The Over Hang stopped serving food in late 2015, in part because construction on a roundabout cost the owner $65,000 in lost sales.
Frequenters of The Over Hang have probably noticed something different about the bar this academic year: there’s no food.
Business owners closed the kitchen after losing money because of city construction near its other business, W.G. Grinders, 120 W. Union St.
Sales declined during the summer, Eric Moss, owner of The Over Hang 63 N. Court St. and W.G. Grinders said, when the city blocked a portion of West Union Street to construct a roundabout near Smith Street. He said the project kept customers away, causing the business to lose an estimated $65,000 in revenue.
“It’s hard to make up $65,000,” Moss said “It’s easy to lose it, but it’s hard to make it up.”
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The Over Hang might bring food back, but it’s more “economically sound” to leave the establishment as a full-service bar for now.
Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl acknowledged the construction could have hurt Moss’s business, but he said that’s not unusual.
“It probably impacted him, but every construction site has that impact,” Wiehl said. “You can’t dance while you’re trying to change your pants at the same time. We do our best.”
The work was supposed to last three weeks, but ended up taking more than double that, Moss said. Wiehl said he isn’t sure exactly how long the project took.
Moss emphasized that his businesses are in “good shape,” but said the decision to stop serving food at The Over Hang — which has been open since 2013 — was an attempt to streamline the business and make up those lost dollars.
Moss added he’d love to bring back The Over Hang’s menu, which he helped craft, but said he’s stuck playing “catch up” for now. The bar still has all of its kitchen equipment.
Currently, The Over Hang’s website reads under its menu section: “We no longer serve food.”
“I didn’t know they stopped serving food,” said Cami Pavain, an Ohio University junior studying psychology. “That kind of sucks.”
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Moss said he has had customers tell him they miss the food — mostly composed of burgers and quesadillas — though he insists it hasn’t hurt the bar’s sales.
“It kind of makes me sad,” Pavain added. “There’s not that many places to eat around campus anyway and it was nice to have a little change-up, especially because The Over Hang was a newer bar.”
@JeremyHTweets
jh082913@ohio.edu
