LORAIN, Ohio — Despite several restaurants closing in 2025 and concerns over the economy, a Cleveland barbecue spot is expanding and opening a second location.
Eighteen months ago, Sweet Pork Wilson’sopened at the corner of West 117th Street and Madison Avenue in Cleveland, now a prime location, is being prepped more than 20 miles away in the city of Lorain: 301 Lakeside Avenue.
For nearly 30 years, it was home to Jackalope Lakeside and then Erie Steak and Seafood Company.
“I love it, with this view out here, I mean, you can’t go wrong,” said co-owner Jason Brooks. “This is kind of an isolated population, you have a captive audience with the boaters out there, there’s no other barbecue restaurants out here.”
The beginning of 2025 was tough for the industry.
“You look at January and February and across the country, sales were down for restaurants compared to the same time a year ago,” said Ohio Restaurant and Hospitality AlliancePresident and CEO John Barker. “January was down about 2.5% and then February was down significantly, about 5.7%, those are big numbers.”
Barker said numbers for March are coming in positive.
He said the top three concerns for operators right now are the economy, sales growth and the workforce.
“Mom and pops really did have a hard time, but there are all kinds of exceptions to that,” he said.
Brooks sees what’s before him as an opportunity, and he’s hired back some of the staff who used to work at the previous restaurant.
“We’ve built a great culture at Sweet Pork Wilson’s, I love what I’m doing, I’m back there in the kitchen myself, getting my hands dirty and it’s working.”
He said the Lorain location will be a bit more seafood-focused because it's near the lake.
“But on the initial opening we’re going to have a condensed menu, we’re going to do our brisket, our pulled pork, our ribs, things that we can get out of the door really fast.”
The restaurant is scheduled to open mid-to-late May.
