offer."
Restaurant inspections:Erie County restaurant inspections for Aug. 11-17, 2022
Chuck & Ginny's daughter remembered
We couldn't let the week go by without remembering Mary Ellen Smith, who died Aug. 17 at 69. Smith was the daughter of Charles and Virginia (Serafini) Smith, best known as restaurateurs Chuck & Ginny, owners of the so-named and beloved Italian restaurant at 1064 West Fifth St. Smith trained grandson Nathan Goetz to make the recipes that he now serves out of C&Gs in the Saga Club, 3828 Washington Ave. Memorials may be made to Allegheny General Hospital, ATTN: LVAD steam, 320 East North Avenue, South Tower, 16th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.
"Mary Ellen touched so many lives by sharing her love of cooking with her friends and family and building a loving community," Goetz wrote on Facebook. "Her presence will be greatly missed but we hope to continue to carry on her tradition of bringing people together and creating memories that last."
More on this to come.
More: Chuck & Ginny's reborn again
Mighty Fine takes a hiatus
Mighty Fine Donuts, 2612 Parade St., will be closed due to a staff member's medical procedure Monday through Sept. 13, according to a post on Facebook. They also mentioned that they are in dire need of help, and requested applicants visit their Facebook page for more information.
Last week:Jo's Brooklyn Bagel open in Food Hall
Last blasts: Summer fun still to comeLast 8 Great Tuesdays show of summer, more concerts, fairs among Erie entertainment options
Pier 6 open for lunch
Pier 6, 6 Sassafras Pier, is now open for lunch, according to Facebook. New hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (kitchen closes at 9 p.m.); Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to midnight (kitchen closes at 9 p.m.); Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch and 4 to 8 p.m. for the normal menu. Then the kitchen closes, but the bar is open until 11 p.m.
More wings
Smokey Bones, 2074 Interchange Road, is now serving all-you-can-eat wings, Mondays through Fridays, 8 p.m. to close, according to its Facebook page, including bone-in or boneless. The price is $14.99 and the deal is available for a limited time. Smokey Bones serves up their wings in two ways: The Smoked Wings are house smoked and tossed in sauce or dry rub. Its "Jumbo Wings" are big and rubbed and fried and tossed in sauce or dry rub. For more information, visit www.SmokeyBones.com. Last one there's a chicken!
Waterford's George Washington statue centennial
Riverside Brewing Co., 1 Fountain St., Cambridge Springs, and Cart/Horse Distilling, 12030 Edinboro Road, Edinboro, will be providing beverages for the centennial celebration of the George Washington statue Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. at 103 High St. in Waterford. Also participating will be Dinner Is Served By "Lisa" Personal Chef & Catering Services, 334 W. Eighth St. Tickets, which are $55, need to be purchased in advance at bit.ly/statue100. The event is sponsored by the Fort LeBoeuf Historical Society. The menu includes ham-filled biscuits, Revolutionary War cornbread with maple syrup, southern fried chicken bites, apple dip/ginger snaps and peach cobbler cake. Each ticket comes with one drink from either Riverside Brewing or Car/Horse Distillery.
Centennial celebration: It's George Washington's 100th birthday, and there's a party in Waterford this weekend
If you have regional restaurant news or questions, please send an email to jgeisler@timesnews.com, or call 814-870-1885.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Quaker Steak & Lube closing; Chuck & Ginny's daughter remembered
