Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts Opens in Boardman

BOARDMAN, Ohio – Christian Rinehart expects Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts’ new location here to enhance, not compete with, the original restaurant in downtown Youngstown.

Following a soft opening this past weekend, Susie’s officially opened Monday at 1393 Boardman-Canfield Road. “We had the normal glitches but it’s going pretty well so far,” Rinehart, the CEO, said. “We’ll definitely get busier as the week goes on.”

Rinehart, who also operates O’Donold’s Irish Pub & Grill downtown and in Austintown, opened the first Suzie’s in 2014 on North Phelps Street.

“We thought it would help downtown,” he said. After families visit the Boardman restaurant, they will become acquainted with the concept and format and be comfortable that it is “family-friendly” when they go downtown for a concert or Disney on Ice show at the Covelli Centre, he said.

Rinehart is planning a grand opening for the Boardman Suzie’s in two weeks. Around the same time, he intends to open his first Mission Taco next to the restaurant. Mission Taco will feature locally sourced and organic ingredients, with cilantro and jalapenos grown onsite organically.

He plans to take the concept downtown.

Patrons in the Youngstown restaurant market are “very forgiving, so that’s what’s nice,” he said. “If you make a mistake, they will try you again. Other markets aren’t so forgiving,” he said.

“I’m originally from Warren so to me this is home and I enjoy it,” he continued. “I just think we need more food of different types. That’s why I keep venturing into different types of food, because you can only eat Italian six days a week.”

Pictured: Heather Mullens and Christian Rinehart welcome guests to the new Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts in Boardman.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.