ASHLAND — A downtown building vacant for nearly three decades is in the early stages of receiving a new identity.
Plans for the 15,000 square-foot Ashland property at 118 W. Main St., widely known as the Frontier building, include a sports bar and grill, an experience lounge and a rooftop bar.
So who’s behind the vision?
Dr. Zach Bernhard and his father, Dr. Matthew Bernhard, purchased the building in 2024 for $25,000. Zach Bernhard’s business, HSLD, is now leading the charge to breathe new life into the property.
HSLD (High Speed Low Drag), headquartered in Ashland, provides sports photography, videography and apparel printing services — and can soon add an intensive building renovation to its resume.
In June, the Ohio Department of Development awarded $771,875 to Ashland Area Economic Development to remove asbestos, lead-based paint, mold and other hazardous materials from the building — preparing it for full interior demolition and redevelopment.
“The asbestos is getting cleared out of there quickly,” Zach Bernhard said recently.
“We know the Frontier building is going to get cleared out. We need to get somebody who sees what we’re doing there and says, ‘I want to put my restaurant in there,'” he said. “The ask at this point is finding a restaurateur.”
Possible partnerships spur ideas for sports bar and grill
Zach Bernhard said he’d prefer to stay away from bringing a chain restaurant into the space because HSLD would like to brand it themselves — along with the future restaurateur.
The idea for an Ohio State Buckeyes themed sports bar and grill is something he said he’s even bounced around with Braxton Miller, a former NFL and Ohio State wide receiver and quarterback.
Miller and Bernhard’s relationship dates back several years, he said. HSLD and Miller’s organization, Charg1ng, have been partners for about three years.
Bernhard has also had a few conversations with longtime Ashland University football coach Lee Owens, whom he played for during his career at AU.
“Lee is very historic in the area. I think it would be a nice payback to him to have him involved somehow as well,” he said.
An HSLD Facebook post on Aug. 3 laid out the brand’s vision for each of the Frontier buildings three floors:
- Sports bar and grill: Game day downtown. Big screens, loud rooms, full house.
- Experience lounge: Simulators, leagues, competition — a reason to stay all night.
- Rooftop bar: Open air over Main Street. Views Ashland has never had.
“It’s really going to be a state-funded, grant-funded project up front. Whatever bells and whistles we have to put in from a capital standpoint on our own then later we will,” Bernhard said.
Interested operators/restaurateurs can contact Bernhard via email at bernhardzach@hsldbrand.com.
