Ex-Rockets star quarterbacks his own restaurant enterprise

Gradkowski balances career as NFL player, businessman

Bruce Gradkowski speaks with friends Aval Grewal, left, Shan Grewal, center, and Dolly Grewal, right, during lunch at Gradkowski's at the Gateway. His restaurant opened in January, and he makes every effort to drop in whenever he’s in Toledo.

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Bruce Gradkowski speaks with friends Aval Grewal, left, Shan Grewal, center, and Dolly Grewal, right, during lunch at Gradkowski's at the Gateway. His restaurant opened in January, and he makes every effort to drop in whenever he’s in Toledo.

Bruce Gradkowski doesn’t mind if people don’t remember the name of his restaurant on the University of Toledo campus, so long as they leave blown away by the food and service.

The name might be a difficult thing to forget, though.

“Gradkowski’s” is scrawled in white script over the the entrance, and the former UT star tries to stop in at least once a day whenever he’s in town.

And at 6 feet, 2 inches, and 220 pounds, diners aren’t likely to miss him when he’s there.

Now 30 years old, Mr. Gradkowski is entering his eighth season as an NFL quarterback, having signed a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the off-season.

This last week, before he zipped off to his hometown of Pittsburgh to prepare for training camp, he sat down at a quiet corner booth to talk about his budding career as a restaurateur.

Gradkowski’s, which opened in January, is one of the core tenants at UT’s Gateway project at Dorr Street and Secor Road. The restaurant has a clear connection to the university, with black-and-white photos of the campus and UT sports lining the walls. But it’s more upscale than one might expect, with a creative menu and a small but classy horseshoe-shaped bar.

“You really have to come in here to eat and really get the experience. I don’t think words can explain what we have going here,” Mr. Gradkowski said over a soft soundtrack that includes the likes of Frank Sinatra.

Mr. Gradkowksi partnered with Mike Graber and Singh Grewal, two men with experience in the Toledo restaurant scene, to open Gradkowski’s.

The three will open their second restaurant in Perrysburg soon. Named "Social," the restaurant will have an ever-changing menu and gastropub theme, separating itself from Gradkowski’s, which is geared more toward fine dining.

“We’re looking to go with a nice cool atmosphere and good food,” Mr. Gradkowski said of Social, which is expected to open late this month or early next month. “People want to come in for a nice lunch or a nice dinner and not just your typical bar-type food.”

Though professional athletes can make the kind of money many of us only dream of, the sad reality is they often struggle after their playing days.

A few years ago, Sports Illustrated reported that 78 percent of former NFL players had gone bankrupt or were under financial stress after two years away from football.

For many, football is all they’ve known and all they’ve done since leaving college.

Bruce Gradkowski celebrates the Rockets’ win in the GMAC Bowl in 2005. His restaurant includes many photos of UT sports.

Mr. Gradkowski, who graduated from UT in 2005 with a degree in business marketing and management, said he didn't want to find himself stuck in that transition, with no more football to play and no business experience to fall back on.

“I love football, and I’m going to play football as long as I can, but I’m also realistic about it,” he said. “I’m only 30 years old. If I’m fortunate enough to play till I’m 40 like a Brett Favre, I still have my whole life ahead of me.”

While he's had an entrepreneurial streak, getting into the highly competitive and failure-prone restaurant field wasn't something Mr. Gradkowski had been set on.

It was the location that beckoned him.

The Gateway project is a $12 million mixed-use development aimed at tidying up that side of campus and creating a hub of activity for students as well as a draw for the greater Toledo community.

Mr. Gradkowski said Mr. Grewal first approached him about the opportunity. Meetings were quickly scheduled, and soon plans were in motion.

“I don’t think if it were anywhere else I would have jumped right into it, but for how much love I have for this school, and for the community and what they’ve done for me through my career, I wanted to give back,” Mr. Gradkowski said. “I wanted to be on campus and bring a good spot for the community and the university to love.”

Mr. Gradkowski declined to say how much money he has invested in that project or in Social.

“A lot,” he said, flashing a smile. “A lot.”

