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BY ANDREW R. THOMAS
Childhood friends Matt Harper and Eddie Cerino have spent the last ten years fulfilling a life-long dream of owning a restaurant together. For nearly a decade, the two Broadview Heights natives have built Eddieís Creekside Restaurant into one of Brecksvilleís most recognized eateries. Most recently, the partners have successfully launched another restaurant venture--San Francisco Oven.
Harper and Cerino grew up two-houses apart from each other on Marianna Street. During high school, the two neighbors worked together at the restaurant of Eddieís grandmother--Carrie Cerinoís in North Royalton. Matt graduated from BBHHS in 1977, Eddie a year later. Matt went on to major in business at Kent State and spent several years working in the freight delivery industry. Eddie studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Eddie returned to work at his grandmotherís restaurant and opened up Fast Eddieís Restaurant in Parma Heights in the late 1980ís. In 1991, the developers of the Millside Center development in Brecksville approached Eddie with the idea of opening another restaurant there. In 1992, Fast Eddieís opened in Brecksville.
However, it became clear as time wore on that the 1950ís-soda shop concept that had worked well in Parma Heights was not going over so well in Brecksville. In 1993, it was decided that Fast Eddieís Restaurant would go upscale. Eddieís partner was bought out by his old friend Matt, and what is today known as Eddieís Creekside was born.
Following up their success, the two friends dedicated a few years to exploring a rising trend in the restaurant business--a concept that is described as ìfast casual.î With time-stressed Americans eating out more due to necessity--2001 was the first year when Americans spent
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Eddie Cerino and Matt Harper, partners and long-time friends in the restaurant business, take on a new challenge.
more at restaurants than on groceriesóthe notion of something between fast-food and full-service began to take hold across the country. New chains like Panera, Chipolte, and Baja Fresh were springing up all over America.
In order to enter this high-growth market, the partners explored a number of possibilities and, with the help of Louis & Partners, a nationally recognized marketing and brand development agency located in nearby Bath, San Francisco Oven was created.
With an eclectic menu based on the cuisine that made the city of San Francisco world famous, the new restaurant caters primarily to a lunch and dinner crowd. The first San Francisco Oven was opened in 2001 in Willoughby. Most recently, the first franchise agreement was signed with Broadview Heights native Bob Rohde, a 30-year McDonaldís executive. Rohde will be opening his restaurant in downtown Columbus at the Capitol Square Building. Several more franchise agreements are in the works an
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d corporate stores are being planned for Hudson and Beachwood.
Fans of Eddieís Creekside should be assured that the Brecksville institution is not going anywhere. According to Harper, a long-term lease was signed with Millside Center that keeps the popular restaurant here for the long-term. In fact, adds Harper, the offices for San Francisco Oven are headquartered at Eddieís Creekside.
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