Perfect Pour owners happy to be in downtown Akron with new bourbon, burger business

Perfect Pour co-owners Terrence Shavers, left, Robert "Putty" Putnam and Kameron Alexander at their new downtown Akron business.
Perfect Pour co-owners Terrence Shavers, left, Robert "Putty" Putnam and Kameron Alexander at their new downtown Akron business.

Bourbon and burgers seemed like the perfect pairing for the three co-owners of Perfect Pour, a new business in the heart of downtown Akron.

The bar and grill, located at 376 S. Main St., offers 81 bourbons and eight specialty burgers, plus a build-your-own burger option.

Perfect Pour offers whiskey, martinis, craft cocktails and craft beers. It also calls itself "home of the flights, offering  bourbon, martinis and craft beer flights.

Owners Terrence Shavers, Kameron Alexander and Robert Putnam started renovating their new business space, located between DaVinci's and Diamond Deli where Woody's Bar used to be, right after they acquired it in December. The 32-seat establishment now has a new marble-looking epoxy bar, booths featuring smoked wood and thick, wood-hewn shelves on the brick wall behind the bar.

Perfect Pour bartender Aleiah Carmona pours a whiskey flight at the restaurant in downtown Akron.
Perfect Pour bartender Aleiah Carmona pours a whiskey flight at the restaurant in downtown Akron.

On the wall opposite the bar is a colorful freehand Akron landscape mural created by their friend, Dray Evans.

"We took everything out and made it all over again," Shavers said.

More: Crave in final prep stages for soft openings, grand opening at Landmark Building

Perfect Pour had its grand opening in April, preceded by soft openings that started on St. Patrick's Day. It has more than 20 employees.

The restaurant's three owners are Buchtel High School graduates; Shavers and Putnam graduated in 1999 and Alexander in 2008.

"Our community is very tight when it comes to Buchtel High School," said Shavers.

Shavers lives in Copley, while Putnam and Alexander are Akron residents. The three businessmen also are involved with local youth, high school or semi-pro football.

Chef Putnam, former executive chef at The Rail, has been in the restaurant industry for 21 years. He's also worked at  Dietz's Landing and the Town Tavern in Green.

Known as Chef Putty, he's also the owner/chef at Putty's Kitchen in the Merriman Valley, which offers carryout and catering including wings ("wangs"), hoagies and bar food.

Shavers, a U.S. Army veteran who now works in energy for the federal government, said his love of bourbon is a hobby. Alexander, whom Shavers called "the brains behind the operation" for his business know-how, has co-owned Social 8 lounge in the Merriman Valley since 2018 and is a co-owner of Frozen Daiquiri Bar & Restaurant in Cleveland's Flats.

When the three got together initially to brainstorm ideas for Perfect Pour, Shavers knew he wanted to focus on his passion for bourbon, including the taste, background of culture of the spirit.

"I was just thinking about something that was a cool concept that would go with bourbons but not so fancy or upscale," said Putnam, who decided high-quality, local beef burgers would be a great match.

Bourbon plays a key part in this eatery's food, too. The Bourbon Burger features locally sourced beef in a 6-ounce patty with pepper jack cheese, bacon, onion petals and house bourbon barbecue sauce.

The bourbon barbecue sauce is one of five sauces offered for the restaurant's wings.

Bourbon and Nemo burgers among big sellers

The Bourbon Burger is a big seller, as is the Nemo Burger, which is a blackened salmon burger with spinach, tomato, red onions and remoulade sauce. Vegan options include a balsamic marinated portabello mushroom on a vegan, gluten-free bun, as well as the Beyond Perfect Vegan Burger, also on a vegan, gluten-free bun.

Many eateries offer a beef or turkey burger, but Perfect Pour works to stand out with its larger variety of burger options.

"I think that's what makes us unique," Putnam said.

Other burger varieties include the Downtown Burger on a brioche french toast bun with American cheese, bacon and a sunnyside up egg.

The restaurant owners are proud of their Little Bo Peep Burger, a house-made, 100% lamb burger with spinach, tomato, red onions, feta cheese and a basil cream sauce on the side.

A whiskey flight and a $14 Little Bo Peep lamb burger.
A whiskey flight and a $14 Little Bo Peep lamb burger.

"It's difficult to find" in the Akron area, Shavers said of the lamb burger.

Also on the menu are several salads and appetizers that include fried green tomatoes, Pour Nachos featuring house-made tortilla chips and Perfection Nachos, which include lump crab, shrimp and lobster. Side dishes include seasoned onion petals with "Putty" sauce, as well as sweet potato fries with maple mayo.

Perfect Pour's fried green tomato appetizer ($8) with shaved parmesan cheese and remoulade sauce.
Perfect Pour's fried green tomato appetizer ($8) with shaved parmesan cheese and remoulade sauce.

About the bourbon

Shavers is planning some out-of-town bourbon education. He's taking four of his bartenders on a Kentucky bourbon tour in August, and the other four in September to learn all about bourbon. The goal is to build knowledgeable bourbon enthusiasts on staff.

"I just wanted everybody to get educated in the actual spirit," he said.

A whiskey flight at Perfect Pour in Akron.
A whiskey flight at Perfect Pour in Akron.

Those in the know about spirits will spot on one of the bar shelves Lobos 1707 Tequila, the sought-after, hard-to-get brand backed by LeBron James.

More: Big Mamma's Burritos brings 'melting pot of American burritos' to downtown Akron

Perfect Pour part of 2022 Start Downtown program

Perfect Pour is one of six recent participants in the 2022 Start Downtown program run by the Downtown Akron Partnership. Among the other five are Sweet and Savvy Cake Shop, which will move into a spot on North High Street next to Akron Coffee Roasters, and Ernie's Catering, a barbecue business that just moved in at 50 S. Main St.

More: Akron developer Tony Troppe has big plans to 'densify' downtown block dedicated to culture

As part of the program, Perfect Pour and the other new downtown businesses received grants to help them get started.

The grants, funded by the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, that subsidize 80 percent of the first month's rent, followed by 10 percent less each month for six months.

Perfect Pour, whose owners have enjoyed seeing downtown buzzing with people at Lock 3 and at the RubberDucks games, have embraced being downtown in their new space, which Alexander found. They provided the food for a Downtown Akron Partnership dinner at Lock 3 on Juneteenth and also hosted a Meet Your Neighbors Happy Hour, a monthly event for downtown businesses organized by Downtown Akron Partnership.

More: Looking for a sit-down restaurant? Where to eat in downtown Akron for weekday lunch

The restaurant is in the Downtown Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) district, which allows customers to purchase special biodegradable mugs and walk along Main Street with a to-go bourbon or other drink. Perfect Pour, which offers food for carryout, plans to offer to-go orders through Grub Hub and Door Dash in August.

More: Local Flavor: Funny Noodle a fun spot for pho, ramen soups in downtown Akron

More: Is Buffalo Wild Wings a GO for downtown Akron? Here's what we know

Downtown restaurant 'big accomplishment'

Shavers said he and his Perfect Pour partners, who grew up off of Copley Road, are "big on our community."

"We all expanded out and did things better with our lives," Shavers said.

"This is a big accomplishment," especially being on Main Street, he said. "Being downtown in any city is big."

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.

Details

Restaurant/bar: Perfect Pour

Where: 376 S. Main St., Akron

Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight daily; kitchen closes at 10:30 p.m.

Phone: 234-334-4219

Website: https://perfectpourakron.com

Social media: @PerfectPourAkron on Facebook, Instagram

Carryout: Yes

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Perfect Pour goes for best as downtown bourbon, martini, burger lounge