The Gather space will be transformed into Lucho, a fast-casual concept with tacos, burritos and a mezcal/espresso bar.
The Dessert Room, a nostalgic after-dinner destination focused solely on elevated desserts and post-meal cocktails, will move into the former gallery space of Gather.
“For the past 22 months, Gather by Ghostlight has had the incredible honor of welcoming our community into the historic Dayton Arcade — a space that’s always represented the heart and hope of our city. To be even a small part of its revitalization has meant the world to us," Anderson wrote in a social media post. “While we’re stepping out of this space, this is not a closing. This is a transition.”
Anderson, who has more than 15 years of hospitality experience, is teaming up with Charlie Carroll and the Hospitalité Group as a creative officer for Table 33, Tipp City Pizza and the two new restaurants.
“Shane helped breathe life into the Arcade. His ability to build meaningful spaces — through coffee, food and connection — has been invaluable,” Carroll said. “We’re excited to keep that momentum going with something completely fresh.”
A fast-casual Mexican concept is coming soon
Credit: Contributed Photo
Credit: Contributed Photo
From Lucho, guests can expect breakfast tacos, burritos and bowls served daily from 7 to 11:30 a.m. Examples include:
- El Mercado (chorizo verde, scrambled egg, roasted poblano, fried potato, queso fresco and cilantro crema)
- Gringo Ranchero (scrambled egg, bacon or sausage, cheddar cheese and pico de gallo)
Lunch and dinner tacos include:
- Taco de la Tierra (grilled cactus, black beans, huitlacoche crema, fried leeks and cotija)
- El Norteno (adobo marinated pork shoulder, smoked onion, tomatillo salsa and crispy cheese skirt)
The Hospitalité Group is working with Arrow Wine to bring in 25 different tequilas and 25 different mezcals.
Drinks range from the Flor de Fuego with hibiscus-infused tequila, jalapeno, lemon and basil to the Cafe con Cuerpo with espresso, coffee liqueur, mezcal and Mexican vanilla.
“We think there’s a need for it. We think that people love Tex-Mex Mexican food that is done well. That’s affordable. That’s fast. That has some flair to it,” Carroll said. “We want to be like Mexico City street fair that’s well thought out and executed quickly.”
While the name and flavors may be changing, Lucho will still carry pieces of Gather’s coffee culture forward.
This space, which is just under 3,000 square feet, seating almost 90 people, is expected to be remodeled in about two to three weeks.
The meaning behind the name
The name Lucho means “the struggle” or “the fight.”
“Everything about the restaurant industry the last five years has been a struggle, and you can see that in how many are going out of business,” Carroll said. “There’s something in restaurateurs and people in food and beverage — they are so committed to serving people that they rather risk losing it all than not having the opportunity to serve people.”
Credit: Contributed Photo
Credit: Contributed Photo
Lucho also serves as a nickname for the name Luis, which is the Spanish equivalent of Louis or Louie.
Carroll’s family used to have a Frenchie named Louie that had a big, strong personality and helped them through a really tough time. The dog died suddenly from a rare spine disease. He will be remembered through details at the restaurant, including the logo.
An intimate space specializing in desserts and cocktails
Credit: Contributed Photo
Credit: Contributed Photo
The Dessert Room concept by The Hospitalité Group is inspired by Carroll’s love of Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, Fla. He said they have their own dessert room where they move people out of their formal dining room to an entirely different space.
“With The Dessert Room, we want dessert to get full-time attention,” Carroll said. “When people call into Table 33 and make a reservation for dinner, we will ask them if they want to eat at The Dessert room as well.”
Guests can expect desserts that their grandparents used to make such as apple pies, peanut butter pies, banana cream pies, banana splits, pineapple upside down cakes and much more.
“We’re on the hunt for someone who wants their name to be associated with dessert,” Carroll said.
The nearly 1,800-square-foot space, seating up to 65 people, will be open Friday and Saturday nights. It will serve as a private event space throughout the week.
The Dessert Room is expected to be remodeled in about three to four weeks.
Sharing resources
“With all three concepts right next to each other, we’ll be able to share resources in a way that allows us to give more to the customer and their experience,” Carroll said. “We’re going to be able to leverage our partnerships through Table 33 with where we’re getting some of our ingredients.”
Table 33 sources their beef, chicken, dairy, eggs and vegetables from local farmers and producers within less than 15 miles of downtown Dayton.
“There’s value in supporting local economies and ecosystems, not just from a financial standpoint, but even from a health and relationship standpoint,” Carroll said. “We’re deeply committed to that.”
Table 33 sources eggs from Everett Farms in Xenia and meat from The Maker’s Meadow in West Alexandria. By doing it this way, less than five pairs of hands have touched the ingredients that guests consume.
“We believe in the magic of local business owned and operated by local operators, keeping other local operators, farmers in business,” Carroll said. “The only way that happens is when the community knows how important they are to supporting this ecosystem.”
Focusing on employee development
The Hospitalité Group is also putting their employees at the forefront.
Carroll said their HR department is working on developing extensive personnel profiles to help their employees across all four concepts better know who they are and what their gifts are.
“Then, our desire is that each of the employees in each location get to spend time throughout the quarter in each space,” he said.
This will allow them to learn new skills and collaborate.
Other things the group is working towards includes higher pay, health benefits and incentives.
“We believe that they are the heart of the concept and the more energy we invest in them, the more energy they’re going to invest in our guests,” Carroll said. “The more energy that is invested in our guests, the more energy our guests will invest in us — keeping us alive.”
The Hospitalité Group offered jobs to the employees of Gather and plan to continue to pay them during the remodel.
Bringing back that pre-pandemic excitement
“I continue to invest money and time in hospitality for multiple reasons to include: I think downtown Dayton is worth it,” Carroll said. “There are other people that are putting more resources into downtown to say they believe the same.”
He’s committed to following through and finishing what he started 10 years ago when Table 33 began remodeling the space at 33 N. Ludlow St.
“We want to give people more opportunities and more reasons to come downtown and dine,” Carroll said. “Table was at its peak revenue wise in fall of 2019 and there was so much excitement downtown.”
With all of the development in recent years, Carroll said there’s still not that same level of excitement just yet.
“Some of this is like an intentional desire from those of us that have been downtown for a while to try to ... get the momentum back” Carroll said.
When asked if he’s seeing more people come downtown, Carroll said he thinks it’s in the beginning stages. His guess is there will be more people this fall.
The Dayton Arcade consists of nine interconnected buildings that offer housing, offices, retail, restaurants, hotel rooms and other amenities.
Cross Street Partners, which is redeveloping the Dayton Arcade with the Model Group and McCormack Baron Salazar, is focused on completing the North Arcade retail marketplace.
Lucho and The Dessert Room will join several other businesses coming soon to the Arcade, including Luke’s Custom Cakes, Nook & Needle and Smales Pretzel Bakery.
Table 33 recovering
Table 33 is temporarily closed for cleanup and repairs after a small fire occurred in a residential unit above the restaurant on June 12.
Carroll said the dining room had to be gutted, which was unexpected.
The restaurant does not have a reopening date at this time, but hopes to at least open the bistro side in three to four weeks. All 26 employees have continued to be paid during the restaurant’s closure.
The fire occurred weeks after Table 33 loss half of their revenue during NATO week due to a decrease in customers. Between both events, it’s going to cost the Hospitalité Group six figures, Carroll said.
For more information and updates, visit table33dayton.com or the restaurant’s Facebook or Instagram pages (@table33dayton).
About the Author
