The Ohio Valley knows of the Undo’s group’s great food and service, but here’s the rest of their amazing story
When you’re a client of Wheelhouse Creative you’re treated like a family member. You’ll quickly understand we have your back. You’ll quickly understand that, like family members, you can shoot straight with us and that’s OK.
And above all, like family members, we want to see you prosper. That’s why we shine our spotlight on our clients. And we couldn’t be prouder than to work with the fine folks of the Undo’s restaurant group.
If you’re in the Ohio Valley, you undoubtedly know of their delicious food, amazing catering, and friendly service. But, as Paul Harvey once asked, do you know the rest of the story?
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The Undo’s restaurant group most recently opened the Alpha Tavern in Wheeling’s Woodsdale area. The building, a Wheeling landmark known for years as Ye Olde Alpha, was completely refurbished and now stands as a beacon of the Valley. All around, though, patrons are loyal to the great food, service, and ambience of the outlets in Benwood, Weirton and St. Clairsville and Event Center in Elm Grove.
Of course, many know of the three men overseeing and growing the business these days. Brothers Nick and Anthony “Herk” Sparachane as well as Beau Catalano are among the area’s most popular and respected businessmen.
Longtime residents of the Wheeling area know, however, the original spark for the restaurants came from Anthony “Undo” Sparachane and his wife, Jenny.
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“Undo” was born in Isola Del Liri, Italy, before migrating to the area, working for the former Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. and then entering the bar and restaurant business.
Undo was famous for welcoming children to the Benwood restaurant with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and adults with a glass of wine.
Nick and Herk, two of Undo’s four children, learned the ropes from mom and dad.
“Herk and I grew up together and have been in the business since we were 5 years old,” Nick said.
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Before Undo’s Famiglia Ristorante in Benwood, there first was the Flamingo Club, established in 1953.
“It was pretty famous,” Herk says with a smile. “It was open late, late, let’s put it that way. Everyone in the state knew about it. People would come from out of town and say, ‘Let’s go to the Flamingo.’ We were the last party, the last dance.”
In 1971, the elder Sparachane also bought and opened the Stag Bar, which is on the site of the current Benwood Undo’s.
“That was it right here,” Herk said, pointing on the restaurant side of the building. “It was dirt floors, 12 bar seats and two tables.”
Nick said his parents, the two boys, their aunt Stella Burch and another employee were the only workers.
The music, though, soon slowed and then stopped altogether when the Wheeling-Pitt factory in Benwood, which consisted of two pipe mills, shut down in 1984.
Fortunately, Undo and his sons had foresight. Thus, his Famiglia Ristorante.
“My dad was the greatest; the absolute greatest,” Herk said. “He was one of the smartest businessmen I ever met. He saw the future. He said we had to get out of the bar business. He said bars were a dying breed… He knew it was coming to the end with new liquor laws, etc.”
The Sparachanes knew the food industry was their next step. Yet they needed help in the area. Fortunately, Nick — who also works for United States Insurance — visited a pizzeria in downtown Wheeling during his lunch breaks – where he met Beau.
“I came to the Valley in 1985,” said Catalano. “I originally met Nick. He was one of my customers. I had a little pizzeria in Wheeling called ‘Little Anthony’s.’ Nick would come in every day and we became friends. He wasn’t just a customer.
“We’d talk about business. I told him I didn’t know many people but would like to grow this thing. He said, ‘You know, my dad, brother and I have this little place in Benwood. We’d like to do a little more. Are you interested in joining us?’
“I said yes. But I didn’t even know where Benwood was.”
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During the transition, Catalano cooked at the Flamingo Club. His excellence and business acumen, however, didn’t take long to surface.
“Beau started out as just a chef,” said Nick, also a two-term Wheeling mayor, “but worked so hard we brought him in as a partner in the company.”
“Let me tell you something about Beau,” Herk said. “You can go around the world, and you won’t find anyone better than him as far as cooking, organizing, catering. … He’s just it.”
Herk said he can’t remember hearing a complaint regarding catering, which now numbers around 500 jobs a year.
“Every ketchup, mustard, fork, knife, napkin is there,” Herk said. “From A to Z. Beau has it covered to the max.”
The synergy between the Sparachane brothers and Catalano is impressive. Herk brags about his brother still busing tables on a Saturday night. Compliments are traded.
“Nick always had a love and passion for the business and never seems to get tired of it,” Herk said. “I’m the people person. Beau runs the kitchen. We’re a perfect team.”
“We have a great working relationship,” added Catalano. “We’re friends. It’s been great. We became partners – and have been doing this for 35 years.”
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A lot has happened over those 33 years. The original Undo’s restaurant expanded. There was a stop at downtown Wheeling’s McLure Hotel.
“They were selling three cases of beer a week,” Herk said of the McLure’s restaurant. “We went to like 60 cases of beer a week. We became one of the top five bars in Wheeling and opened the catering halls upstairs. They weren’t using them. All of a sudden, the bar was packed. The hotel rooms were booked solid. Almost every weekend we were catering a wedding.”
Around 2002, the Undo’s in Elm Grove – known then as “Tony and Cleo’s” — opened “with a boom,” according to Herk. In 2004, “Hurricane Herk’s On the Island” opened and served wings and pasta.
Then in 2005, the trio received an offer to move “Hurricane Herk’s” to Weirton as another Undo’s, which remains successful.
There was a stint in Marietta, Ohio. The St. Clairsville Undo’s restaurant has been a hit.
“We’re fortunate,” said Catalano. “We have 130 employees. Most have been with us a long period of time. We’re an old-fashioned company.”
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The Sparchanes’ father always preached to help community first. And the group has always been heavily involved with the community projects, from donating “Dottie & Del’s Playground” at Oglebay’s Good Zoo, which is fully accessible to those with limited mobility, to helping with the Miracle League of the Ohio Valley, helping with sponsorships of Super Six football championship and Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival and other worthy causes. They even bought the scoreboard at Wheeling University.
Seeing that is why we at Wheelhouse want to help the Undo’s group thrive and succeed. That’s why we work so hard to make sure they can continue. And we think we’ve made a nice impact.
We’ve worked on everything from social media to menus and fliers to event planning and ticket sales for tribute acts to ad graphics, a Google ad campaign, and videos.
“Our relationship with Wheelhouse Creative has been great,” said Herk. “John Blackmore has done a great job leading our campaigns, but the whole Wheelhouse team has been terrific to work with. I strongly endorse the agency.”
Like their restaurants, it’s just a family thing.
