By LarryXA

November 6, 2009 3:34 PM | Link to this

Thx, this has definitely made my day! wtf

By Norton

October 19, 2009 10:46 AM | Link to this

Scott, the original owner of Nortons in 1987 knew had to run a bar/grill hasnt been the same since he left, however it was set up so well it ran forever on his ideas. in the end it is just another sports bar nothing fancy, the place to go is slyders in belmont, for that type of deal hands down the winner!!!

By Lindy Lou

October 14, 2009 7:13 PM | Link to this

Have known Fred & Sandy for years, and I wish them the very best of luck in their new location!

By Jim

September 29, 2009 4:25 PM | Link to this

One of these day’s Norton. Pow right in the kisser.

By SAH

September 27, 2009 10:45 PM | Link to this

Rose, you couldn’t be more wrong about me or the O.D. Not sure when the last time that you visited either the O.D. or Norton’s was, but I see more 30 somethings downtown, and not that many people who have “the highest earning potential” frequenting Norton’s. In fact, I would bet that the place where the people with the highest earning potential hang out IS the bars at the Green. Just sayin…

By rose

September 27, 2009 12:46 PM | Link to this

i agree with the post by john….and as for s.a.h. anybody with common sense can see that you are young and bitter.the reference to the oregon district(just out of high school crowd) and bar louis. tells me so.The demographic for that business in that location is 32yrs to 60 .these are the people who have the highest earning potential which will serve them well at there new location considering it is a more mature neighborhood.you do sound like an ex employee anyone can see this… you blew your cover by commenting on things only a previous (or current) employee would think they know and not the casual customer. stay classy….L…..

By SAH

September 26, 2009 9:03 PM | Link to this

So… let me get this right Jeff… I MUST be an ex employee? Furthermore, by your rational, all employees of Norton’s are people who “lead sad pathetic lives slaving for someone else and never taking a chance to try to better themselves?” So what does that say about the person in charge of hiring those people? Sounds to me like the management takes advantage of those around them. You are obviously friends with Fred, and rightly you should defend him. But… you STILL refuse to address the issues by deflecting attention to the fact that someone wouldn’t want to end up in a “Google” search just because they have a voice on a particular subject. Also, don’t you work for the city? I’m not sure how that qualifies you to comment on the intricacies of small business ownership… I for one, have my own business. However, I digress. The point is this - Norton’s hires people who are not worth employing, the management exploits them and the food and beer is over priced and of substandard quality. Be sure to head over for the opening, Lincoln Park!

By jeff

September 26, 2009 11:52 AM | Link to this

the reason no one with a negative comment leaves there name is because they are obviuosly disgruntled ex employees.i wonder what these people do for a living. Do they lead there sad pathetic lives slaving for someone else and never taking a chance to try to better themselves.What business do you people run or do you even work ? the reason harbor lights and lincoln park grill aren’t there is because it was overpriced and only served the old ladies bridge club type of clientel. if you have a negative comment have the balls to leave your name or go back to bed with your bottle of booze and food stamps !

By John

September 25, 2009 6:30 PM | Link to this

To SAH & Others: You could do far worse than having a couple of hard working local taxpayers move their establishment across town to an empty building of twice the size. Honestly, it takes hard work and considerable risk during these economically challenged times to do anything at all. Fred and Sandy have put their hearts and souls into their business, perhaps you could make the world a better place by trying to do the same. Or at least shut up and give them a chance…

