DougOut owner dispels rumors

by Laura Straub

Doug Cerny quotes Mark Twain these days: “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

Cerny underwent a scheduled injection to his knee a few months ago, but complications caused him to stay off his feet and out of his DougOut restaurant for longer than anticipated.

While he was away, several servers and bartenders continued their routine and his cooks, Stephanie, Val, Mike and Jim, continued to make daily specials, including steaks and pizza, with hand-thrown dough. Jim, the wing man, kept up with the demand for about 75 dozen each weekend. He makes about 100 dozen on summer Sundays, when people drive cars and motorcycles along scenic Route 303. Sandy and Greg Wolfarth were managers during this time.

While Cerny was rehabbing, a rumor in Richfield circulated that he wasn’t coming back. Cerny went to the ScripType office on Feb. 6 and asked if the Richfield Times could let the community know that he and the DougOut are operating fully.

Cerny purchased the business in September 1993. It is his first go at the restaurant business. Brad Rising, a Stow resident, owns the building and rents it to Cerny, including the residence upstairs and the sturdy cellar, where gigantic hand hewn beams hold up the 1853 structure.

“I had a business degree and I wanted to own a fast service restaurant or bar,” Cerny said. “It was really just a supplement side business that turned into a full-time thing. I enjoyed it, so I kept it.”

Motorcyclists sometimes come from great distances to enjoy the DougOut.

“When I first bought the place, I was taking down the ‘No Motorcycles’ sign that was up on the marquee,” said Cerny. “A gentleman [on a bike] stopped and said, ‘Why are you putting that sign up?’ I said, ‘No I’m taking it down.’”

The biker stopped back at the restaurant later in the week with a few friends. They came back again and again, with the group growing steadily each visit. Today, throngs of motorcyclists made up of doctors and lawyers to street sweepers and deliverymen stop by the DougOut on weekends.

Cerny would like to build an outdoor eating area to enhance his restaurant.

Local residents count on the pub for daily specials and hometown friendliness, and Cerny has a simple recipe for keeping his customer base dedicated and happy.

“If you can actually serve your customers, treat them with respect and serve a product they like, then they’re there,” he said. “That’s really it, simple and sweet.”

Featured image photo caption: Doug Cerny has run the DougOut bar for about 18 years and welcomes local people and those who travel along Route 303. Photo by C. Wells