New Restaurant Eyes Vacant Winking Lizard Site

The owner of the plaza at 25 Ghent Road is remodeling part of the shopping center so a new restaurant will move in.

Sandra Noll, who owns the plaza, said Ray's Place, a popular casual eatery in downtown Kent, is interested in opening a second location in Fairlawn.

Ray's Place would take over the former Winking Lizard space, left vacant when that restaurant moved to Copley Township. 

The Fairlawn Planning Commission gave the OK last week for a $70,000 renovation to the exterior of the plaza.

Architect David Pelligra said renovating the southwest corner of the shopping center will create "a continuous look" at the plaza. 

"It never had the same facade treatment as the other two sides of the building," Pelligra said.

The commission approved the upgrade unanimously, but said the pole sign in front of the Winking Lizard will have to be taken down and replaced with a ground sign.

It's one of the few pole signs left in Fairlawn, which started phasing them out years ago.

Pelligra said the renovation work will start in August so Ray's Place can move in quickly.

"We're hoping for a fall opening," he said.