Another restaurant, Lakeside Sammy’s, is slated to open in a few weeks.

Edinboro Lake has some new admirers – or at least a new spot to admire it from.

Lakeside Beach Bar, 220 W. Plum St., a piece of 90,000-square-foot Lakeside Commons shopping center, opened Aug. 1, giving folks a chance to grab a snack and a drink and sit outside with a view of the lake.

And much more is on the way, thanks to the purchase and renovations by Erie developer Greg Rubino.

“I bought Lakeside Commons a few years ago and started wondering why no prior owner had ever taken advantage of the great views of Edinboro Lake,” Rubino said. “Part of the reason may have been that the view was obscured with dead trees and brush.”

He said they called in a tree expert first and now “The foliage we kept is now healthy and happy, and gives way to a beautiful view of the lake.”

Then he needed some tenants. Happy Mug, a coffee shop that roasts its own beans, a wood pellet stove retail store, an investment firm and a mindfulness wellness center have taken up residence.

“Then we figured out, ’Holy smokes we’re on the lake,” he said. “’Let’s cut some holes in the back of this place.”

They added roll-up glass doors that businesses could open when the weather is nice enough. That attracted a woman who wanted a yoga studio. “For a beautiful small market, it’s really taking off,” Rubino said.

Besides Lakeside Beach Bar, another eatery, Lakeside Sammy’s, should be open in the next few weeks, Rubino said, and the menu will be full of “every delectable specialty produced by Smith’s Provisions,” such as old-fashioned fried baloney sandwiches, the way Rubino remembers from his childhood.

Right now, one of the best selling items on the Lakeside Beach Bar menu is Charred Smith’s Garlic Ring Balogna Bites with Wholegrain Mustard Dipping Sauce.

“I can’t believe it,” said managing partner Tammy O’Neill, most recently of The Cork 1794 .”They’re chunks of baloney, almost burnt. Smith’s is happy about that.”

O’Neill is also a fan of their flatbread pizzas, including chicken, Margherita, Buffalo chicken dip and cheese and pepperoni. “It’s not just pizza,” she said. “It’s something better.”

Recently, they served racks of ribs on special, and she’s hoping to add full dinner options such as mahi mahi and pasta made by former Cork colleague Joe Perino.

She actually has lots of big plans for Lakeside Beach Bar once she slips the bonds of COVID-19 regulations, such as a beach volleyball court and tournaments, bar stools (currently not allowed), full employ of her 82 colorful adirondack chairs, as well as weekly cooking classes with Perino.

For now, she’s focused on building local clientele.

Kory Weber, 29, originally from Edinboro, now living in Hawaii, was recently having dinner and drinks with friends on the patio. Weber knows O’Neill, who suggested Weber check it out while visiting family in Edinboro.

“They cleared out the trees and they finally took advantage of the beautiful view (of Edinboro Lake),” Weber said. “Having the open (socially-distanced) seating really makes me want to come back.”

O’Neill said she’s pleased with the turnout so far, and thanked the weather.

“A lot of people I’ve seen several times,” she said. “And they’re bringing their friends back and trying something else on the menu. I tell them when they’re done, we’ll change the menu.”

Both O’Neill and Rubino said they did get lucky in one respect. The liquor license, which belongs to partner Roman Stefanelli, allows for a great deal of outdoor space, nearly an acre.

“That’s very unusual,” Rubino said.

With luck, they’ll be able to sit out most of the COVID-19’s winter havoc and open the house next spring the way they’ve envisioned.

Until then, “Our plan is to be open until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving with regular hours and in December on Saturday and Sunday for football games with Sunday Ticket,” O’Neill said. “We’ll be closed in January and February and open March 1 and be ready for St. Patrick’s Day.”

She said she doesn’t mind a college crowd, but wants to keep it family-oriented.

“We want to be a nice zone that families can come hang out and have a comfortable inner,” she said. “Not be here until 2 a.m. falling into the water.”

Rubino said he’s thrilled with his investment so far and has high hopes.

“I think we’re going to have a lot of fun there,” he said.

Contact Jennie Geisler at jgeisler@timesnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @ETNgeisler.