A few Akron businesses are making a difference far beyond serving great food.
Main Street Saloon and Upper Crust Pizza & Chicken (Barberton) have teamed up to address childhood hunger during the summer months. Through their efforts, they are ensuring that children in the community have access to nutritious meals while school is out.
Main Street Saloon: A Family Legacy of Community Support
Located in Akron, Main Street Saloon has been a community staple since 1985. Managed by Brooke Kennamore and owned by her mother, Marlene Denholm, the restaurant is known for its house-smoked BBQ, hand-cut steaks, and homemade side dishes.
But beyond their delicious offerings, the team at Main Street Saloon is committed to giving back to their community.
Brooke shared the inspiration behind their free lunch initiative, a program that has been running for over a decade: “My grandfather had the idea about feeding the kids about 10 years ago. He was young and hungry at times. He always wanted to make sure people were fed because he knew what it was like.”
What started as a simple effort has grown significantly, with Main Street Saloon now feeding around 100 to 150 kids per day during the summer months.
This year, from June 3 through August 6, Main Street Saloon offers free lunches to kids, Monday through Friday from noon to 2 pm. Children can walk into the restaurant and receive a sack lunch, no questions asked.
“This has actually really grown in the past couple years. We have given away 2,600 total lunches so far this year!” Brooke proudly shared.
Visit Main Street Saloon at 1481 South Main Street, Akron, OH, and follow them on Facebook
Upper Crust Pizza & Chicken: A Newcomer Making a Big Impact
Upper Crust Pizza & Chicken’s Barberton location may be relatively new to the scene, but they are already making a significant impact.
Co-owner and operator Briana Flanagan, who has over 16 years of experience in the pizza industry, joined Main Street Saloon’s initiative last year. What began as a one-time donation has turned into a weekly commitment, with Upper Crust providing 100 lunches every Friday throughout the summer.
Briana was inspired to get involved after seeing the efforts of Brooke and Main Street Saloon. “I saw that Brooke was a young woman in the industry doing big things, and that speaks volumes for me. After hearing the backstory that her dad started it and she wanted to continue his legacy, I was excited to try to help,” Briana said.
Briana’s team of 15 employees is committed to making a difference. “It’s definitely fun for us to plan the menu and spend designated time together making it. For me, I’m truly just doing my part in making sure hunger isn’t a reason for a kid to succeed,” Briana added.
The team keeps the giving going by also donating to homeless shelters, local nonprofits, school organizations and more.
Visit Upper Crust’s Barberton location at 1378 Wooster Rd W, Barberton, OH, follow them on Facebook and Instagram, and visit their website
A Collaborative Effort for a Greater Cause
The partnership between Main Street Saloon and Upper Crust is just one example of how local businesses have come together to address community needs. In addition to Upper Crust, other Akron-area businesses like Dominos in Tallmadge and Akron Bible Church have contributed to the effort, providing food and donations.
Both Brooke and Briana emphasized the importance of giving back to the community.
As Brooke mentioned, “We want to thank all of the volunteers that have reached out and taken time out of their days to help us pack bags, make sandwiches, and pass out lunches.”
Briana echoed this sentiment, stating, “My business can’t succeed in a community that’s failing, and we ask the community to support our businesses, so why shouldn’t it work both ways?”
How You Can Help
The impact of this initiative is clear, but Main Street Saloon relies on the support of the community. While they currently have enough volunteers for this year, they welcome food items or monetary donations to help keep the program running.
If you’d like to get involved, call Main Street Saloon at 330-724-8855. And be sure to follow their Facebook Page for future updates.
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