The Shakin’ Bacon restaurant in Rensselaer, New York, has returned in a new space and with a new name — Illusive.
The owner, Joe Ventrice, had planned to reopen Shakin’ Bacon in the original location. But when the owner of the property offered him the opportunity to expand into a larger space, the Shakin’ Bacon chef couldn’t miss the chance.
“We felt in a larger location we could provide a better service to the area and solidify our position as a staple for many years to come,” he explained in a post on the Illusive website. “We wanted to stay The Shakin’ Bacon, but as we grew into our new space we felt a name change would be more appropriate, and as such The Shakin Bacon has evolved into Illusive Restaurant & Bar.”
The Shakin’ Bacon restaurant was heavily damaged by fire on June 8. Local news reports state that a cell phone charger may have caused the blaze. The fire happened just as the restaurant was becoming a local mainstay.
In a statement posted to Facebook, owner Joe Ventrice wrote, “I’m devastated, heartbroken, and confused this has happened. For a restaurant to excel in its first year is almost not heard of. We have overcome many obstacles since we opened. But stayed professional and dedicated to move forward.
“Recently we have seen a volume increase and have been gaining new customers daily,” Ventrice wrote in a Facebook post at the time of the fire. “For this to happen is a life reality check. Life will not stop for anyone or anything.”
The Shakin’ Bacon served breakfast sandwiches, omelets, classic sandwiches and burgers. A common ingredient in the restaurant’s fare was caramelized bacon. Illusive will offer “…quality interpretations of classic dishes as well as daring new ventures into uncharted territories of food.”