Ready for today’s ribbon cutting to celebrate the brand new look of Friendship’s original store built in 1986 are Store Manager Raquel Cooley, Assistant Manager Lana Jeffers and District Manager Chelsea Beck Carvalho. (Photo by D’Arcy Patrick Egan)

FriendShip Kitchen, the leading family-owned convenience, food, and fuel retailer in Ohio, announced an important milestone in its company’s history with the Grand Re-Opening Celebration of the original FriendShip store in Port Clinton. The chain is upgrading this historic location at 3800 E. State Road to their most recent FriendShip Kitchen concept.

On Thursday, June 10 at 11 a.m. there will be an official ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Brian Beck, who along with his dad opened the original FriendShip store in this location back in 1986. Joining Brian will be fellow owners from the Beck family, invited dignitaries from the area, and FriendShip Kitchen staff. The entire community is welcome to join the celebration!

It is one of FriendShip’s 27 stores the company operates along the shores of Lake Erie, from Toledo to Cleveland. The chain has recently added its first location in the Columbus market, with a second store under construction.

The remodeled FriendShip Kitchen offers an expanded menu of delicious food prepared fresh daily in the store’s new kitchen. In charge of making sure the food is fresh, delicious and ready for customers is Kirk Matthews, the company’s Vice President of Food Service.

“The FriendShip Kitchen menu is restaurant quality, and our chefs prepare our legendary FriendShip Famous Chicken, considered Ohio’s tastiest chicken, our delicious savory-crust pizza, freshly made breakfast sandwiches, and fresh-ground, premium roast FriendShip coffee,” said Matthews.

The official celebration this week kicked off a 5-day promotion with special deals, giveaways, and events. During the celebration, guests will be treated to free coffee and fountain soda, as well as free food samples prepared in the new FriendShip Kitchen.

“Not to be missed is our giveaway of breakfast sandwiches on June 9-10,” said Kevin Campbell, Director of Retail Operations for FriendShip. According to Campbell, “The first 50 guests every day can get a delicious breakfast sandwich for free, and everyone that comes into the store can register to win free gas cards and food.”