Root beer stand reopens

The long awaited revival of a Lima Avenue root beer stand came to fruition Monday morning as the new owners prepared for their opening day. The former Lima Avenue Root Beer Stand reopened under Stan Miller as the Miller's Root Beer & BBQ Stand at 11 a.m. Monday. He bought the stand earlier this year from 20-plus-year owners Bud and Terri Ram, and also owns Miller's Meats, BBQ & Catering on Trenton Avenue. Miller's Root Beer & BBQ Stand, formerly known as the Lima Avenue Root Beer Stand, opens up for customers on Monday at 830 Lima Ave. in Findlay. ANGELA LAROSA / The Courier When he announced his plans to reopen the root beer stand in February, Miller planned to continue the old stand's Spanish dogs and other fare but wanted to incorporate some of the barbecue meals he offers at his Trenton Avenue business. Miller announced the opening day earlier this week and customers were racing to be the first ones to try it. One customer, Kevin Yingling, was a big fan of the original stand. He said he was upset when it closed down due to the pandemic and worker shortage by mid-2021. "I came here all the time," Yingling said. "I was trying to be the first customer here." Yingling, who waited about 10 minutes in the lot for Miller's Root Beer to open, ordered two Spanish dogs and a root beer. Miller has been a professional chef for over 25 years. He took over Miller's Meats, which recently celebrated its 35th anniversary, from his uncle about three years ago. "I have history in it because my mother retired from Cooper," Miller said. "I can remember going there as a child from years back. Tthere's a lot of history there for me to bring it back." Miller said he will be his own supplier too. "All the burgers will be fresh-ground burgers, which not all places do anymore," he said. "I keep hot dogs (at Miller's Meats). So it should be a fairly easy transition." The new restaurant is being managed by Rachelle Sanchez, who has accumulated about 18 years of experience at the root beer stand. The hours are Monday through Thursday from 11-8 p.m and from 11-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.