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@ the Square to celebrate grand opening Wednesday

Increased activity downtown prompts eatery to expand operation from three days a week to six.

Mel Kutzera is the operations manager of the @ the Square restaurant in Middletown, which has its grand opening Wednesday.

Staff photo by Pat Auckerman Mel Kutzera is the operations manager of the @ the Square restaurant in Middletown, which has its grand opening Wednesday.

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer Updated 10:00 AM Tuesday, May 3, 2011

MIDDLETOWN — Residents may have a new reason to come downtown as a new restaurant will begin offering six-days-a-week service.

Located at 1045 Central Ave., @ the Square has been officially opened since February but was only offering dinner dining Thursday through Saturday.

With the Broad Street Bash nearing and the Pendleton Art Center hosting First Friday open house art events down the street, Operations Manager Mel Kutzera said now is the perfect time to “tie everything together” by expanding the restaurant’s hours.

“For me I think people are ready to come downtown, they just need a reason to,” Kutzera said. “When you take into account First Fridays and the bash, it makes a marked difference in people coming in for food.”

The grand opening begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and guests will be treated to champagne and specialty food items. The event also will feature a sneak preview of the future rooftop dining area, Kutzera said.

Following the ribbon-cutting, @ the Square will be open from 5 to 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

The restaurant can seat about 30 people now, but the new rooftop area will more than double @ the Square’s capacity by 40 diners. The area will provide a more casual dining setting with a bar and many grilled menu items, Kutzera said.

“I think it just opens up our opportunities instead of down here where we are constrained to a normal dining vibe,” she said.

The new space also will offer exclusive views to the Broad Street Bash and be open to reservations for the MidFirst Ohio Balloon Challenge viewing, she said.

For more information, call the restaurant at (513) 422-4400.