Grandview Yard is swapping the Buckeye Hall of Fame for a Buckeye Hall of Famer.
Eddie George’s Grille 27 will relocate from South Campus Gateway to the Nationwide Realty Investors property, the developer announced Wednesday.
It will replace the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill at 775 Yard St., which will close at 10 p.m. Saturday.
“The move makes sense to us based on who our guest is and who we want it to be,” said Marc Buehler, president of G3 Restaurants, owner of the Eddie George brand.
Eddie George’s Grille will stay open at its Gateway home at 1636 N. High St. until the new restaurant is ready to open, which is projected to be by late spring.
Its lease expired and rather than taking an option to stay at the Ohio State University-owned Gateway, it opted to move to Grandview after being approached by NRI.
Beuhler didn’t disparage the restaurant’s base of student customers, some of whom he thinks will still venture to the new restaurant, but he told me its diners skew older and a spot in the growing Grandview Yard made sense for the brand. It’s still close to Ohio State, and will have ample free parking.
Nationwide Realty also cited the expiration of the Buckeye Grill’s five-year license with Ohio State last fall. The restaurant is owned by Nationwide Realty and operated by Columbus Hospitality Management.
I haven’t yet spoken with either Nationwide Realty or representatives of South Campus Gateway.
Eddie George’s Grille 27, named for the Heisman Trophy-winning running back, was an original tenant at the South Campus Gateway and opened 10 years ago. That restaurant, its menu, its decor and its bar will be ported over to the 8,000-square-foot spot in Grandview Yard.
“We think we’re a pioneer in the polished-casual sports bar,” Beuhler told me. “What does that look like today?”
The square footage and seating will be almost the same although the Grandview Yard spot does have significantly more outdoor seating than South Campus Gateway. The audio-visual system will be updated. Two fireplaces will be added. The restaurant will be better opened up to its patios.
