AUBURN — Like many in the restaurant industry, the owners of Lavish Lounge Bar and Restaurant feel that while there are ups and downs, passion outweighs everything. Owners Andrew Kirkland and Marcia Myers take pride in how their Auburn eatery has evolved since opening in November 2019, making this year its fifth anniversary. Almost immediately after opening, the restaurant faced a series of hurdles due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It had to close to diners and bank significantly on takeout orders as it cut services like lunch. “We’re still here,” Myers, of Weedsport, said with a smile. “We’re doing something good.
” Kirkland and Myers were working at Auburn Community Hospital when they first contemplated bringing Jamaican cuisine to Auburn. One of their coworkers at the hospital was a relative of Hannah Groce-Bibby, owner of the Auburn Ale House , which previously occupied the 288 Genesee St. space.
They shared with Kirkland and Myers that the business was being sold. The restaurant was in rough shape, Myers said. She and Kirkland renovated it — cleaning bathrooms, patching walls and brightening the colors to parallel the flavors of their home country.
Not counting food trucks or pop-ups, Lavish Lounge is Cayuga County's only Jamaican restaurant. “The goal was to offer something different, something exotic,” Kirkland said, noting the abundance of Italian restaurants in the area. “People like to stay in their comfort zones.
” The owners agree their location .