By SAH

September 19, 2009 11:16 PM | Link to this

Vollmers and everyone… If you enjoy going to Norton’s, by all means… GO! Give your money to people who see you as nothing more than the money in your wallet. As for having a “vendetta” against this establishment, I just want people to understand EXACTLY who is moving into their neighborhood. Do they offer specials like everyone else… of course. But what you are attempting to do, by bringing up this commonly held fact, not to mention the question of why I don’t post my full name in an anonymous forum on the internet, is just a feeble attempt to deflect attention in this conversation away from the real issue… Norton’s is not the well run establishment that this article would leave the casual reader to believe. An earlier post eluded to the fact that they would have to offer $8 martinis to survive. Well, guess what, they probably will. (Well liquor of course.) I would expect this from a bar at the “Green”. Let us take Bar Louis’ for example. GREAT food, amply portioned and offered for half price during happy hour. Now, I will pay a bit more for the beer at this establishment (considering the 40+ beers that are offered on tap) taking into account that I am saving a considerable amount on the food. But to say that a neighborhood sports bar can should me $3 dollars for a domestic beer and $8 dollars for a burger is status quo, is absolutely INSANE. I can not think of any locally owned bar that would adopt this as a viable business strategy. The domestic bottles in the Oregon District are INDEED that inexpensive, and while I can’t prove that in this particular forum, one only need to go there to find out for themselves. (Psst, $10 buckets on Friday in the O.D.!) It is my opinion that you crawl out from under the managements desk, wipe your mouth, rub you eyes and come to the realization that Norton’s, under the current management, should have folded years ago!

By Dave S

September 18, 2009 8:32 AM | Link to this

Norton’s is what it is a bar/grill…the food is marginal,the prices are way too much…However, that is not the problem!!!Sandy & Fred are the rudest people I have ever met in any service setting!!! They believe that they are right at all times.They have a take or leave it attitude which for the owner’s set very bad examples to all of the rude employees!! I have not been there in over a year and nor will I go to the new place!! I wish them the WORST of luck!!!I hope they fail miserable!!!These are statement directed at there management style or lack there of!!!

By matt

September 17, 2009 1:53 AM | Link to this

sh Obviously your vendetta against nortons has distorted your memory. Not once was Sandy’s name brought up. My sundays are reserved for football talk and hanging with my friends. As for pbr being the draft beer that been secretely served to us lol. Now i may not be a barfly like yourself but i trust my judgement in beer tasting as do all my friends. As for the specials that they use to bring in new patrons….umm every bar does that. It’s called business smarts. What should i expect from a person who thinks the oregon has 1.75 beers?

By Gary and Tammy Vollmer

September 17, 2009 12:26 AM | Link to this

SAH take your vendetta somewhere else.The Vollmer family think Sandy and Fred are wonderful people and we always have a great time at thier establishment.Sandy and the staff are top notch and any other bar would be lucky to have just one of Nortons employees. Nortons has always been a friendly place, it seems we make a new friends every time we go.If you want to post something about what I Tammy or Matt say then post your real name or shut your pie hole. I think Fred has done an outstanding job with Nortons and wish them the greatest success at thier new location.We will continue to go to Nortons for karaoke and Sunday football. p.s. Sandy you can always be our waitress.

By SH

September 16, 2009 8:48 PM | Link to this

Sorry,I just wanted to clarify my point.

By SH

September 16, 2009 8:35 PM | Link to this

Matt Vollmer, I was having dinner at Blind Bob’s (great food BTW) around 7pm Friday night. You, on the other hand were at Norton’s on a Sunday, when they offer a beer special in a pathetic attempt to bring in more clients, beyond the Cardinal fans- who incidentally, stated on many occasions while outside smoking, that they would rather Sandy not wait on them. Too close to home? Oh… and BTW, you were probably drinking PBR off of ever domestic tap handle, regardless of what the label said.

By SAH

September 16, 2009 8:26 PM | Link to this

Matt Vollmer, I was at Blind Bob’s around 7pm for dinner. You were at Norton’s on a Sunday, when Norton’s offers a special in an attempt to bring in clientel, other than the Cardinal’s fans who, incidentally, wish that Sandy WASN’t waiting on them. FYI you were probably drinking PBR off of every tap handle, regardless of label.

By Lynn

September 16, 2009 7:57 PM | Link to this

Best of luck to the owners and staff of Norton’s in their new location. I hope they do well there.

By matt vollmer

September 16, 2009 7:04 PM | Link to this

SAH, Not sure where you get that the Oregon has 1.75 domestics unless you were there during happy hour. I was both at nortons and Cadillacs sunday. I paid 175 for my domestics at nortons and 2.50 at caddy’s. As for the belmont bar being cheaper, imagine that..location..location..location.

