I don't see a Bob Evans doing very well. Places like George's Kitchen have better food at half the price.

What the heck is the "Detroit Avenue Chow Line?"

Lakewood is NOT the place for Bob Evan's! We do not need that coming to our town that is known for it's excellant dining. Take Bob Evan's to Tremont. (Bob Evan's in Lakewood makes about as much sense. Go to Fairview Park.)

As usual the negative nellies are out in force. I think Bob Evans would be a good choice for that vacant lot eyesore

Bob Evans - headquartered in Columbus, Oh. Everything starts out local.

No one is making you go to the Bob Evans that doesn't exist yet. Keep going to George's, My Friends, the Shore, Place to Be, Borderline, etc if that's your jam.

I HATE EVERYTHING!

Perfect opportunity for me to ask where everyone goes to breakfast in Lakewood. I haven't had very good luck and end up going to River. I think I would go to a Bob Evans if it came here.

better than a vacant lot, but does the world really need another bob evans? I don't think so

I have a kitchen. And I love to cook. (even breakfast)

Looking forward to it. Hope it works out.

let them come and build their 2Mill dollar restaurant. If they go under, another independent can buy the restaurant for 60 cents on the dollar and open shop.Then, *maybe* you negative nancies will be happy.

Moda of lakewood puttin up mcdonald's numbers. business could not be better. BEST CLOTHING RESALE IN LAKEWOOD

MODA OF LAKEWOOD OPENS NEW STORE IN KEY WEST & CHICAGO. THANK YOU LAKEWOOD OHIO FOR GIVING US THE PLATFORM FOR LIFT OFF!

Hey folks! Have you naysayers been to Bob Evans lately? They do LOCAL man!
And you can't beat their all you can eat lunch for $ 6.99! That is a wholesome healthy salad - all you can eat and a great soup - all you can eat! For anyone on a fixed budget this is amazing! Try to eat lunch at Deagan's or Melt or Eddie n Eddie for this price - and all you can eat! Growup Lakewood and enter the recession times of 2013 = having Bob Evans on Detroit is fantastic and I and my retired friends will be there everyday for their fantastic Lunch! AND support local, Bob Evans is an Ohio based company! And their breakfast is amazing too - far better than First Tuesday. Bob Evans will get a lot of support from Lakewood's aging population - which is HUGE - and from families on fixed incomes. It is the perfect Lakewood match!

AND to the Mayor and City Officials - PLEASE get out of your office and start to ACTIVELY RECRUIT new business to this town. You should be doing EVERYTHING you can to get a tax payer business like Bob Evans into Lakewood - instead thinking we property owners will always be here to just keep getting hit with higher and higher taxes to support our declining population. MAYOR - ARE YOU CALLING BOB EVANS corporate office and inviting them to open here in town - wake up - Lakewood will not survive the next 10 years without more business to pay taxes.
DO EVERYTHING to make this happen? And what about getting another grocery store in this town? Where is the progress on that?

I think Bob Evans would be great for the site. I have no problem with national/regional retailers or restaurants coming to Lakewood so long as they respect the design criteria that has been set out by City Planning. I'm very impressed with all of the recent new construction and renovations around downtown Lakewood...CVS, Mcdonalds, Drugmart Plaza, even Getgo. They're all very well done and will be useful buildings for years to come, no matter the tenant. Its rare that such powerful companies succumb to City's demands...usually city's have to beg for these users to open locations and give them the keys to the castle in doing so. I think it speaks to the quality of Lakewood's dense population that such companies are willing to come off their typical cookie cutter buildings and spend extra $'s for a chance to serve the City.

Hi Al - AMAZING and INSIGHTFUL and very economic relevant comment! Send it to our Mayor PLEEEEASE! and lets call city hall and get our officials to really make Bob Evans come to town! And how about a PEI WEI in downtown Lakewood? And lets get rid of that outdated, dirty, really unappealing Flag Mural downtown Lakewood. WHY is that allowed to be so visible and such a statement about Lakewood? Can't we move into 2013 and get a mural that represents what Lakewood is - full of diversity, all ages, all religions, etc.

Geesh Ian...there you go again....cheerleading! Why so negative about Lakewood most of the time? Well at least you got Bob Evans right! A quality company that owns and operates its stores with exacting standards.... Now about another grocery store in Lakewood, Ian....where are we going to put one of those? Nobody's going to spend millions to acquire land and buildings....if they could even hope for the possibility of a green light for such a project from City Hall. Forgettaboutit!

aybe Bob Eavens willl pull some Tax Dollars and help keep mine down.......... Just hope they go with the same lok they did with McDonalds and CVS.....

Hi Bob - are you reading my comments closely? They are not negative, but merely critical of the Rust Belt mentality decisions that were made too often in the past about the future of Lakewood. If you read most of my comments, they illustrate that Lakewood is at a 50/50 moment in its history. It can either move forward and into the 21st century or stay where it is and slowly decline. Its 50/50 at this point. And having a Bob Evans WANT to build here, is a good 21st century move. Designating a lackluster 20th century house a Historical Landmark is the old Rust Belt Thinking/Goverance. Anyway, Bob, take the time to read all my comments and you will see they are actually progressive options for a viable Lakewood future.
(Having lived outside NE Ohio, in CA, Ill, PA, FLA, AZ, MO, MN, and TX - one gets a lot of exposure to how things can improve. And though Lakewood has a lot going for it, these are very tough economic times with no one rushing to relocate their business here or really, just to live here, so pointing out the severe problems Lakewood must resolve to survive, geesh Bob, do you call that negative? I think I would call it very very concerned and worried, particularly when Madison, Lorain and Detroit have hundreds of empty storefronts, Clifton and Lake have empty apartment buildings, and downtown Lakewood has blocks of empty offices. Something must not be going/being perceived negatively about Lakewood - the facts, the visuals speak for themselves. Lets change that!

Anything is better than an empty lot or vacant building as long as they follow storefront and signage rules. It would be nice (and profitable) if the marketers for the real estate companies focused on what's needed in certain areas and advertised accordingly. Ever eat at a "Yours Truly?" They'd be a perfect fit anywhere in Lakewood.

I'd like to see another Miller's Dining room. They were successful for 45 years (until the place burned down). I miss the steak, lobster, chicken a la king in a potato basket, carrot raisin salad and sticky buns.

Bring them back.