While he certainly wants to be successful, he sees part of what he’s doing as a way to repay the community and university he so dearly loves. Toledo, he said, is where he grew into an adult, where he earned his degree, where he set records at the Glass Bowl, and where he made numerous friends

It’s also where he met his wife, Miranda. The couple, who make their off-season home in the Toledo area, welcomed a daughter, Lily, to their family three months ago.

A picture of her is sitting on the shelf in the restaurant’s wine room. While giving a tour of the room, Mr. Gradkowski pulls out his cell phone to show off another photo of Lily, this one set as his phone’s background image.

“This is her,” he smiles. “All that hair.”

Mr. Gradkowski is completely at home in his restaurant, always asking diners about their meals and freely signing autographs.

Matt Schroeder, vice president for real estate and business development at the University of Toledo Foundation, and one of the chief people involved in the development of the Gateway project, said people are often struck by — and maybe a little surprised at — how approachable Mr. Gradkowski is.

Gradkowski's is one of the main tenants at Gateway near the University of Toledo. The $12 million Gateway aims to be a hub of activity for the university's students and a draw for the community as well.

“He’s such a humble individual, and I think it lends to the overall dining experience,” Mr. Schroeder said. “I can't tell you how many people have said ‘We went in for lunch, or we went in for dinner, and Bruce was there, and we spent five minutes with him, and he signed some photos for us.’ He’s truly an owner-operator, and that’s what we were looking for in our partnership with them.”

Mr. Schroeder said Mr. Gradkowski and his team had been a pleasure to work with, and what they have built filled a void that’s existed on UT’s campus for some time.

“We’ve been very happy with what they’ve delivered, and I think the community has too,” Mr. Schroeder said.

Mr. Gradkowski’s plans to host UT football parties through the college football season and is looking to add lower-priced menu options aimed at college students.

Mr. Gradkowski and his partners hope to build off Gradkowski’s success at Social.

Mr. Grewal already owns the location, formerly Arnie’s at Levis, 25818 Dixie Hwy. in Perrysburg.

The trio include Mr. Graber, who said Social will have a sort of garage-meets-sophistication feel. They’ve taken the floor down to the concrete slab, which they covered with a shiny lacquer. A Versace-style print is painted on the wall. Wood salvaged from an old downtown Toledo factory was used to build large communal tables.

“What we’re shooting for is old versus new,” Mr. Graber said. “So we’ve got this wood, these beautiful tables, but in between we’re putting four-tops like we have here, and we’ll cover them with white linens and put the wine glasses and china on the table.”

The restaurant will employ about 60 people, bringing total employment for the two restaurants to about 120.

Social will carry over some of the upscale feel that Gradkowski’s has, while focusing on microbrewed beers and locally sourced comfort foods with a high-end flair. The concept has taken off elsewhere, but is mostly new to the Toledo market, Mr. Graber said.

The partners are talking about opening a Gradkowski’s location in Pittsburgh too, though Mr. Gradkowski said last week that nothing is in the works.

Still, expansion is a goal.

“I think eventually we will,” he said. “Right now we’re focusing here on campus and the place out in Perrysburg. But when the time’s right I think we will expand. I love our product here, I love the partners I’m in business with.”

He said playing in his hometown of Pittsburgh this season will allow him to scout possible locations and give him a better feel for where he might want a new restaurant.

His primary focus for the next five-plus months, however, is football.

Mr. Gradkowski signed with Pittsburgh to be the team’s backup quarterback this year. The Steelers already have a successful starting quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, a Mid-American Conference guy as well, coming out of Miami University in 2003.

But once the season is over, Mr. Gradkowski will be back in Toledo, the site of his UT glory days. He’s said he’s just not content throwing down some money, lending his name, and letting the restaurant run itself.

“Anything I do, I want to be a part of and make sure it’s done right,” he said. “I never wanted to just put my name on the outside of the building and walk away from it. I want to make sure it’s going right. I care too much. I want to make sure the details are right.”

Contact Tyrel Linkhorn at: tlinkhorn@theblade.com or 419-724-6134.