The Gaslight Group, a Savannah-based hospitality company, is opening a new location of its popular restaurant, The 5 Spot, at the Shops at Sandfly retail center this summer.

The business expects to add 40 to 50 new jobs to the local economy, according to Co-Owner Brian Huskey.

“The overwhelming local support that we’ve seen at The 5 Spot Midtown and at our food truck, The 5 Spot Mobile, have allowed us to take this next step to grow our business,” Huskey said. “My family, and our team, will always be grateful to the Savannah locals for their support.”

The 5 Spot Sandfly location will be open for lunch and dinner all week, with weekend brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

Other restaurants owned by The Gaslight Group include B. Matthew’s Eatery, The 5 Spot Midtown, Abe’s on Lincoln and The 5 Spot Mobile food truck.

Huskey emphasized the additional jobs the new location creates.

“We’ll be hosting jobs fairs in the coming months and look forward to hiring people from all over Savannah,” Huskey said.

“But, my hope has always been to own the type of restaurants where our neighbors feel comfortable sending their kids for their first jobs and where young people will want to work after school or on their summer breaks.”

The family-friendly focus is also found on the current menu at The 5 Spot location in Habersham Village. Aiming for options that everyone can enjoy, the restaurant offers selections including hand-breaded chicken fingers, creative burger and sandwich options, fresh salads and special entrees daily.

A prominent hire for the Sandfly location is the addition of Jake Brooks to serve as general manager. The former director of restaurants and bars at The Drayton Hotel, his resume also includes stints at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Mina Group and Noho Hospitality Group, all in Baltimore, Maryland. The Gaslight Group chose Brooks because, among other things, he has the blend of corporate and family business experience they look for when hiring managers.

Brooks will introduce a beverage program at The 5 Spot Sandfly to complement the variety of the menu.

“Our beverage program will mirror the very successful one at The 5 Spot Midtown, including daily drink specials and a weekday happy hour,” Brooks said. “We’ll have house cocktails, house wine and large selection of draft and bottled beer. Like our food menu, we plan to have something for everyone at the bar.”

The company said a location in Sandfly has been studied for a while, including before the pandemic, along with potential locations in Richmond Hill and Statesboro. The location at The Shops at Sandfly became available under unusual circumstances. Another location in the shopping center that housed an Italian restaurant, was later occupied by What’s For Dinner?, a catering and takeaway prepared meals business. A fire in early September 2020 gutted that space. What’s for Dinner? moved into a temporary location for a while, but it is now moving out and preparing to restart in their original location. That opened space for The 5 Spot and the Gaslight Group decided to take it on.

Holmes + Salter, a local interior design firm, has been contracted to completely renovate the space. It will be gutted and redesigned in the style of other Gaslight Group restaurants. Although still fluid, a late-July opening date is planned.

This article appears in Apr 14-19, 2021.