A Japanese restaurant has submitted plans to open at Brendan O’Neill’s current location. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

A move for Brendan O'Neill's?
Japanese restaurant files plans to redevelop location
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published April 18, 2007

A Japanese restaurant has submitted plans to the city building department to redevelop the West Bay Plaza currently occupied by the popular Brendan O’Neill’s Pub.

Asuka Japanese Cuisine submitted plans March 27 for a hibachi steakhouse restaurant. In addition to showing work on gas and electric lines, the plans indicate the restaurant will have 12 tables, each with its own griddle. Space for a sushi bar is also included.

“They will be doing considerable work in there,” Westlake Building Inspector Donald P. Grayem said of the plans.

The building department replied to the plans April 9 with comments and technical suggestions, Grayem said.

“It’s back in their court to respond to those comments,” he said.

Asuka Japanese Cuisine opened its first location in Boardman, just outside Youngstown, in September 2004 “after six months of meticulous construction,” according to an online dining guide provided by the Youngstown Vindicator newspaper.

Owner Yong Zherg told West Life he has been working on opening a Westlake location for about three years.

Zherg said he hopes to open in three to four months but needs to obtain the necessary building permits first.

So where does this leave Brendan O’Neill’s?

Mike Schaeffer, a managing partner, told West Life he has only heard rumors about possibly being forced to leave the establishment’s current location.

“The landlord would have to notify us of anything and they haven’t at this time,” he said.

Hannah H. Russo of Developers Diversified, the plaza’s owner, told West Life the company could not comment on the status of Brendan O’Neill’s lease. Calls to Scott Schroader, Developers Diversified’s vice president of corporate communications, were not returned.

When West Life spoke to Schaeffer Friday, he said he did not know the details of the lease off hand. He also said he was not aware the Japanese restaurant had submitted plans to redevelop his location.

Schaeffer, who has been an investor in Brendan O’Neill’s since it opened in 2001, said the restaurant will consider moving to another location, most likely under the same name, if it loses its lease.

“Business has been real good,” Schaeffer said.