Quaker Steak & Lube will move to new Erie location
Scott Enterprises couldn't say no to an offer to lease the building that was home to Quaker Steak & Lube. Now, the restaurant is coming back.
Today in History for January 24thHighlights of Today in History: James Marshall finds a gold nugget; Winston Churchill dies; Ted Bundy is executed; Thurgood Marshall dies; John Belushi born.Have you missed Quaker Steak & Lube where patrons are asked to sign a release form before eating the hottest chicken wings on the menu?The restaurant's absence from the Erie area turned out to be a short one. Quaker Steak & Lube, known for its chicken wings and motorsports-themed décor, reopens Friday in a new location.In August, Scott Enterprises announced that it would close its long-time longtime restaurant at 7851 Peach St.More:Erie Quaker Steak & Lube to close; owner Nick Scott Sr. got offer he 'couldn't refuse'Nick Scott Sr., president of the family-owned business, said Scott Enterprises had received an offer to lease the building, located just north of Interstate 90 in Summit Township, that was too good to refuse.Scott Enterprises, which owns numerous hotels and restaurants as well as Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park, has since confirmed that the building will be leased for use as a medical marijuana dispensary.Scott said it didn't take him long to question the wisdom of closing what fans call The Lube, a franchise outpost of the chicken wing chain that was born in 1974 in a former service station in Sharon.Pangs of regret began as he watched an auction to sell off some of the relics of the restaurant."I had this sinking feeling after 22 years that the concept was going away," he said.
"It was really the first (franchise) entry into the chicken wing phenomenon that was starting to sweep the country."More:Erie's Odis 12 to spread its wings with expanded location. Renovation could take 4 monthsScott said he thought particularly of the restaurant's popularity among young families who came to Erie to visit Splash Lagoon. He imagined they might miss it."We were at a pivot point," Scott said.
"I said I don't think we should let this go. I think we should consider moving it forward."That's what will happen Friday, when Quaker Steak & Lube reopens at 8071 Peach St. in a space, connected to Splash Lagoon, that has been occupied since 2014 by Hooch & Blotto's, a sports bar featuring duckpin bowling.More:Wanna go out late? Some Erie places might be open, but you should call first"Hooch had a good run, but the Lube can do better," Scott said.
The eight-lane bowling alley will remain in operation.The Lube, which is thought to have 42 locations, was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2016 by Travel Centers of America for $25 million. The truck stop company subsequently sold the chain in April of 2021 for $5 million.The current owner of the chain is JDK Management, which Scott said is controlled by Lube franchisees.Contact Jim Martin at EMAIL.