If you get into the Times Square Restaurant before Halloween dressed in your ghoulish garb, you may just win money off your next Harlow Hero, the deli’s signature menu item, and the sandwich that started it all.
According to Michele Harlow, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Marler, and their partner, Mark Bender, Times Square’s first location in Romeo came to be when Marler stopped off one day for lunch. He encountered an early version of what would become the Hero.
‘He fell in love with that sandwich,? Michele said.
Marler is also in the construction business, Harlow and Sons Constructions, which built Hamlin Pub and did the inside woodwork at the Sagebrush Cantina in downtown Lake Orion.
Michele said that after eating the sandwich, he also wanted to get into the restaurant business, eventually partnering up with people who worked at the restaurant where he stopped for lunch that day.
This past January, they brought Times Square to Lake Orion, located at 500 N. Lapeer Road, in the Kroger plaza.
It features, of course, the Harlow Hero, a triple-decker with corned beef and pastrami, and a whole slew of other menu items.
‘We have the best waitresses and awesome soups,? Michele said.
Some of their specialty homemade soups include beef barley and German tomato soup. There are daily lunch specials, and on Monday and Tuesday nights, kids get discounted meals.
While Times Square may be new to Orion, Manager Colleen Jewell is not. She used to work at Margie’s Place before it closed down.
‘Working at Times Square has been like a homecoming for me,? said Jewell. She added that some customers have come in and exclaimed, ‘You’ve been serving me for 30 years!?
Since Monday and continuing through Halloween on Friday, the public is invited to come dressed for their meal’in a costume, of course.
Adults and kids who dress up will have their photograph taken in front of some spooky Halloween decorations, and the pictures will be posted throughout the restaurant. On Nov. 1, best costumes in an adult and kids categories will be announced. There will be a first-place winner and two runners-up. First place winners get a $20 gift certificate. Runners-up get a $5 gift certificate.
‘My kids are all grown,? said Michele. ‘I love seeing kids in Halloween stuff.?
Members from the restaurant will also be on-hand at Thursday’s Halloween parade downtown handing out wooden nickels worth $4 off a $25 order.