Sean Kiser has always been in the restaurant business.
He got his first job at Wendy’s and later went on to manage a Buffalo Wild Wings while studying at Ohio University. He opened his own restaurant, Kiser’s Barbeque Express, in 2009 and a second location in The Plains three years after that.
Now, liquor license in hand, he’s trying to take his business to the next level.
“It will generally help in being more of a destination place,” Kiser said. “I expect the license to help us grow our events in that we can accommodate guests with beer and barbecue.”
The Chicago native decided to remain in Athens after graduating from OU with an English degree in 2005. Despite some challenges getting loan acquisitions because of the Great Recession, he opened the location at 1002 E. State St. in 2009.
His success allowed him to expand and open Kiser’s Barbeque at Eclipse in August 2012, where he is now co-owner and operator. The expansion gave Kiser’s a location for events, like weddings, brunches and concerts, in addition to the ability to cater more events because of now having two kitchens.
Now, after acquiring a liquor license in January, the Eclipse location has sold beer — including draft beers from Ohio Proud — wine and liquor for about a month.
In addition, the restaurant will expand its menu to include Southern foods, such as jambalaya.
Matt Mullins, spokesman at the state Division of Liquor Control, said the liquor licensing process is a 10- to 12-week process, during which the division notifies any public institution within 500 feet for the chance to object and request a hearing.
Since 1933 and the repeal of prohibition, Ohioans have had the ability to put questions of doubt about whether a particular alcohol product can be sold.
Checking the “weather dry status,” Mullins said, means that they look at all of the local votes going back to 1933 about what kinds of alcohol can be sold and when.
Kiser’s has a D1 permit, which, according to the division’s website, allows “beer only for on premises consumption or in original sealed containers for carry out only until 1 a.m.”
Raj Agnihotri, chair of OU’s marketing department and director of sales research at Schey Sales Centre at OU, said a liquor license can set a business up for great success.
He said that running a business is all about “product positioning” and what customers think about the business, adding that the license has potential to bring in more business and that it will align with their current offerings.
The Eclipse location, 11309 Jackson Drive in The Plains, is right off the Athens bike path, so Kiser said that he hopes this will allow students to come to that location.
Kiser said that despite the distance from campus, his customers at the Eclipse location are a mix of locals and students.
And the Express location offers delivery, so those on-campus can utilize that service.
But Kiser said he gets a joy from seeing people in his restaurant.
“I love when somebody comes in and eats, if it’s their first time or their hundredth time, and they always have a smile on their face…just when they say ‘Man, that was really good,’ ” he said.
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If You Go:
What: Kiser’s Eclipse
When: Friday and Sunday for the general public. Other days are typically booked for events.
Where: 11309 Jackson Drive in The Plains
What: Kiser’s Barbeque Express
Where: 1002 E. State St.