By sick of "me bad"

September 16, 2009 6:45 PM | Link to this

Folks,do you think you do yourselves a favor using the witless expression “me bad”? Just love to see executives say it to a large crowd. Wow, intelligent and there’s nothing like a tired and stupid cliche, eh?

By mjm

September 16, 2009 6:19 PM | Link to this

Looking forward to a restaurant, even if it is a sports bar, going into that location.

By Emily Latella

September 16, 2009 5:54 PM | Link to this

Norten is an idiot. He always gave Cramden (Jackie Gleason) a hard time. Those who don’t like Norten are justified in their criticism!!! Oh…it’s a restaurant in loser Kettering?…sorry…”my bad”….

By SAH

September 16, 2009 5:09 PM | Link to this

Joe, seriously, do you actually go to other bars? TJ’s sells domestics for $2 as does Angie’s just up the road in Belmont. This past Friday when I was in the Oregon, I got domestic bottles as cheap as $1.75. Now, if you feel that Norton’s prices are justified, by all means continue to go there. I personally got tired of the inconsistent availability and quality of menu items, the constant “tinkering” of prices, the lack of hot water in the bathroom (which has GOT to be some sort of health code violation) and the offensive manner with which Sandy spoke to me on several occasions. But hey, like I said, if you like going there, then please, don’t let my observations stop you.

By dale1

September 16, 2009 4:59 PM | Link to this

Come on people, we are talking about a bar. How many classy bars do you know of. They may be expensive and nicely decorated but they are still a bar. Look at the Green. Expensive but the same old crap with drunken idiots. (not everybody of course) Norton’s food was okay for the price and a very friendly place. Yes I am one of the idiots but I’m not complaining.

By joe

September 16, 2009 4:51 PM | Link to this

My apologies sah, i misread your original post. Domestic beer is still the same price at any bar you go too. By the way the oregon domestics are now 3.50

By Joe

September 16, 2009 4:46 PM | Link to this

But i could understand how you might be easily confused being that 3+6 equals 8 in your world.

By Joe

September 16, 2009 4:44 PM | Link to this

Absolutely false and still doesn’t take away from the fact you can’t do simple math.

By SAH

September 16, 2009 4:40 PM | Link to this

Wow joe, you go to some EXPENSIVE bars! Norton’s domestic beers are priced higher than TJ’s, Caddy’s, the Diplomat and EVERY bar in the Oregon District. Just the facts.

By joe

September 16, 2009 4:30 PM | Link to this

Nice math there sah! Domestics are the same price as every other bar i frequent.

By SAH

September 16, 2009 4:26 PM | Link to this

Domestic bottles = $3 Well drinks = $6 Hamburger = $8 DUI = $2000 Watching Fred continue to run Norton’s into the ground = Pricless

By kerrr

September 16, 2009 4:22 PM | Link to this

AMEN!!!

By matt vollmer

September 16, 2009 4:19 PM | Link to this

Kerr, I’m sure in Hope’s self absorbed world middle-class on down is considered “trash”.

By kerrr

September 16, 2009 4:15 PM | Link to this

and calling people you don’t even know trash, proves that your input means very little in our community!!!

By Pizzaman

September 16, 2009 4:14 PM | Link to this

GodFathers pizza should come back to that location!!!

By Pizzaman

September 16, 2009 4:13 PM | Link to this

GodFathers pizza should come back to that location!!!

By kerrr

September 16, 2009 4:08 PM | Link to this

who sits on here and complains…..people with no life!!

By obama_sucks

September 16, 2009 3:59 PM | Link to this

They won’t last 6 months in that location. Nortons food is nasty and over priced for their current dive location. Lincoln Park was an upscale establishment. You can polish a turd, but its still a turd. Lincoln Park could have done better.

By matt vollmer

September 16, 2009 3:59 PM | Link to this

One more thing hope, i’m sure your service was probably due to your pretentious better than everyone attitude…food for thought!

By Aaron

September 16, 2009 3:42 PM | Link to this

Just becuase Lincoln Park Grille was an over-priced, over-rated, pretentious restaurant does not mean its replacement should try to fit into that mold. Obviously times have changed and the Lincoln Park Grille formula did not equal success. Norton’s is a Bar and Grill. They have local bands on the weekends(hence the cover charge), blues reviews, karaoke, sports on the TVs, and Football on Sunday. Apples and oranges. The only fact is the Lincoln Park Grille failed. 22 years of price increases and catering to the top 2% will do that.

