Josh Greene knew what was ahead of him when he became owner of Bar 145° in Avon.
Greene grew up in the restaurant industry. His father owned franchises. Now he’s creating his own portfolio, latching on to the Bar 145° concept.  
The restaurant, taking its name from the ideal temperature for a medium-rare burger, is the brainchild of Put-in-Bay veteran restaurateur Jeremy Fitzgerald. His goal, according to Greene, was to recreate the feel of Put-in-Bay on the mainland by combining entertainment and a gastro pub. The result is a casual, fun-filled atmosphere focusing on “Burgers, Bands and Bourbon.”
Greene’s first location in Kent opened in May 2013; he opened Avon in October 2014; and he is scheduled to open a restaurant in Rochester, New York, in the near future. There are six Bar 145° locations in operation, with five in Ohio and one in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
“I wish every place I opened was as easy as opening in Avon,” he says. “The folks here were all for helping me out in every way possible. They wanted to make this work. They are great to deal with.”
The 300-seat Avon location features a year-round outdoor patio, big-screen TVs tuned in to all major sporting events, live ‘80s and ‘90s rock cover bands on Fridays and Saturdays, acoustic music on Wednesdays and Thursdays and a local magician performing tableside (to amaze younger diners) on Tuesdays.
The menu is extensive, featuring a range of dishes from tempura green beans to chicken and waffles. But burgers are the mainstay here. Some appear as chef signatures, while others cater to the more adventurous diner with an option to stack your own by selecting from a choice of 10 artisan cheeses, 14 house-made sauces and more than 23 toppings ranging from roasted red pepper to peach habanero chutney and roasted duck.
Plans are in the works for a Bourbon and Cigars on the Patio night during the summer. There are already drinks in place like the 44 Old Fashioned that raises the glass in a nod to Avon’s route 44. Wine or beer dinners are being considered for later in the year, and happy hour occurs daily from 1:45 to 6 p.m.
“Our goal is to make sure everyone is having fun,” Greene explains. “When people come to a restaurant they want to set their problems aside. Our job is to make the experience a good one.”
      
Bar 145° is open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dinner is served Friday and Saturday  until 11 p.m., with a late night menu until 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday feature brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and dinner is available until 10 p.m.  
For events and menus, 
visit bar145avon.com.