LeBron James Foundation to open Buckets restaurant in Akron

“The Kid From Akron’s Cookie” dessert from Buckets.

AKRON, Ohio — A new restaurant is joining the lineup at House Three Thirty — and it’s bringing plenty of Akron flavor with it.

Buckets, the first full-service restaurant from the LeBron James Family Foundation, opens April 1 inside the foundation’s multi-use space at 532 W. Market St. in Akron. The spot occupies part of the former Tangier building, which House Three Thirty has transformed into a hub for dining, job training and community connection.

A packed crowd of diners at Buckets, the view from the upstairs tables.

“We spent a lot of time creating what you see in here to be a really comfortable, inviting environment that people want to come, hang out and talk over a yummy meal or watch a game,” Michele Campbell, executive director of the foundation, said.

A four-piece fried chicken bucket.

Buckets looks and feels like home for locals — a nod to Akron’s spirit with some fun twists. The dining room offers booth and table seating, a full bar and a second-level terrace for open-air meals when weather allows.

Two private rooms are in the works, including the “1984 Room,” inspired by the year LeBron James was born.

Dozens of TVs make Buckets a destination for game days, but the concept goes beyond sports.

“We’re bringing members of our I Promise community together to create something pretty special,” Campbell said. “This is so much more than a restaurant.”

Led by House Three Thirty culinary director Aaron Blank, the Buckets kitchen team spent nine months developing a fully from-scratch comfort food menu. Every dish is priced to keep things approachable — and every price ends in .23, a nod to James’ iconic jersey number.

House favorites include pimento cheese dip (“Yo Prometo Cheese and Fried Crackers,” $8.23) and pull-apart sloppy joe sliders (“Oh The Places You’ll Go,” $14.23). Smashburgers, sandwiches and salads round out the lineup, but chicken reigns supreme.

Buckets offers fried, roasted and tender meals served with fries, cornbread muffins, cinnamon honey butter, coleslaw and Buckets sauce. The buttermilk pickle brine gives the fried chicken a crispy, slightly tangy bite.

Wings come in classic and signature flavors, including buffalo, garlic parmesan, mango habanero, smoky sweet BBQ and lemon pepper butter. Soul food sides like collard greens, mac & cheese and crispy potatoes are also must-try add-ons.

For dessert, “The Kid From Akron’s Cookie” — a warm skillet cookie topped with ice cream and caramel — sweetens the finish. The drink menu includes craft beer, house cocktails and a fun list of creative mocktails.

The staff at Buckets dancing to welcome customers during a preview night.

Much like the rest of House Three Thirty, Buckets acts as a training ground and opportunity hub for families connected to the foundation’s I Promise program. At the beginning of this year, Buckets began hiring its team of 50 employees. Most of the staff doesn’t have traditional culinary training, and many have never even worked in a restaurant before.

House Three Thirty is dedicated not only to training and empowering its staff but also creating a community environment that feels like a family. It’s not just company cliché jargon— parents of I Promise students work at Buckets alongside their teenage kids, who work next to the older siblings of their classmates, and so on. The connection among team members is often inherently natural.

Buckets creates an atmosphere of joy where employees are empowered through job training while serving from-scratch comfort food including buttermilk pickle brine fried chicken.

Campbell said the experience is designed to empower employees as much as it feeds guests.

“This is our way to show that everyone matters,” she said. “We want you to have confidence in yourself and work in an environment that’s part of a solution.”

Visitors might even catch the team breaking into spontaneous dance routines during service — an atmosphere of joy that matches the restaurant’s name and mission.

House Three Thirty opened in 2023 as part of the LeBron James Family Foundation’s effort to create a lasting support system for Akron families. The venue blends hospitality, retail, performance and learning spaces to provide hands-on job training, financial health programs and community resources. It’s also home to several businesses and event spaces, including The LeBron James Museum, Starbucks and the hidden dining gem Secret Pizza.

For Campbell and her team, Buckets is both a tribute and a tool: a place where Akron can eat well and grow stronger together.

“Everyone carries an invisible bucket,” she said. “We want people — especially those whose bucket feels empty — to come in here, be greeted with a smile, and walk out with a little more hope and happiness than they had when they arrived.”

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