Getting 'Saucy' in Sandusky

SANDUSKY — They're brewing up something special. On May 27, Saucy Brew Works Sandusky unveiled its restaurant in downtown Sandusky. It's located in the former Zinc Brasserie site on East Water Street. This past week, the eatery began offering its dinner menu. Come Monday, it'll be open for lunch. Saucy Coffee, meanwhile, debuted Friday. It's located in an adjoining site once home to Boom Town Coffee. Going forward, these side-by-side entities should remain operational seven days a week. Crews broke ground on the project about two months ago, and they worked at a feverish pace, getting these affiliated businesses ready for their openings, said Brent Zimmerman, the co-founder and CEO of Saucy Brew Works, a Cleveland-headquartered production brewery and brewpub. Beyond full meals — most notably, pork shank and vegetable linguini — Brent previewed the restaurant's food options. It will feature appetizers, pizza, salads, sandwiches and other items. "We will continue in the tradition of having an elevated menu," said Brent, stressing how he wanted to continue offering an upscale dining experience at this property just like Zinc did. "The executive chef, Andrew Gorski, we are partnering with has a decorated industry experience in multiple states — including Ohio, Nevada, New York, Hawaii — and is a seasoned veteran," Brent added. Brent then hinted at future developments. "There will be a Phase 2 here, which we will start this winter," Brent said. "Hopefully, there will be an outdoor beer garden on the backside (overlooking Shoreline Drive) right by the bike path. We are still figuring out what that will look like." Looking ahead, Brent also noted Saucy intends on maintaining a friendly atmosphere. Locals and tourists alike can partake in trivia nights, wine and beer tastings along with live music. "This will be a very active location," Brent said. Brent and his business partners want to honor the late Cesare Avallone, who owned Zinc and Boom Town up until his automobile-related death in November 2021. Both eateries closed following his untimely passing. "Stay tuned as we work to determine an appropriate way to celebrate Cesare's life and contribution to making Sandusky a great place to live and play," said Bob Hare, a managing member with Sandusky Renaissance Properties. Since 2012, Renaissance has owned the building previously Zinc and Boom Town and now Saucy properties. Making sense of the dollars and cents Brent pegged the project's overall price tag at about $300,000. To help offset the private investment, Sandusky's government, with approval coming from city commissioners, recently provided $47,500 in local economic development funds. Officials gave the grant on a couple of conditions. For starters, in its application, Saucy outlined a plan to employ an average of 18 full-time-equivalent employees. And, just as important, work vowed to spruce up a notable downtown structure with new flooring, paint, signage and additional amenities. "The project will revive the (former) Zinc and Boom Town location with a contemporary concept that has proven to be successful in other cities," said Jonathan Holody, the city's community development director. This marks Brent's second major investment in Sandusky this year. Back in March, he, his brother, Joshua, and their father, Greg, unveiled The Washington to community members. Totaling $2.5 million, this undertaking involved transforming a prominent three-story-tall city home on East Washington Street into a place where tourists can stay in one of eight bookable rooms. Brent and his business partners feel comfortable in Sandusky's direction and political landscape to make these sizable financial commitments with more on the way. "We are drawn to Sandusky due to its walkability, proximity to Lake Erie and all the outdoor activities that come with life on the lake," Brent said. "We were also drawn to Sandusky due to its leadership and progressive attitude toward growth."