Iroquois Area Business Association

New Restaurant

Dec 30, 2001

Wednesday, December 26, 2001

New Lindy's is thriving in the South End
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Although owner Mitch Shaheen said he ''went through 140 employees to get a (reliable) staff of 30'' in the first couple of months, the Lindy's restaurant he opened on New Cut Road in southern Louisville is running smoothly and thriving.

Between 300 and 400 customers come in daily, he said, comparable to what Shoney's drew when it occupied the site.

''Considering the economy and everything else, I am tickled to death with that,'' said Shaheen.

He and his wife, Beth, opened the second location of their popular Preston Highway restaurant after Sixth Ward Alderman Dan Johnson sponsored a $100,000 incentive for someone to open an American-style, full-service eatery in the South End. Lindy's has been serving breakfast, lunch and dinner on Preston since 1961.

Johnson's offer came after he said he'd been trying for five years to attract a restaurant. The Louisville Development Authority then began contacting restaurants.

Shaheen was keenly interested. As he prepared to open the restaurant last summer, Shaheen said he planned to sell franchises.

That effort has been delayed because a New York restaurant filed for the Lindy's name at the same time the Shaheens did. He's waiting for a judge's ruling, even though he has the rights to Kentucky regardless.

Shaheen thinks the New Cut Road location has spurred his catering business to its biggest year ever. ''I don't know what else to assume with my catering business growing in a tough economy,'' he said.

Johnson is pleased. He said he eats there fairly often and enjoys it. He said he hopes more restaurants will come to the South End, but he is not working to attracting them.

''If the South End is going to attract restaurants,'' he said, ''we are going to have to support the ones that we have.''

Rowena Bolin


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