Springboro restaurant closure is ‘temporary,’ owner’s daughter says

‘Unplanned setbacks’ forced The Highland Stag to suspend operations weeks ago

The Highland Stag restaurant and pub that opened more than two years ago in Springboro has not been open to the public for more than two months, but its manager says the closure is only temporary.

“We are NOT permanently closed,” manager Heather MacKenzie told this news outlet in response to an inquiry. “We are temporarily closed due to some unplanned setbacks that occurred.”

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MacKenzie, who is the daughther of Highland Stag owner Ann MacKenzie, declined to elaborate on the nature of the unplanned setbacks.

A hand-written sign taped to the window by the restaurant’s entrance says the restaurant “is currently closed for hood and ventilation repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience. We look forward to seeing all of you soon!”

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A June 22 post on The Highland Stag’s Facebook page says the “hood ventilation is fixed, but still tweaking the A/C and some other minor details. In the down time we have decided to change up the menu a little ... Stay tuned.”

When The Highland Stag opened in May 2017, a release sent out by a spokesman for the restaurant said operating Celtic restaurants runs in the family of The Highland Stag's operators.

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Owner Ann MacKenzie comes from a line of restaurateurs in Gorebridge, Scotland, the spokesman said in the release. She owned the Willow Plate Café, which operated on the main street in Gorebridge, Scotland, a former mining village southeast of Edinburgh.

“The torch has been passed and the legacy continues now on the Main Street of Springboro,” the May 2017 release said.

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The Highland Stag seats about 95 inside and more on a patio. The space previously held SG@75 Gastropub, formerly called the Soooo Good Bar & Grill. That pub closed in September 2016 after a three-and-a-half-year run.

The bar was said to offer an extensive beer, wine and liquor list with an emphasis — naturally — on Scotch. Owners said plans called for the restaurant to host special dinners; fund-raising events for local non-profit organizations; and wine-, beer-, and Scotch-tasting events.

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