'05 Restaurant 86 roll call|
No more dying swans.... "In the 1960s when all those old fine dining restaurants closed their doors in our Downtown (Columbus), it was almost like the dying swan singing the praises of beautiful times and memories of a good life," said Robert Welcher, president of Restaurant Consultants, Inc. He's the local authority on why, how and when restaurants close. The Welcher files have tab names reading CLOSED 2005. A second one is tabbed DEATH WATCH, apparently for food places on the rumor radar. Welcher wasn't in Columbus until the 1970s, but he recites a roster of fine old establishments that made Columbus Downtown. Columbus Downtown in mid-Twentieth Century could brag about such family names as Marzetti's, Paoletti's, Kuenning's, Benny Klein's, Mills, Doersam's, even the Lazarus name when it came to good dining in a dozen settings in one building. Not one of the Downtown restaurant names took the so-called Midnight Express out of town. The closings were gradual, planned and always announced in advance. As most industry observers recall, there were no lineups of unpaid purveyors or bankruptcies. Mostly word of closings came about when waiters, waitresses and cooks were told in advance they would be receiving severance based on years - decades in most cases - of service. Tableside service once upon a time was a profession to be honored. "All went (closed) out as if perfectly choreographed by waiters, the busboys, bartenders and owners who didn't want to leave a bad taste with the regulars they were leaving behind," Welcher recalls. Nice. Very proper.There were no chain eateries in those days. Entrepreneurs seeking quick openings and cash flows did not exist. But the city's suburban population was coming about and with it, a mass dining/eating out clientele exodus that was more interested in proximity than posh. Tracking restaurant closings is a business necessity. But, recording closings and failures continues as an inexact science.Roughly, 2005 had closings variously attributed to fires, thefts, stickups, unhappy partnerships, bookkeepers, and the year's highlighted reason - a more aggressive city health department. How did closings happen? Jot down abruptly, gently, unannounced and announced, unplanned, brutally, stealthily and painfully. The Welcher list of closing reasons was more succinct: "Four popular causes - Location three times and bad food served with poor service." Probably the newest reason to close in 2004: Low-carb food. Link that with a late Krispy Kreme at 3703 Fishinger Rd. Welcher did not have a low-carb closing for 2005. He thinks that foolishness is history. |
  
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At Least 2005 Closings Less Than Previous Years In the restaurant business it is called the 86 Roll Call. How many eateries were 86ed for one reason or another in 2005? Let us just say the auctioneers had less business than in previous years. Less than a hundred closings are known.
City Center lost a biggie - Spinnaker's, one of the tenant originals, had been operating for years with a bankruptcy referee in charge. One of two Rofini's Pizza places, this one at 1170 Weber Rd., closed with a plus record dating to 1959. The city's oldest seafood name, Fisherman's Wharf, closed two spots, Bexley and Upper Arlington. The latter, however, reopened under a different handle. Fading nationals: Schlotzsky's Deli, after years of favorable reviews mixed with negative business stories at the corporate level, folded and departed the market. And then Arthur Treacher's, another once-proud fish stop, closed the Livingston avenue store and kept one open on Brice road. Columbus Health Department toughens up: 2005 was a busy year for our sanitarians. They brought a dozen eateries to heel citing food handling, food storage, crawly things, cross contamination of foods, unhealthy temperatures, and the most interesting - the owner of record was operating out of China. The sanitation crew did a final number on a campus joint, China Wok. When it came to one of world's heavily patronized greasy spoons, Rube's Diner on Indianola, it was closed for five days, but reopened after passing a re-inspection. A few days after the new opening, the diner CLOSED sign went up. Quickies, in and down for the count: Moe's Southwestern Grill, 5976 E. Main St.; Network, 525 N. Park St., after eight months; Mediterranea, 5225 N. High St.; Grissini Cafe, Pickerington, closed after a few months in business and just two days after The Dispatch gave the place a good review; and China Buffet, 1047 Polaris Parkway, closed after one year to the day, the owner citing the high rent he was paying and his lack of a liquor permit. Two top restaurant ops depart: Brothers Frank and Gene Simonetti closed their Damon's outlets, citing lack of business. Disconnects: Roadhouse Grill, 3940 Lymon Dr.; Quizno's Subs, Kingsdale; and Belgian Iron Works, Easton Town Center; Genghis Grill - the Mongolian Feast, 4770 Morse Rd.; Taipei Gourmet, 2882 E. Main St.; and W. C. Gathers, 5617 N. High St. Disappearing names: Midori, Japanese on Schrock road; Braddock's Grandview; three of the four Chili's in town; The Riverview at 6125 Riverside Dr., locked down in September; Fire Mountain on Sawmill with the name few could remember, Fire Mountain Hot Off the Griddle; Jasmine, 1080 Dublin Rd.; Brian Boru's, Short North; and Pierre's on 4th, a catering firm with financial problems. So, how about this reason for closing: The city's first T. G. I. Friday's, 4540 Kenny Rd., closed in April and the site today is a Walgreen's. And, here's bad news and good news: In May after Julian Sanfillipo said "to hell with it, I'm going fishing," after 26 years owning Julian's Restaurant, 1377 Community Park Dr. He blamed a quick loss of business on the smoking ban. He told The Dispatch, "Those people Downtown want to tell people how to run their business…they don't think about the people (employees) here that will lose their jobs." Sanfillipo is a good news story when it comes the government. "Me and the SBA (Small Business Administration) opened this place in '79 and its been good all these years until all this...this stuff," he said, in locking the door and walking. The good Julian's news: After being closed six weeks, son Tony reopened the lounge. On New Year's Eve, a good time was had by all. by Doral Chenoweth 614-538-1822 |
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