The rebirth of downtown Wheeling can be attributed to a number of factors, one of which is food.
In particular, the expanse of local eateries offering either upscale cuisines or unique dining menus and experiences has greatly added to the number of options in the downtown area.
There are now “go-to” places to eat along the streets in downtown Wheeling, and resident Tara Kobasko is hoping to add another to the growing list of popular destinations in the next few months.
Kobasko is ready to offer her take on a European-style experience in a completely renovated building space located at 1209 Market Street in Wheeling.
The Belgian Waffle Shop is located right next to the Vagabond Kitchen and across from the McLure House Hotel. It’s the site of the former computer repair shop, a storefront that’s sat vacant for quite a number of years.
“It’s a traditional European-style shop, so everything is made in front of you, from making the waffles and topping them off, to making (coffee) in the French press, waiting for it to steep,” Kobasko began. “It’s a slower concept in Europe. People are more relaxed. They take their time and enjoy their meals and the experience.”
It’s with this experience in mind that Kobasko set out to design her shop. Background music will be played, but don’t look for televisions, flashy tech, and other distractions. This is a place to enjoy the food, and the people you’ve come with; a place to enjoy conversations and time spent.
“One of my goals is to bring that back because I feel we’re getting further and further away from that,” Kobasko said. “I want people to come in with their families and experience something different. I want to see the looks on the kids’ faces as their (food) is being made and see the interactions with people.
“It’s a place to bond over and a way for people to get back in touch. They can sit down, enjoy the moment and have some fun.”
Kobasko knows the concept may not be for everyone because many people rush through all aspects of their lives. They want to place their order, have it ready near immediately, then rush out the door while eating on the go and getting back to whatever they were doing.
That’s not what The Belgian Waffle Shop is about.
The Food
No, this isn’t going to be the Ohio Valley’s take on Roscoe’s House of Chicken ’N Waffles, a famous eatery from the greater Los Angeles area.
But Kobasko noted chicken-and-waffles will make its way to the menu eventually, along with a number of savory options.
For now, the menu will be all about dessert waffles. From the double triple chocolate to the vanilla bean and all creations sweet, The Belgian Waffle Shop plans to provide those delectable flavors that pair perfectly with warm creations brewed in the French press.
But where did the idea come from?
“My partner and I were trying to come up with ideas and nothing was really sticking. We couldn’t find an idea we were jointly excited about and he mentioned that he’d bought a waffle maker,” Kobasko recalled. “I told him that I had a dream that we were supposed to serve waffles and he told me about a trip he and his mother made to the North Carolina area and that they went to a shop that served Belgian waffles with ice cream.
“I was like why aren’t we doing that? Nobody is doing that. We should bring that back to (Wheeling).”
That’s how the concept was born. Kobasko already made a tasty version of Belgian waffle cookies utilizing a mini waffle press she owns. The menu and creations grew from there.
Kobasko did stress that she uses as many all-natural ingredients as possible to bring out her flavors. She sticks with real Belgian pearl sugar, cane sugar, and organic eggs.
“I’m really big on wanting to be clean and I do want to be able to grow to where I can offer a big line of vegan and non-dairy options,” Kopako said. “I don’t think there’s a big selection in this area for that and I’d love to be able to offer that.
“A really big goal of mine is to serve chicken and waffles and other savory waffles. I plan on making it happen, but the (dessert-style) is where we’re starting.”
The Long Road
This is Kobasko’s second attempt at owning her own business in the Ohio Valley and, fingers crossed, this goes better than her first experience.
Back in late 2019, Kobasko found a building, renovated it, and went on to open her own modeling agency.
Two months in, COVID happened, restrictions were set in place, and Kobasko’s new office was rendered useless.
“I started the agency and then, two months later, I couldn’t even open up my doors because of COVID,” She said. “I was in and paying for a building that I couldn’t even work out of.”
The road to getting the waffle shop open hasn’t been without its challenges either.
Kobasko’s leased the building for nearly the last two years. It housed the former computer repair shop and just gutting the ground floor took work.
“I had a modeling agency, I started it and two months later, couldn’t open up my door because of covid, in a building, paying for a building, can’t even work out of
“I had to unbolt all the desks from the floor, and they were heavy, old wood,” Kobasko said. “I had to lug all of that out, rip up the carpeters—it just wasn’t used for so long it was a lot of work clearing it out. I was certainly sweating.”
After the clear-out, Kobasko discovered a lot of remodeling would be needed to get the ground floor ready to house her eatery.
A full tear-down and rebuild were basically needed.
“It was a complete top-to-bottom renovation,” she said. “There were no water lines, no bathroom, and the electrical work was severely outdated. The walls were fire hazards and had to be gutted and redone. We installed the ceiling tile. It was a complete renovation.”
Without naming names, Kobasko also expressed her frustration at the initial contractor she hired, which also didn’t help her timeline in getting the building ready. And for someone footing the bill herself, it was frustrating.
“I didn’t get the best of luck with contractors,” she admitted. “A lot of this money came from savings, my personal savings. I’ve done a lot of this with no loans, just working and paying out of pocket and struggling to get to this moment.”
That moment should be coming soon. Kobasko is nearing the finish line and is only awaiting her final inspection to finally open up and welcome the public. That moment should be coming within the next few months.
Be sure to check out The Belgian Waffle Shop’s Facebook page, linked above, for further updates on both the menu and opening day.
