Station 400 to open second restaurant at Lakewood Ranch

LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Station 400, a breakfast-and-lunch restaurant in a vintage 1852 railroad depot building at 400 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota, is opening a second restaurant at Lakewood Ranch Main Street.

Owner Eric Bein, the 29-year-old owner of Station 400, signed the lease for the former Serving Spoon property last week, and was working with a crew Monday to clean up the space. The previous tenant, The Serving Spoon, closed in June.

“We have a lot of work to do. We are anxious to get in there and get started,” said Bein, a Cardinal Mooney High School and Culinary Institute of America graduate.

While Station 400 at Lakewood Ranch won’t be located in a renovated railroad depot, like the one in Sarasota, which was disassembled in Kentland, Ind., brought south, and reassembled, it will have plenty of rail ambience.

Planned features include copper-topped tables, rail light fixtures and dark woods, Bein said Monday.

“We are about value and quality. We are pushing to provide great food in a great atmosphere and not break the customer’s wallet,” Bein said.

Most meals at the family style service restaurant sell for less than $10. The breakfast menu includes a variety of egg; grain and cereal dishes; and pancakes. Lunch offerings include soups, salads and sandwiches. There are adult and child menu items.

Bein is aiming for a Nov. 1 opening, if not sooner, and envisions hiring a staff of about two dozen.

While Bein is all about serving high quality food, he wants his staff to have bright, smiling faces and friendly personalities.

He is also drawing from local farmers, including P&P Farm in Myakka City and King Farm in East Manatee, to ensure fresh ingredients.

Bein began considering a Lakewood Ranch location after one of his customers complained about the drive to Sarasota.

Bein checked out The Serving Spoon location and decided it would work well with his concept for Station 400.

Brian Kennelly, president of Lakewood Ranch Commercial Realty, did some checking of his own, eating breakfast and lunch at Station 400, before deciding that the restaurant would be a good fit for Lakewood Ranch.

“I was very impressed by the food and the operator,” Kennelly said.

“We were fortunate to have several qualified restaurants looking at the space at the same time. I see it as a positive sign for the market,” Kennelly said.

Bein said, yes, the economy has plenty of challenges right now, but that he thinks the best time to grow is when times are tough.

He and his wife, Ellie, also from Sarasota, recently welcomed their first child, Mayla Rose.

Lakewood Ranch Main Street has one remaining restaurant space -- next door to Lakewood Ranch Cinemas -- and is working on a lease for that space, Kennelly said.

James A. Jones Jr., East Manatee editor, can be contacted at 745-7021.

This story was originally published August 23, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Station 400 to open second restaurant at Lakewood Ranch."