Heather’s Place, formerly Athens Restaurant, will have its grand opening Wednesday, September 9.
This breakfast and lunch diner offers an Americana menu with homemade meals including signature plates created by co-owners – mother Heather Howell and her three daughters Brittaney Stiver, Rachell Vorhies and Emiley Howell.
One of the menu items called mom’s deluxe waffles includes mashed potatoes and gravy drizzled on a homemade waffle.
“Growing up on Christmas morning we always had homemade waffles,” Rachell said.
She recalls her mother adding mashed potatoes to her waffles. So, Rachell tried it years later.
“It is ten times better than I would have ever imagined,” she said.
A small legacy menu with Greek dishes is also included on the new menu. Plus, the owners have what they call a legacy room where a touch of Greece drapes the walls to honor the former owners.
Heather’s Place might be the new restaurant in the neighborhood, but this family has been a neighbor for decades.
Heather moved onto ninth street southwest when she was seven years old. She remembers as a child going with her mother to Dueber United Methodist Church, now known as Dueber Church, where her mom started a food pantry.
After graduating from Timken High School, Heather moved out of state and settled in Chicago for 15 years where she and her husband raised their children. When Heather’s father became terminally ill more than a decade ago, she moved her family back to Canton. Sadly, her husband and her father passed away the same year.
Heather started waiting tables at a local restaurant in Canton.
“Quickly after them hiring me, they wanted me to be the manager,” she said. “So, I actually ran the restaurant for the better part of 11 years.”
Three years ago, Heather started to have her own health struggles. Then, she had a stoke. She tried to continue managing the restaurant but eventually she had to let that go too. More recently, her daughter Brittaney discovered on Canton For All People’s Facebook page that the former Athens Restaurant building was for lease.
“I think when I saw it my biggest thing was, we are good at hospitality,” Brittaney said.
Heather submitted a proposal and told her daughters – “I want this for you guys. I think you guys would be wonderful at it. I can be the guiding force behind it for you, but I think it’s a great opportunity.”
And they went for it.
In addition to homemade meals, the family plans to help the community by adopting a family for Christmas and gathering donated hats and gloves for Canton City students.
Heather’s Place offers breakfast and lunch starting Wednesday, September 9. Days and times include Wednesday – Sunday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. The address is 816 Harrison Ave., NW, Canton OH 44706. You can follow them on Facebook at Heathers Place and on Instagram @heathersplaceohio.
