Good to Go in Stow: Homemade Recipes Keep Customers Coming (and Going)

The food is good to go, but it's also good to eat inside at the new restaurant at 3226 Kent Rd. that opened Aug. 17. 

The fact that it rhymes isn't why owners Rick and Debby Lebeau named their new restaurant Good to Go in Stow. 

"I decided to open the market in Stow for a few reasons," said Debby. "The first, of course, is because I live in Stow with my husband and son. I have lived in Stow for 23 years now. I also opened in Stow because I knew people that lived nearby and those that commuted through Stow each day needed a place just like this!"

The concept behind the restaurant is to provide "quality made-from-scratch meals, snack and desserts for people."

The business is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and offers an array of homemade food on the menu, including lasagna, a variety of soups, goulash, linguine, pepperoni rolls, several savory sandwiches, chicken Parmesan, cannoli, breakfast options and more. 

"We make available food to take to work or home and heat/eat when ready for them, we provide freshly prepared meals to dine-in, we can have foods ready and hot for pick up with a quick phone call from the customer," said Debby. "Good to Go in Stow also does catering for both small and large groups. We recently teamed up with another local business, Partners in Time, an errand service to offer lunch delivery for our customers at home or work!"

The main menu items are sold every day, but Debby always throws in some daily specials. Be sure to follow the Good to Go in Stow Facebook page for updates on what the daily specials are and what's cooking in the kitchen.

"Everything is prepared daily in small quantities to keep things as fresh as possible. Each day we have lunch and dinner specials," she said. "I choose based on what fresh ingredients I have, what I am in the mood to prepare, the season/weather and customer requests."

The majority of the recipes are Debby's own. 

"These come from many years of trial and error and testing on my family and friends. Some of our menu items like the specials have no recipes at all, but rather made up as I go based on ingredients and other recipes I have made in the past," she said. "Some of our recipes are based on things I have seen on television or in magazines/cookbooks then altered a bit for my own style. I have been collecting cookbooks, cooking magazines, and family recipes for 30 years or more."

The Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon-cutting for the business Sept. 13. 

"The Stow community is a great group of people ... very supportive of small businesses. We have received a very warm welome from the community. We are already getting to know our repeat customers quite well too," said Debby. 

Starting and owning a local business, especially in the food industry, can be daunting at first, but the owners said they are having success already.

"You may not see tables full of people in our market throughout the day but that's the great thing about us — you can come in, get what you want quickly, and be on your way to school, work or home."

Average time in the restaurant is about five minutes. 

"Thats fast and that's what busy lifestyles require sometimes too," she said.

Debby and her husband stared the business, but she said they like to think that their children own it as well. There are three full-time employees and three-part time employees. 

"It's a nice family-owned and operated business where even though we are working, we can spend time together. So far, it is working out fantastic! When children get older parents don't have as much time with them as when they were young. We can have time with them  and allow them to share in our success," she said.

For more information, visit the Good to Go in Stow website.