what will cami do without her sunday morning mimosas and bloody marys ???
Hoffbrau closes its doors
BY DREW TERRY Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Hungry patrons who sought comfort in the confines of Hoffbrau Steaks were greeted Monday by dimmed lights and chairs placed on tables.
The restaurant closed Sunday night after 21 years of operations because of accumulated debt and family concerns, said Margaret Charboneau, general manager of Hoffbrau Steaks of Arkansas.
The company was owned by her brother, Matt Charboneau, father, the late Leo Charboneau, and mother, Sunny Charboneau. “The decision basically came in part because… we’ve accrued some debt and have been trying to pay it off,” she said. “With the market right now, business is a little slow and with my dad passing away, Matt and I decided we foremost have to take care of our mother.”
The restaurant opened in 1983 and changed hands 10 years later when the Charboneaus purchased it.
They lately have experienced financial problems associated with day-to-day operations, grocery and liquor bills, and the payroll, leading to cash flow problems for the family.
Leo Charboneau died April 22, during a period in which his son was preparing to accept another job and leaving Hoffbrau, where he had been employed since 1989.
Matt Charboneau has been employed elsewhere for about six weeks, Margaret Charboneau said, though she declined to name the business.
Charboneau hoped the family could correct the business’ financial woes in the coming weeks or months and reopen the restaurant in the same leased space at 31 E. Center St. “We want to reorganize, and Mom has actually had two investors approach her about going into a partnership,” Charboneau said. “What we’re trying to do right now is reorganize the corporation, and we fully intend to reopen. We’re excited about that.”
The family intends to use the same name and create the same atmosphere, but make some menu changes.
A future venture most likely would exclude Matt Charboneau, she said.
Charboneau organized a meeting Sunday night to announce the closure to Hoffbrau employees. Most of them were a little surprised, and they would be welcome back when Hoffbrau reopens, she said. “I was very, very touched because the employees have been terrific,” Charboneau said. “All those kids loved my father and they loved my mom. She’s been coming to the restaurant more since my dad’s been gone.
” I had a couple of waitresses who cried. We are just like one big family up there. ”
Diners who planned to eat Monday at Hoffbrau learned about the closure from a sign posted on the red wooden doors.
” My family is very appreciative of (the patrons’) support in the last few years, and they just need to be patient, “Charboneau said.” We’ll be running again just as soon as we can. ”
Charboneau said it was difficult to determine whether the city’s smoking ordinance affected business at the restaurant.
” Food sales remained relatively the same; our liquor sales are down substantially, ” she said.
The Charboneaus and restaurant managers had discussed transforming the establishment into a bar past 10 p.m. They chose not to make the attempt because of its distance from the nightlife neighborhood of Dickson Street, Charboneau said.
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