On the web:
After several years working with her family in Las Vegas’ competitive restaurant industry, Abbey Sayegh is confident she can bring new life to a previously vacant space on Upper Valley Pike.
Abbey’s Mediterranean Cuisine, 1236 Upper Valley Pike, is the first restaurant Sayegh has owned on her own. But she and her family spent several years working in Las Vegas restaurants owned by her brother and brother-in-law, so she knows how challenging the business can be.
After three months of renovations, the new Mediterranean restaurant opened last week. An outdoor hookah tobacco bar is also in the restaurant’s plans for this summer.
“I’ve always dreamed to have my own restaurant, and it’s a family business,” Sayegh said. “It’s a dream come true.”
Originally from Jordan, Sayegh lived in Nevada for several years, but moved to Ohio with her husband to look for new business opportunities. The family eventually settled on Springfield because of the opportunity they saw here, noting there are few other similar restaurants in the area.
The site recently housed Mi Jalapeno, a Mexican restaurant that closed after several problems, including health violations. A second Mexican restaurant that opened in the same space also failed, but Sayegh said the site can be successful with a fresh start.
She remodeled and decorated the interior with a Middle Eastern theme, and envisions the new restaurant as a place where families can sit down for traditional Mediterranean dishes like chicken shawarma, hummus and shish kabobs.
Overall, the business will have eight or nine employees, including her son Matthew and daughter Merva. It will initially be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and will remain open slightly later on Fridays and Saturdays, depending on the crowds.
“I’m very flexible in the beginning just to know what the customer wants,” Sayegh said.
The restaurant is now advertising with a Facebook page, but Merva has graphic design experience, and the restaurant will eventually have a website. Employees will also likely distribute flyers at area colleges and universities, Sayegh said. A hookah tobacco bar will likely be available on the restaurant’s outdoor patio once the weather warms next month, she said.
In the long run, Sayegh said she wants to make the restaurant successful enough that her children can take it over when she eventually retires.
“I just need a little trust from the customers to try my food,” she said. “I’m sure once they try they will be back.”
About the Author