New Gold Star on Hamilton's west side is open and has an expanded menu
Jun. 6—A relocated Hamilton west side Gold Star restaurant is now open and is much larger than its former location on Main Street.
It is in a plaza on North Brookwood Avenue that will see explosive growth in the next few years. A Valvoline is being built nearby, next to Wendy's and a newly announce Kroger Marketplace will be close, too.
The Gold Star is corporate-owned as it replaces a building owned by now-former franchisee Carlo Salem, who is retiring.
Gold Star Chili CEO Roger David said the work to select a location and build it took at least five years. However, it's been his priority for just about his entire 10-year tenure as CEO. Plans for the project were approved by Hamilton City Council in 2023.
"It's very, very rewarding to be here," he said.
David said patrons will notice a few things walking through the door, one being "an elevated level of hospitality." Another is an expanded menu, which in addition to the classic conies and ways, the restaurant will serve single and double burgers, deckers, fried chicken sandwiches, milkshakes and garlic parmesan fries, which David says "are the best in the city."
The westside Hamilton store is a little bigger than the newer prototype restaurants being built over the past few years. The new Gold Star store replaced an old Pizza Hut, but David said they used that pizza restaurant's existing footprint, which resulted in a bigger space.
"It has a tremendous dining room in there, we can accommodate a large group," he said.
Gold Star plans to continue its partnership with community groups, including the schools, churches "and any organization that congregates."
"We'll be a part of whatever their needs may be," he said.
But helping with food banks and pantries is where the 60-year-old restaurant chain "really, really leans in heavily."
"Understanding community needs is kind of where it starts, but with hunger, that's typically where we lean in a little heavier," he said.
While the North Brookwood Gold Star has been open for a couple of weeks, the Cincinnati-based chain will formally celebrate its opening the weekend of Aug. 9 and 10, where guests can get free cheese coneys with the purchase of a drink, and chances to win free burgers for a year.
The restaurant is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 108 N. Brookwood Ave.
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