“The reason for this is that we are expanding our operation to a larger facility on the west side of Clark County. We will continue the restaurant there at the new location and add venue services and possibly even be able to provide off-site catering services,” Mike Berner said.
The new future location will be called The Grand Piano at 376 Quick Road in New Carlisle, which was a former Fraternal Order of Eagles Clubhouse. It has a New Carlisle address but sits right outside of it in Clark County.
Although the new restaurant will be similar to Cecil & Lime, Manager Christa Williams said the name change is because it’s two different operations and that the current location was named for the streets it’s on — Cecil Street and Limestone Street.
“We want it to be right, right from the get go ... We don’t want to take any shortcuts. We want this to be just as great and a good experience as Cecil and Lime,” she said.
All current employees will be eligible for rehire at the new restaurant, with several who have already decided to follow to the new location and some that have decided to venture somewhere else, Williams said.
To eventually sell the location and close Cecil & Lime, brings very mixed emotions to the Berners and Williams.
“We have touched so many people lives and they have touched our lives. Our customers mean so much to us ... We appreciate our customers so much and we have so many wonderful people in Springfield and around the surrounding areas that have been so faithful to us over the years,” she said, holding back tears.
“But at the same time, it’s very exciting to be on this ledge of development that we could take it to the next level where we were a little bit limited with space at Cecil and Lime ... We’re excited to continue. We’re excited to keep serving the Miami Valley and Clark County. I feel like it’s a position that’s going to just open us up to a vast majority of customers, clients and staff.”
Williams wanted their customers to know all gift cards will be honored at the current location and can be transferred to the new restaurant.
There is no firm date as to when Cecil & Lime will close or when the new place will open, but Williams said they plan to operate for as long as they can.
The restaurant has been open almost 22 years in June and features steaks, seafood and other American entrees.
Cecil & Lime first started out decades ago as a combination butcher shop and grocery store before later turning into a vegan coffee shop until it closed.
Michael and Brenda Berner then bought the lot to recreate the butcher shop to include a lunch cafe. But after being approved for a full-service bar license in June 2004, they decided to open the fine dining Cecil & Lime, and their son Micah Berner was named general manager and later co-owner.
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