Le Bistro restaurant in the former City/County Complex in Superior will close April 16, a victim of the sluggish economy.
The fine dining restaurant, in operation nearly five years at the complex at 1409 Hammond Ave., will keep its normal Tuesday-through-Saturday hours serving lunches and dinners until then, says owner Barbara Krause
“When we first opened, business was good,†she said. “Then, every year it just went down a little bit and a little bit.â€
And as business dropped off, she would have to lay off staff, she said.
From a high of 35 employees, the restaurant now employs 12, said Krause who took on more roles as her staff shrunk.
She blames the closure on the poor economy and road construction.
“It’s been pretty tough,†she said. With the majority of their customers coming from Minnesota, she said any time there was road construction or bridge work, business was hurt. And more bridge work is coming this summer, she said.
“It’s a sad thing,†Krause said. “I wish it wasn’t happening, but that’s the way it goes. We really had some wonderful clientele. And I think the people who did come to our restaurant truly enjoyed it.â€
News of the closing was posted Thursday on the restaurant’s website, thanking those who have supported them over the past 4½ years. It gave a special thanks to the ladies from the Red Hat Society for their continuous patronage and support.
“We will miss you all,†it said.
When Le Bristo first opened many enjoyable meals were shared there.
On a Saturday night, the previous spring…..arriving there at 8:15….we were turned away
due to a prom and the lack of menu items available. For me that was my last choice as far
as picking an evening dining spot. I’m guessing that is a contributing factor to Le Bistro’s demise..it was an experience others had also shared. It is sad the Twin Ports is losing another restaurant to poor management and customer service.
Sorry to hear of Le Bistro’s closing. I know that the owners worked long and hard to try and make a go of it. Pejorative comments like the previous one are hurtful and not entirely fair. One visit is not reflective of the work and dedication that goes into running a restaurant, and to turn your back on them due to one less than stellar experience is kind of cold hearted in my opinion, especially if you had had several positive experiences prior to that. Just take it at face value, times are tough and discretionary income hits restaurants the hardest. That and the fact that corporate chain restaurants with their national marketing campaigns put locally owned restaurants like Le Bistro at a competitive disadvantage. One more reason to buy local.
It never ceases to amaze me at how cruel people can be when businesses close. People who criticize restaurant owners for a single bad experience they may have had should realize that management cannot control every situation every minute of every day. Entrepreneurs often invest everything they own into opening up a business and put their heart and soul into their business. If a person who simply works at a job doesn’t like their job or doesn’t make enough money to live on, they can quit and move on to a better job. If they lose their job due to difficult economic times, they can collect unemployment until they find another job. If a person owns a business and it doesn’t do as well as hoped, they can’t simply walk away without losing everything…and no unemployment. I wish the owners of Le Bistro the best of luck in their future plans. Your decision to close must have been an extremely difficult one to make and my heart goes out to you and your family.
Thank you Doug and Karen for reminding people of what reality truly is like for owners and agree wholeheartedly with your comments. I know it may be a stretch to think this way but I also wonder about family values at a time like this. We used to value dinner at the table with each other and going out to eat was such a treat that entailed conversation and companionship or celebrations. Now I see so many people that go through drivethru’s and eat at restaurants and dont even speak to each other or go so often they forget where their own kitchen is. We seem to be a society of convenience and I cant help but wonder how this has affected us as a society. The lost art of “having a family” seems to be slowly disappearing and it saddens me to think we create them but have no time for them. Where do we go from here? Good luck and best wishes to the owners and staff members at Le Bistro…keep your chin up!