Uptown stoked about Berry's reopening

NORWALK — People in the uptown area are psyched about the imminent reopening of Berry's on Main. "It's nice to have a hometown staple opening back up because they bring a lot of people from all over," said Rena Arter, manager of Arter Home Furnishings. "They created a void when they left and it's nice to see them filling that void." Ken Missler, owner of The Diamond Collection, agreed with Arter. "Anytime you can fill a storefront, it's an asset for all of us," Missler said. JoLynn Stallings, owner of 24/7 Christian Family Store, said she thinks the news of Berry's reopening is wonderful. "I love our downtown area and reopening this historic icon is really exciting," Stallings said. She also praised the chamber and the city for the work they've done to have a lively downtown. "They're doing a really great job in keeping it active down here," Stallings said. Huron County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kevin Rasnick also said it was nice that Berry's was planning to reopen soon. "Obviously, the chamber is excited for them and for the area," Rasnick said. "(Berry's new owners) worked really hard to get to this point and the chamber and the community is ready to support them." Berry's on Main new owner Carlyn Wall posted about Berry's imminent opening on her Facebook page last week. She did not say when the much-loved restaurant will reopen, but she did say, "It should not be much longer." She also addressed the question about why it has taken so long for Berry's to reopen. "There has been a lot of speculation as to why it has taken so long to open," Wall wrote. "The answer is simple. It has taken a long time because there was so much to do. This is a huge undertaking." One sign that the restaurant would be opening sooner rather than later was that Berry's opened up as refreshments were served to people after the unveiling of the Paul Brown statue on Oct. 21.