AUBURN GRESHAM — A South Side native is opening a sit-down, family restaurant in Auburn Gresham this summer, and he wants to get the community involved.
Kickstands Restaurant, 1423 W. 79th St., a motorcycle-themed eatery, will open in mid-August, owner Anthony Price said.
The “casual restaurant” will serve cuisine similar to TGI Fridays and Applebee’s with “some healthier options,” Price said. Hours will be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with brunch and dinner on the menu.
“The community needs a walkable, available, workable space where people can come and sit down with the entire family inside a safe, modern, clean, respectable establishment,” Price said.
Price, who rides a motorcycle, said the restaurant’s name and theme connect personally to him and other cyclists.
Similar to establishments like the now-shuttered Rainforest Cafe that immerse patrons into its theme, Price said Kickstands Restaurant would have “motorcycle memorabilia along the walls, chairs and booths with motorcycle themes and menu items with motorcycle references in the names.”
“You’ll definitely know that it’s a motorcycle-themed restaurant,” Price said. “In the restaurant business, you either have a great location, a great theme, or something that sets you apart, and that’s our motif.”
Some neighbors he’s spoken to have been skeptical about the business opening in their community, citing potential noise and traffic congestion on 79th Street, Price said. But he wants to reassure people Kickstands Restaurants “is for the community and will be formed by the community,” Price said.
Price said he plans to hire from the neighborhood, and the application process will be “background and 420 friendly.” A multi-purpose space inside the restaurant will be dedicated to hosting community engagement activities for local seniors for free, Price said.
“This is something that belongs to the community and not just to us,” Price said. “We want to engage with the community early on and show them who we are. I hope the neighbors will embrace it.”
Construction is still underway, but Price said he’s thrilled to bring a new experience to the community this summer.
“We want to be in the community for many years to come,” Price said. “We wanted a place where not just the people who are here now but generations can come and eat and enjoy something that belongs to their neighborhood.”
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