Crowded in among taverns and bistros, pubs and grills and any other marketable term for the places we eat, feeling forgotten amid endless grand openings, having lost its local identity — T.G.I. Friday's, hearing F. Scott Fitzgerald's grim declaration, asks: Is there a second act in Mentor for an American restaurant?
New general manager Tom Krajewski thinks so. "Unless you reinvent yourself you will fade out," he says.
There was a time in New York City in 1965 when Friday's introduced the now-familiar notion of an American restaurant, the casual dining experience with low lamp light where men went after work for a drink. That concept, oft imitated, is no longer enough.
Find out what's happening in Mentorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Krajewski now wants to re-reach the community with fundraisers, specials and the idea that on Monday or Sunday, at 7814 Reynolds Road, it is always Friday.
"It's always a good, fun environment with great food and great service," says Krajewski (pronounced CRY-esky,) in the business for 11 years. "Come in any time of the day and night and someone is going to come to your table upbeat and energetic; everybody has stresses at work and at home, and this is that cut-away from reality. People can come in and be in."
Find out what's happening in Mentorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Friday's has taken its prize wheel into the public at the Lake County Fair, and will be at the It's Better in Mentor Days Festival, locally reaching back to its patrons.
This Sunday in honor of 9/11 all first responders — police officers, firefighters, servicemen, EMS, etc. — eat free. Give-back nights will help schools by donating 20 percent of the total bill back to the participating school on designated nights. And a benefit in October, partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, will benefit an employee with uterine cancer.
And Friday's still has its regular internal deals, like $7.99 menu items between 4 and 6 p.m. To celebrate, or kick off rather, football season wings are all-you-can eat during Browns game. The nacho bar is free.
"Consistency is important behind our brand," Krajewski said. "It doesn't matter where you go from California to here, we expect our food and atmosphere to be the same."
Krajewski was surprised himself when he started June 18. "You think in a place like this everything is microwaved or out of a bag. Fact is, 95 percent of the food is from scratch."
The outside of the restaurant, owned by a group from Cleveland, has been remodeled, and projects continue on the inside. The bar atmosphere is larger and improved, said one friend.
"This service staff is very good," Krajewski said. "You didn't have to clean house. They're just good, good, good kids. And people have been here for years and years. People who actually care."
More information about Friday's, including a menu and specials, is available online. The Mentor location has a Facebook page and you can follow them on Twitter. An email address, 1546@crww.com, is a direct conduit to Friday's management.
For Krajewski, originally from Parma who spent years working in places like Las Vegas, Chicago and Omaha, the return to Mentor is a homecoming. "I have to tell you, it's amazingly refreshing to work for these guys."
Go see Friday's fresh, updated attitude and look, and ask to say hello to Tom — his request.