Bui, who started renovation efforts in late March, said she hopes to unveil its changes with an early July opening.
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Those changes include a revamp of the restaurant’s kitchen, which has been stripped down to the walls, with new equipment installed, Bui said. The dining room was remodeled to include new tables and booths, and the entire interior received a fresh coat of paint, she said.
The decorations in the restaurant will be “all about Hamilton,” said Bui, a Butler County Clerk of Courts accountant for the past 15 years.
She said she spoke with the daughter of Kostas’ first owner, who will provide a photo of her late father to grace the restaurant’s walls.
In terms of employees, “they’re all coming back,” Bui said.
“I love it. It’s great,” Bui said. “They know what they’re doing.”
Bui, who purchased the business in January, several months after it closed for renovations, said Kim has agreed to teach her Kostas’ recipes and help out with some of the initial cooking.
The restaurant, a longtime area favorite, doubled as “the Liberty Bell Diner” in 2014 during the filming of the movie “Carol,” which was released in 2015 and nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Cate Blanchett.
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