LOUDONVILLE — Excavations for a counter service restaurant and arcade in Loudonville began Tuesday. The restaurant, which will be called Dairylicious and More, is expected to open in March 2022, said one of the owners, Linda Meeks.
Linda and her husband, Mike Meeks, acquired the property beside the Little Brown Inn in 2019 with the plan to bring more food options to Loudonville.
The Meeks had visited Rainbow Springs Campground in Loudonville often and had difficulty finding food variety.
“I said, ‘Mike, come on. They need something. They need more,’ ” Meeks said.
The Meeks have previous food industry experience. They owned a gourmet hotdog joint in uptown Westerville, and Linda Meeks has run concessions at the “Shoe,” the football stadium on Ohio State University’s campus.
Daily items served at Dairylicious and More will include hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, french fries and ice cream. The menu will also include specials.
Dan Stainer of Facemyer, the company completing the project excavation, said the crew began digging out the building area Tuesday and will start installing utilities next week.
Meeks said the pandemic did not stall building plans.
“I’m just really excited to bring something new to the area,” she said, adding that she hopes to cater to locals as well as tourists.
The restaurant will have solely outdoor seating, located under a covered porch, but will have an indoor, air-conditioned arcade. The building will be 92 feet wide and 38 feet deep, with the kitchen in the middle and windows to order food, Meeks said.
The Meeks are also working with Park National Bank and H&H Custom Homes on the project.
