It’s been two weeks since Eden Family Restaurant in Wheeling re-opened for dine-in services.
Families are returning. Kids are coming back. The sound of conversation and laughter permeate the room.
It’s the sound of life returning. And that, perhaps more than anything, is an encouraging sign to Alex Coogan.
“The first couple of days, seeing the kids back in here, the people enjoying themselves again, the laughs, it’s a good sign for society,” said Coogan, one of the principal owners of Eden. “No more of the dark, dismal woe-is-me feeling.”
Coogan noted Eden waited an additional week after the governor signaled the okay for dine-in service to resume. The public was slow to come back at first.
But that’s starting to change.
“Some people are still shy; they are unsure about eating out, but the vast majority of people are coming back to life,” Coogan said.
“We avoided the whole first week because no one knew what they were doing, so we wanted all the dust to settle.”
There are still logistical issues to wade through.
Certain products are troublesome, namely beef. The price of ground beef has basically doubled, according to Coogan. That’s reflected both at restaurants and in the grocery stores.
Normalcy is slowly returning though and that’s going to allow Eden to build the following it began to amass before COVID shut things down
Family Restaurant First
Does Eden serve alcohol? Yes, but so do many other family restaurants.
But this is not some dimly lit, smoke-filled bar with drunks bellied-up to the counter, slamming shots, arguing, and fighting.
Whatever reputation this 135 Virginia St. location had during its previous ventures in the past are just that—in the past.
“It’s well lit, it’s not a bar, it’s a family restaurant,” Coogan said. “People said how do you keep the riffraff out? Keep the lights up.
“Kids running around also deters that. On a busy weekend, at normal capacity, we’ll have upwards of 20 kids in here.”
There is a liquor selection, but it ranges from well drinks to more top-shelf quality offerings. Think more pairing a single-malt or barrel with a steak, not shot slamming.
The menu is also reflective of the restaurant’s purpose as a family-style eatery.
There are appetizers, but the home-cooked style offerings are extensive and are designed to be enjoyed seated and with your family.
Coogan admitted initially it took some convincing of the public that Eden was a family-first facility. But the public certainly has come around.
“We made a big push for that; our menu is reflected in that,” he said. “This wasn’t a bar menu masquerading as a family restaurant.”
Devil’s Den and More
Recently Eden opened a video lottery room dubbed the Devil’s Den. It’s complete with extensive themed décor, state-of-the-dart boards and ample seating to go with the lottery machines.
The room features extensive vinyl work, custom-designed walls, paint work, and even devil-themed stylistic characters that animation fans will notice.
It is climate-controlled, so the smoke stays in the room and doesn’t permeate the main dining area of the restaurant.
But the expansion plans don’t stop there.
Coogan noted the facility will soon before offering breakfast.
In what he anticipates should roll out roughly in mid-July—keep and eye on the Eden Facebook page for updates—Coogan anticipates breakfast being available on weekends only. At first.
“Weekends only to start and we’ll see how it goes,” Coogan said. “This is part of the dream is to be the regular neighborhood restaurant.
“If two families meet every Wednesday morning to read the paper, and the wives catch up, and the husbands shoot the breeze, that’s what we want.
“This can be a communal meeting place. This used to be that 30 years ago. The Island used to be a place people took pride in.
“One step at a time, we’ll bring that back.”
Further Expansion
Coogan and his fellow investors are also looking outside the walls of Eden.
They are eying multiple locations, and which one they choose may dictate what they plan to build.
“It depends,” Coogan said. “There are a couple different locations where we have a couple different ideas.
“One or two may be a carbon copy of this, but we’re also floating around more of an after-hour type establishment.”
In that permutation, think more upscale bar.
“If we do go with an after-hours theme, it’ll be more of a date night, adult after-hours type place, not a pound-the-shots, punch-the-guy-next- to-you place,” Coogan said.
For now, Coogan and company are focusing on Eden. The current ‘Rona Edition’ of the menu is a hit with customers. The Devil’s Den is performing well.
As restrictions ease, the more themed evenings like movie night and buffet night will return.
So will more and more families, which, as stated above, is kind of the idea.
