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WILLIAMSTOWN – The owner of Runway Cafe, the new restaurant opening today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport, sees the location as not just a venue but also an attraction.
“It’s a spot to bring the whole family up to watch” planes taking off and landing, said Sean Bradley, a 2006 graduate of Williamstown High School.
Bradley, who majored in business management at Marshall University, said he’s worked in food service off and on for about 15 years. When he heard the airport was looking for someone to take over its restaurant, which closed just before Christmas, he saw it as an opportunity to run his own operation for the first time.
“I decided, ‘You know what? Let’s go for it,'” Bradley said.
The Runway Cafe will be open 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. seven days a week. Starting Monday, the adjoining coffee shop will have hours of 7:30-10:30 a.m.
“I think that’s a great idea because then it will catch folks coming to the first flight,” said airport Manager Jeff McDougle.
Bradley described the menu fare as “American diner.” It includes staples like hot dogs and hamburgers, along with chicken and veggie sandwiches, pork chops, beef tips, vegetable stir fry and more, plus a kids’ menu.
The restaurant will also feature a special of the day, the inaugural one being chicken, noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls.
The airport recently started looking for a new tenant at the restaurant after the previous operation, Wings, closed in December due to financial issues after less than a year. The airport purchased the equipment from the previous owner and increased the monthly rent from $300 to $450 to reflect the presence of that equipment.
The turn-key style of the operation was a help, Bradley said.
“This way, I don’t have to worry about what all’s going to be available, what I’m going to need to buy,” he said.
Five people will be working at the restaurant besides Bradley. He said he was experiencing a mixture of emotions as the opening day approached.
“Excited, nervous,” Bradley said. “Been a couple hiccups. Just rolling with the punches.”
For those interested in watching planes take off and land, the airport’s flight schedule can be viewed online at flymov.com/flight.html.