By matt vollmer

September 16, 2009 3:37 PM | Link to this

Hope, Just curious as to the last time you were in nortons? Who are these “trash”employees you speak off. Fred and Sandy did an excellent job of cleaning up the image of nortons and the staff is nothing but kind every time i go in their. So according to you i’m trash. The new nortons patrons and staff could care less what or how you feel.

By Hope

September 16, 2009 3:30 PM | Link to this

I REFUSE to step back inside Nortons. It is all nothing but trash. The employees are trash and so is the environment. I don’t agree AT ALL with moving the TRASH to a different area. Where they’re moving to is a very nice location, so, there goes the neighborhood.

By a l

September 16, 2009 3:01 PM | Link to this

Norton’s food had declined severely in the last ten years. As well as the service! And last time we tried to stop in to have a quick bite at 7:30 - they tried to charge a $5 cover for their band starting later - we didn’t want to stay for the band — amd we were not going to pay $10 just to be able to order some not so great food! Oh - and that breakfast - we tried it once after they started it - the ABSOLUTE worst breakfast I ever had!! To fit in at Lincoln Park - there better be some changes!

By Jack

September 16, 2009 2:56 PM | Link to this

Lincoln Park is up scale and norton’s definitely not. Doesn’t seem like a good fit unless they offer $8 martinis!

By null

September 16, 2009 2:55 PM | Link to this

Its not the landlord that let the old Norton’s go down it was Mcghee. Maybe he will drive Lincoln Park into the ground too.

By notbeemer

September 16, 2009 2:54 PM | Link to this

Relax! The lincoln park grill snooties apparently moved on to the Greene…anyway, Norton’s fare is great. Those of us who just want to have a good time with friends don’t want the snootie food anyway. As if the snooties never got a DUI….

By TKDGirl

September 16, 2009 2:48 PM | Link to this

I’m with living large.. The food is pretty crappy and I, personally, have had bad experiences with the service as well.

By kb

September 16, 2009 2:27 PM | Link to this

I think the neighborhood will demand that Norton’s improve their clientele. Moving in beside the PD might take care of the problem.

By Joe D

September 16, 2009 2:21 PM | Link to this

…hope that Anne Mantia has given them her blessing….

By BeerGuy

September 16, 2009 2:18 PM | Link to this

I wish them well but I hope they clean up their act. The old place was getting to be a dump and there were so many smokers (after the ban took place)it just added to the nasty dive feeling.

By davis

September 16, 2009 2:04 PM | Link to this

The old building is a dump. The landlord should fix up the place. Hopefully there will be not floaties in the draft beer at the new location. Or a bag of ice in my pitcher to keep it cold. And I hope the get better beer than the standard stuff served everywhere including the moon.

By living large

September 16, 2009 2:04 PM | Link to this

YUCK. What Sysco cuisine may we look forward to? Pizza? Fried wings, burgers,and more fried food? There goes the neighborhood.

By mtgolflady

September 16, 2009 1:27 PM | Link to this

No, we can’t have the Rockies for a backdrop in Kettering, but the Fraze still rocks!

By Read the fine print

September 16, 2009 1:25 PM | Link to this

Hey Boris, Fred said that the Fraze was the best OF ITS SIZE in the country - did you not catch that part? Red Rocks & Fraze aren’t even CLOSE in size, he wasn’t trying to the two.

By Sheryl Cowers

September 16, 2009 1:05 PM | Link to this

I’m with Doc. The owners and staff at Norton’s are good people, though. I hope the move serves them well.

By Pat

September 16, 2009 12:41 PM | Link to this

The Kettering police can subsidize Norton’s rent from the DUI’s they’ll pick up a block from the station.

By Earl

September 16, 2009 12:08 PM | Link to this

Nortons across the street from the Fraze. Hit there after an concert that has to end by 11:00. What a perfect match.

By Doc

September 16, 2009 12:05 PM | Link to this

I miss Lincoln Park Grill…