A lost Liverpool restaurant was known for its trademark ribs and giving Scousers free meals on their birthday for a quarter of a century.
Located at the Old Airport, Speke, Damon's first opened back in 1992 and was known for its American-themed menu. Serving ribs, burgers, seafood dishes and more, it was a popular place for Liverpool families to book a table to celebrate an occasion, with guests often spotting other customers with the likes of birthday banners or balloons when they walked in.
But Damon's wasn't just a Liverpool thing, it had branches in the US and elsewhere in the UK. Damon’s began life in America in 1979 when its founder, Mr. Irv Rossman, opened the first restaurant in East Columbus.
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The brand later opened restaurants in North Columbus and Indianapolis before going international in 1988, opening a Damon’s franchise operation in Lincoln. Damon's also had UK restaurants in Sheffield and Derby through the years.
In Liverpool's Damon's, as you stepped inside, you could immediately see the semi-circular dining area, which was decorated with black and white photos of New York and had a number of booths. The venue also had a large bar area were families would wait to be seated and some may remember there being free chicken wings to try before being taken to a table.
Most people will have celebrated their own birthday there, if not somebody else's. Going back a few years, it wasn't unusual to show up with a passport on the big day as proof to have the price of the birthday meal struck off the bill.
Huge banners outside the building would also promote this, as well as other family offers and deals. Damon's trademark ribs were also a big selling point, with outside's red lit-up signage donning it as "the place for ribs."
Diners could also create their own combo platters of meat and also try its "famous onion loaf" - a loaf of huge onion rings - that sported a Damon's red flag at the centre. But by June 2017, we heard that the American-themed venue might close for good.
At the time, the Speke restaurant was closed and a sign had been posted in the window confirming this - but with no other details about the building's future. It was understood that it would be retaining all current staff employed at the Old Airport site, but this was not confirmed by any official sources.
Later that month, the ECHO reported how the new owners of the former Damon’s restaurant wanted to spend more than a million pounds turning it into a Chinese buffet. Lancashire chain The Chinese Buffet bought the site in Speke Boulevard.
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Hearing about its closure, a number of ECHO readers at the time said it was "a shame" that Damon's had closed. Carole Green said: "Another Chinese buffet pft ! Damon's was an original loved their ribs and cocktails can't believe it's going ! Please stay Damon's x"
Nicola Deegan commented: "Such a shame. Damon's was unique, bit of a Scouse institution in fact." Anne Âû Darbyshire posted: "There are plenty of Chinese restaurants, there was only one Damons. It will be missed."
Do you remember Damon's in Speke? Let us know in the comments section below.
Dave Traynor commented: "What a shame! Loved the ribs in here." Christina Crellin said: "Gutted we loved it there x
Steph Grainger posted: "Love it here!! Nowhere better for ribs !!" And Chris Harris said: "Never had a bad experience in Damon's been there so many times times gutted it's gone."
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But other readers were happy that the site was getting a new lease of life. Colin Lewin posted: "Chinese buffets are great restaurants I go to the one in St Helen's mainly as it's the closest. The food is great. Staff very friendly. Place always kept clean. I highly recommend anyone to go try it. They will definitely go back."
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Jayne Stephens commented: "Can't wait, love it. Will be there for the opening." And Tina Roberts said: "Don't need to go to St. Helens or Wigan now."
By March 2018, the site was set to reopen as The Chinese Buffet which is still there today. As for Damon's, there is still a branch in Lincoln and our memories of when it also called Liverpool home.
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