|
|
|
Portage Lakes, Ohio —
There was an overflow crowd of friends and well wishers to greet Max Guscoff on his last day of ownership at the popular Portage Lakes establishment Howie’s on the Lake on June 24.
Guscoff and his partner, Faris Karoue, bought Howie’s in 1973, and a few years later Guscoff bought his partner out and became the sole owner.
The mood at Howie’s was jovial, with friends and regular patrons stopping by to wish Guscoff well and toast him in his retirement after 39 years at Howie’s.
Guscoff hails from the Lake Cable area of Canton. He said that in his 39 1/2 years of owning Howie’s everything was enjoyable and he only had to call the police to handle a problem in the bar no more than a dozen times. He attributes his low incidence of problems to offering a place for families to get together and having good patrons as customers. New Franklin Police Chief Dan Davidson, who was sitting next to Guscoff, agreed.
Max’s wife Minka was the cook at Howie’s and is known for her Minka burgers.
“The burgers are made with all-natural meat and are broiled not fried,” Minka said.
She echoed Max’s thoughts of offering a family oriented establishment where friends gather.
Their children – Vanessa, Max and Vicky – were part of the business since they were young. During school breaks and summers they were part of the work crew. Mondays were always cleaning days and they were expected to pitch in to help make the business a success.
A collage of photos from Howie’s from 1973-2012, created by Vicky, sat at the entrance along with a guest book. Among the photos in the collage were a shot of the Fourth of July fireworks from Howie’s, their annual beef roast and the Pittsburgh Steelers games patrons come to watch on Sunday afternoons. Vicky said she selected photos that focused on food, friends, family and the Steelers.
The new owners, Eric Griffin and his father Roger Griffin, assumed ownership on June 25, which was Max’s 77th birthday. Max was planning to stay on board for a week to ensure a smooth transition.
Griffin grew up at the Portage Lakes and said Howie’s was his favorite place to stop for a burger and shoot some pool with his father. He and his father plan to make a few changes and look forward to continuing the tradition of food, family and friends.
There was an overflow crowd of friends and well wishers to greet Max Guscoff on his last day of ownership at the popular Portage Lakes establishment Howie’s on the Lake on June 24.
Guscoff and his partner, Faris Karoue, bought Howie’s in 1973, and a few years later Guscoff bought his partner out and became the sole owner.
The mood at Howie’s was jovial, with friends and regular patrons stopping by to wish Guscoff well and toast him in his retirement after 39 years at Howie’s.
Guscoff hails from the Lake Cable area of Canton. He said that in his 39 1/2 years of owning Howie’s everything was enjoyable and he only had to call the police to handle a problem in the bar no more than a dozen times. He attributes his low incidence of problems to offering a place for families to get together and having good patrons as customers. New Franklin Police Chief Dan Davidson, who was sitting next to Guscoff, agreed.
Max’s wife Minka was the cook at Howie’s and is known for her Minka burgers.
“The burgers are made with all-natural meat and are broiled not fried,” Minka said.
She echoed Max’s thoughts of offering a family oriented establishment where friends gather.
Their children – Vanessa, Max and Vicky – were part of the business since they were young. During school breaks and summers they were part of the work crew. Mondays were always cleaning days and they were expected to pitch in to help make the business a success.
A collage of photos from Howie’s from 1973-2012, created by Vicky, sat at the entrance along with a guest book. Among the photos in the collage were a shot of the Fourth of July fireworks from Howie’s, their annual beef roast and the Pittsburgh Steelers games patrons come to watch on Sunday afternoons. Vicky said she selected photos that focused on food, friends, family and the Steelers.
The new owners, Eric Griffin and his father Roger Griffin, assumed ownership on June 25, which was Max’s 77th birthday. Max was planning to stay on board for a week to ensure a smooth transition.
Griffin grew up at the Portage Lakes and said Howie’s was his favorite place to stop for a burger and shoot some pool with his father. He and his father plan to make a few changes and look forward to continuing the tradition of food, family and friends.
