New Wink's Drive-In owners gear up for lots of burgers, outdoor fun in Barberton
The biggest question the new owners of Wink's Drive-In in Barberton have been getting, from at least 50 people a day, is whether the newly opened drive-in and car park will be bringing back the car shows that the community loved for decades there.
The answer is yes, starting with the opening of the new patio in the next couple weeks.
The restaurant has been in soft-opening mode since March 20, training more than 40 staff members and working to get its new outdoor bar and fire pits ready for warm-weather fun.
On the perimeter of the patio on the north side, food trucks will offer fare that differs from Wink's signature foods, which are burgers, fries, hot dogs and hand-breaded fried chicken sandwiches. Bands will play and, of course, cars will be shown by late April or early May.
"We're hoping to add an upbeat atmosphere with the patio out there," co-owner Jeff Seman said.
Grand opening weekend will be May 19 through 21, including a car show all day May 20.
Jump-start on cars at Wink's
Folks have already been showing up on the weekends with their folding chairs and vintage cars, including ’57 Chevys, Seman said. In one important change, now that Wink's has a liquor license, customers won't be allowed to bring coolers with their own adult beverages as they did in decades past.
"There's such a big passion for that place. It's amazing. People are so excited for the car shows," said co-owner Lisa Houck, who also owns Lala's in New Franklin and Sunrise Social in Green.
For subscribers: Sunrise Social serves innovative, traditional breakfast in Green | Local Flavor
New owners James House, Houck, Jeff Ruby and Seman bought the property from the original Wink's owner, Chuck Fowler, in 2020. They started renovating the restaurant — well-known since 1991 for its ’50s-style carhops and diner — in 2021.
Town Tavern, Cheers and Johnny J's are also among the restaurants that different Wink's owners own. Houck, who grew up in the Portage Lakes, has 35 years of experience in the restaurant business while House and Seman have about 20.
House met Houck when he bought the Upper Deck from her in 2018, which he has since sold. House and Ruble, who met at the University of Akron, worked at Swensons when they were in school, so they have background in the carhop business. House and Seman bartended together as UA students.
The new Wink's owners have gutted the kitchen and interior, put a new, black-and-white checked front counter in, replaced parts of the restaurant's red roof and added a family bathroom and video games where a small party room had been.
Outside, the 15-spot carhop area's original neon signs have been repaired, lighting up Barberton purple at night against the newly painted, dark red roof.
House said Tuesday he came up with the concept of an establishment with a big patio, outdoor bar and food trucks at Wink's after seeing the Lakewood Truck Park, which has two bars and rotating food trucks. Wink's goes beyond that with its indoor, '50s-style diner plus the refurbished carhop area on the south side of the building.
Wink's has all-new menu
The menu's all new, so diners won't find the Wink's chicken and ribs from years ago. The eatery offers build-your own burgers, three double cheeseburger varieties, crispy chicken and spicy chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, sides and salads, 21 varieties of handspun "winkshakes," build-your-own ice cream bowls and more.
The most popular burger is the Wink burger, a double cheeseburger with Wink sauce and a pickle. Ingredients for the top-secret Wink sauce, created by Houck, include sriracha, Cajun seasoning and mayo.
"It has a little bite," she said.
Top-selling winkshakes are Double Stuf Oreo and peanut butter. Unusual flavors include watermelon, grape, cinnamon roll and cotton candy. Adults can indulge in boozy adult winkshakes in five varieties with various whiskeys, vodkas or liqueurs.
Other desserts are loaded doughnut holes and loaded ice cream nachos — vanilla on a bed of waffle cone chips with toppings.
"We're a little different than (the original) Wink's, but we want to bring back the same nostalgia that Wink's had," Houck said.
The owners decided to keep the recognition that goes with the Wink's name.
"Why change something that people already know? We'll leave it the way it is," Houck said.
When Fowler sold Wink's to the Davis family in 2017, car shows continued, Houck said, and the former neighboring restaurant, Thano's, ran them in both lots after Wink's closed three years ago.
The new owners are stressing fun for the whole family inside and out. An original wood patio will be the ice cream patio, and there will be a kids' patio too.
"I think we're going be so busy in the summer," Houck said.
Houck, whose focus is in the kitchen, stressed the use of quality products, including beef from Blue Ribbon Meats in Cleveland. Everything's fresh and nothing's frozen.
Locally made drinks will include beer from Ignite Brewery and Norka pop.
First visit to new Wink's
Father and daughter Orman Shields and Teresa Stillman of Doylestown, who built their own single burgers for lunch Tuesday, said they frequented Wink's for decades when Fowler owned it.
"There were always people here that we knew; we could get a little reunion going," Stillman said.
Their friends showed cars at the eatery's weekend cruise-ins and the family enjoyed hearing bands outside all day.
For their first visit at the new restaurant, Shields enjoyed a burger with lettuce, tomato and American cheese, while Stillman had a single with ketchup and mustard.
"So far, I like it. I'll be back," Stillman said.
"I think it's better," Shields said of the new Wink's burger. "The one back in the ’90s was a little greasy; the grease would run down your arm."
Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
Details
Restaurant: Wink's Drive-In
Address: 75 Fifth St. SE, Barberton
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Information: 234-334-7761, Wink's Drive-In on Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Wink's Drive-in in Barberton gets new menu, car shows and food trucks
