Popular sports bar expands on the Ranch

Ed’s Tavern owners say they will open at State Road 64/ Upper Manatee River Road intersection late this year.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

With many restaurants coming to East County, the norm has been considerable delays due to supply chain problems and other construction woes.

Those problems have made it impossible to pinpoint the opening of a restaurant.

However, co-owner Albert Myara was firm when talking about his new Ed’s Tavern being built at the intersection of State Road 64 and Upper Manatee River Road/Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

“Before the end of the year, we will be open,” Myara said, emphasizing “will.”

He makes the statement even though vertical construction has yet to begin.

Myara and fellow co-owners Bob Bender and Adam Myara (Albert’s son), will now have the northern border of Lakewood Ranch covered as well as having their current restaurant at 10719 Rodeo Drive at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.

The Main Street restaurant is packed day after day for both lunch and dinner, and the three co-owners expect that to be the case when the new restaurant opens.

“I have zero concerns,” Bender said. “I am so bullish on this (new) restaurant. I am extremely confident.”

The current Ed’s Tavern is about 2,800 square feet, while the new restaurant will be 4,200 square feet. The new restaurant will feature an indoor/outdoor bar and a special air conditioning system that will be utilized when the windows are open to the outside portion of the bar.

Although the new restaurant, which sits on the adjacent lot to the north of Wawa (10807 S.R. 64 E.), along Upper Manatee River Road, differs in size from the existing Ed’s, many of the features of the Main Street restaurant will be copied.

“You don’t change a winner,” Albert Myara said.

Bender said the overall blueprint for the new restaurant, in terms of business, will be “pretty much the same” as the existing restaurant.

“No matter what location, there will be something going on every night,” Bender said. “We are going to keep the same menu. It will be centered around sports, and it is going to have an appeal for families.

“When consumers come into the new restaurant, they will be thinking, ‘This is the Ed’s I know.”

Currently, Ed’s Tavern offers live music once or twice a week, Tequila Tuesdays specials, a $6 burger day, a poker night, trivia nights, watch parties for sports events and lots of Happy Hour specials.

Adam Myara said the most important thing to the owners is that the new restaurant has the same energy as the current restaurant.

Certainly, a lot of energy will exist outside the restaurant, when it comes to drive-by traffic.

The area where they are building has quickly become a business hotspot considering all the growth along the S.R. 64 corridor and Upper Manatee River Road. However, the corridor offers few sit-down dining establishments with full bars.

“It serves everything we need,” Albert Myara said of the location. “We will be serving everything from Lorraine Road to the interstate and Parrish. We couldn’t have found a better spot.”

Upper Manatee River Road is scheduled to be widened to four lanes from S.R. 64 to the Fort Hamer Bridge. Then the Fort Hamer Bridge is scheduled for another span over the Manatee River. All the construction is expected to take about six years.

It all points toward increased traffic though that intersection.

Bender said all that development, including UMR Sports on Upper Manatee River Road, will attract lots of families who will hopefully become customers. UMR Sports is an athletic academy that builds athletes in multiple sports through teaching, showcases, tournaments and leagues.

When they take a break, they will be hungry.

“All those pickleball courts and fields will bring people to the restaurant,” Bender said.

He also said Ed’s Tavern at Main Street has many customers from S.R. 64 corridors, living in neighborhoods such as GreyHawk Landing, Heritage Harbour and Mill Creek. He said those customers tell him they can’t wait until the new restaurant opens so they don’t have to travel as far. He said he hears stories of how they check the construction more than he does.

“They are as excited as heck,” he said.

Bender said he will keep an eye on the progress of construction to see when it comes time to hire the 50 to 60 employees who will make up the staff. Although many businesses in the service industry have experienced problems hiring workers, Bender said he doesn’t anticipate

10TH AVE E .

ED’S TAVERN ON THE WAY

What: Ed’s Tavern is adding a second location in Lakewood Ranch

Where: On the lot to the north of Wawa at the intersection of Upper Manatee River Road and State Road 64 in Lakewood Ranch Size: 4,200 square feet

Owners: Albert Myara, Adam Myara, Bob Bender Plan: To offer the same menu and atmosphere of the current Ed’s Tavern at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch

Targeted opening: November or December

“It serves everything we need. We will be serving everything from Lorraine Road to the interstate, and Parrish. We couldn’t have found a better spot.” any problems.

“We have not felt any help issues,” he said. “And we have loyal, longtenured employees (at the current restaurant). We will be able to bring some of our key employees over, and they will set the pace.”

Adam Myara said the abundance of apartment complexes being built nearby on S.R. 64 enhanced the spot, which will have about 90 parking spaces, for them to buy. He also said the restaurant has a reputation for being popular for kids through seniors.

“I love it here,” he said while standing in the current Ed’s Tavern.

“I’m 37 and my friends my age love it here, too. They have grown here.”

While they plan to keep the same menu, Adam Myara noted that Bender is great at “menu pivots,” so if the new restaurants needs to tweak its offerings, that will happen quickly. Bender said the menu changes three or four times a year due to demand.

All three co-owners have been in the restaurant business most of their lives. Adam Myara said he remembers walking around in his father’s kitchens since he was 6.

“All of us have grown up in the business,” said Albert Myara, who noted that he and Adam are more investors who will rely on Bender to take care of the day-to-day operations.

“But if Bob needs anything, we have no problem doing it,” Albert Myara said. “If that means washing dishes, fine.”

Albert Myara said Ed’s Tavern’s many specials have built its popularity.

“We can go to breakfast, just the two of us, and spend $45,” he said of himself and his son, Adam. “Are you kidding me?”

Bender knows the restaurant industry is under a lot of stress to raise prices, but he said Ed’s Tavern will continue to be “family sensitive,” even when the new restaurant opens.

“There is no argument is it a challenging environment,” Bender said. “But I feel we are recession proof. There are, certainly, a lot of storm clouds out there.”

Two East County teachers receive Congressional Teacher Awards

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan awarded two East County teachers with the Congressional Teacher Awards. Kathleen Brown, a math teacher at Braden River Middle School, and Ann Fleury, a math teacher at Lakewood Ranch High School, were award recipients. The two teachers were among five in Manatee County to receive the award.

The award was established in 2014 to honor “exceptional Suncoast teachers for their outstanding achievements on behalf of students,” according to a news release. “While they may not always receive the appreciation or recognition they deserve, teachers have one of the most important and difficult professions of all,” Buchanan said in a news release. “That is why I established the Congressional Teacher Awards – to honor educators for the crucial role they play in our community and inspiring our younger generations.”

Lakewood Ranch sees increase in home sales

Lakewood Ranch ended the first quarter of the new year with a 17% increase in home sales compared to the same time in 2022. Lakewood Ranch had 580 sales in the first quarter. Of those sales, 236 occurred in March, which was a 33% increase over March 2022.

March was the “largest jump in sales since the pandemic housing boom occurred,” according to a news release.

Laura Cole, senior vice president of LWR Communities, said in the release that Florida is seeing many people moving to the area from out of state, and Lakewood Ranch has seen an increase of people moving from around the state to Lakewood Ranch.

“Many people want to move to Lakewood Ranch but haven’t made a final purchase decision or want to give Lakewood Ranch living a test drive,” Cole said in the release. “We are able to offer options for potential buyers, no matter where they are in their decision making.”