New ownership brings new life to Lanning's Restaurant

"It was the place to be many years ago. It was the place to go for special occasions."

Dean Martin (yes, that's really his name) is aiming to make Lanning's, at 826 N. Cleveland-Massillon Road in Bath, the place to go again.

Martin and his wife, Bethany, purchased Lanning's in late 2020, and quickly went to work renovating the interior. This meant new carpeting, new furnishings, plates and glassware, even new murals for two of the walls.

"We invested a million dollars just on that side," Dean said of the first half of the renovations, which included the lounge area.

The changes were long in coming, said Bethany. While modest alterations had been made through the years, it had been awhile since the restaurant had a complete makeover.

Today, customers can see Vegas-style opulence in three specific dining areas. One is the formal dining room, complete with several chandeliers, some weighing more than 100 pounds, hanging over the tables, and a large window at one side overlooking Yellow Creek. The second is Deano's Lounge, a more casual space for people to meet up for a drink or listen to a variety of musical entertainment. The third space, The Martin Room, is a private area for up to 18 guests, which includes a screen for digital presentations and is suited for business meetings.

The timing wound up being serendipitous for the Martins despite the pandemic, which shuttered several restaurants in the area. They had sold their truck dealership business in 2019 and were looking to make a switch to the entertainment and hospitality field.

"We did a lot of entertaining," said Bethany. "We were either entertaining or being entertained five times a week. So we developed a taste for entertaining and hospitality. We saw a great opportunity in the restaurant business. When a lot pf places were closing due to COVID, we saw an opportunity."

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The history of Lanning's Restaurant

The building itself first housed a restaurant called Le Mar Restaurant and Cafe, which was opened in June 1960 and was run by Martha Simmons. About 10 years later, it was purchased by Frank Lanning Barnett, who remodeled it.

In 1972, Barnett turned the restaurant over to Joseph "Jess" and Sue Cecil. It was being run by the Cecils' daughter Christine Darnell and her husband, Jeff, when the Martins inquired about purchasing it, Dean said.

"It hadn't been for sale, but we sent a broker to go knocking and we got a favorable response," Dean said. He added that the struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic opened up an opportunity that likely wouldn't have presented itself.

A highlight are two murals created by Nicolette Capuano, who grew up in Northeast Ohio and founded Nicolette Atelier, based in Washington, D.C. One, in the lounge, shows a lively jazz-infused scene, with Dean and Bethany Martin in the center. The second is in The Martin Room, and again features the couple, along with several famous (and even infamous) celebrities with Ohio roots.

"Guests have a blast trying to guess who is who," Bethany said.

One celebrity is, of course, the legendary singer and actor Dean Martin, who is seated near the present-day restaurant co-owner. Martin said he sometimes gets some good-natured teasing about his name. It's obvious he takes it in stride: Tributes to the famous crooner can be found throughout Lanning's.

Bethany said the restaurant stayed open throughout the remodeling, which was done in two phases, with the first phase starting in July 2020 with the foyer, the lobby, restaurants and the lounge areas. The second phase covered the formal dining room area, starting in fall last year and ending in December.

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Extensive wine list, sophisticated menu and attention to detail highlight Lanning's

Dean said Lanning's is attracting a broader range of ages in its clientele.

"The age that used to come in here, we lowered it by 20 years," he said. He added that he loves the older clients as well, but it's critical for any industry to attract younger as well as older customers.

Even with all the changes, a few things have remained the same, most notably the staff.

"Every employee has been here longer than us," Dean said.

"When we came in, the staff stayed," Bethany said. "Staffing has never been an issue for us. We have good clients and good employees."

Both of Lanning's chefs are experienced, with one having nearly 30 years in the field, and the bartender has been serving drinks and spirits for about 21 years.

Speaking of drinks, Lanning's has an extensive wine and liquor selection, Bethany said.

"Since we got here, we really expanded our wine menu," she said. There are about 100 bottles of wine and liquor on display in the bar, with around 4,000 bottles of wine on hand.

"That was one of the major investments. I had to taste them all to make sure we wanted to put them on the menu. It was a tough job," Bethany grinned.

"Old school perfection, that's our goal," Dean said. "If we hadn't bought Lanning's, it would have been lost. We are proud to be a part of that renaissance."

For details on the menu, the dress code and the restaurant itself, visit www.lannings-restaurant.com online or call 330-666-1159.

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Reporter Mark Price contributed to this article. Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: New owners of Lanning's Restaurant in Bath give it a complete makeover