A new sandwich shop has made its way into downtown Kent. Mr. Zub’s Deli has replaced the vacancy left by Cajun Dave’s at Water Street Tavern.

Mr. Zub’s had its soft opening Thursday night, and deli owner Mario Nemr said the restaurant had a great turnout.

Mike Beder, owner of Water Street Tavern, said he has been looking for someone to fill the restaurant after Cajun Dave’s owner decided to shift his focus to catering.

Beder said discussions about bringing in the deli started in the middle of April, and, Nemr said he was also looking to move into another college town and thought Kent was a good fit.

“I have always loved Kent,” Nemr said. “Coming to Kent was always something we have envisioned.”

The original Mr. Zub’s Deli is located at The Matinee in downtown Akron, an area comparable to Kent.

Beder said the setup of The Matinee and Water Street Tavern is similar, as both places have live entertainment, a bar and restaurant, which made both owners agree Water Street Tavern was a good fit.

 “They have good prices and a lot of options, the concept is attractive to college students,” Beder said. “I’m really excited about it; it’s going to be a good partnership.”

Lori Wemhoff, executive director of Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, said she is also excited for the partnership and is looking forward to bringing in another addition to downtown Kent.

“I think that it’s great that Mr. Zub’s will be moving into downtown Kent,” Wemhoff said. “Downtown is obviously very attractive to outside businesses, and it’s a plus for Water Street Tavern and its patrons.”

Contact Lexxi Gillies at [email protected].