Post 1917, a modern steakhouse within a former post office building in Reading, plans to open a second location sometime this summer in downtown Lexington.
Owner and chef Jason Carron admits it’s "a little crazy and fast" — Post 1917's Reading restaurant just celebrated its first year in business on April 18.
“Lexington fell on our lap,” said Carron, 50. “It’s so beautiful in that little small town.”
He said people living in surrounding communities like Concord, Bedford, Arlington and Winchester will now have a new place to dine that offers a great product and experience.
About Post 1917’s new Lexington location
The downtown Lexington location, at 27 Waltham St., has been vacant for more than three years. Carron is having its interior renovated.
The new restaurant will cover two stories, with a dining room on the main level and a function room downstairs. Carron said the dining room will be anchored by a “spectacular” 97-inch chandelier.
“People are going to walk in and be blown away,” he said.
The interior will have the same comfortable, moss-green velvet booths as Reading, but they will be larger and offer more seating. The Lexington restaurant's bar will seat 50 people, bigger than Reading's 35-seater.
About Post 1917’s menu and experience
The menu at Post 1917 in Lexington will be the same as that of the Reading restaurant, meaning it's almost entirely gluten-free.
“Our seafood is phenomenal," Carron said. "We have a chicken parm that is out of this world. We offer a multitude of choices."
He said he enjoys giving an experience they can’t get everywhere, and it pleases him to have diners approach him at the end of the night to compliment the servers, food, ambiance, vibe and background music.
Carron said he over-preaches to his staff during each pre-shift.
“We’re having a party every night and we’re going to throw the best party, whether it’s a Tuesday or Saturday," he said. "If people are coming in, they want to have an experience, so let’s overdo it in every aspect that we can."
Plans to open a third Post 1917 location in Somerville
Carron said he plans to open a third location of Post 1917 at 16-20 Medford St. in Somerville next spring. This is part of a brand-new development called The Verge, which is in its early stages.