Familiar faces are missing from Brewsky’s Broiler in Ontario as the founders retire and turn over ownership to another local couple.
Art and Cindy Lynch say that they were ready to take a break after 37 years running the popular restaurant.
Their last day as owners was Monday, Feb. 24.
They sold the business to Travis and Katherine Currey, who also operate Hog Rock Café in Ontario. Travis Currey is a 1991 graduate of Vale High School and a local real estate agent. He declined to talk about their new venture.
The Lynchs opened their restaurant in 1988 “with a 6-year-old son, a 2-week-old daughter and $200 in the bank,” joked Cindy.
They had worked in the family’s Mexican restaurant in Nampa before deciding to venture out on their own.
The first location for Brewsky’s was in what is now Los Potrillos at 49 N.W. 1st St.
“We wanted to break away from the Mexican theme. We wanted to be more like a Red Robin,” Art said.
They were determined to provide quality in food and in service.
In the early years, the couple did everything from waiting tables to cleaning bathrooms.
“We lived the whole dream,” Art said. “It took off pretty doggone good from the get-go.”
The pair cite keys to running a successful restaurant. Good employees, for one.
“We were pretty picky with how people did their work,” Cindy said. “We always had excellent employees. That’s really crucial.”
Art said working in a restaurant takes wanting to be in service.
“You can teach people the job but you can’t teach them an attitude,” Cindy said. “That’s what we looked for – outgoing, interested in other people.”
Art said another key was to see that diners got what they wanted.
“We bought the best food we could,” he said. “When people go out for lunch or dinner, they expect to get the value. They expect to have the quality. I don’t blame them a bit.”
Part of buying good food was also managing the costs.
“We paid for everything as we went,” Cindy said. “We didn’t ever get into debt with the grocery companies. We knew our inventory and we knew our costs. That’s where so many people get into trouble.”
In current times, getting a reliable and affordable stock of food isn’t easy while costs escalate and supplies are less certain.
“The supply chain is absolutely the biggest challenge,” Art said.
He said people are accustomed now to watching prices go up as they shop for groceries but they expect more stability in menu prices.
“You can’t just change your menu. You can’t do it that way,” Art said.
Cindy said the couple were mindful of their senior clientele, many living on fixed incomes and who have been customers for years.
“You can’t raise prices willy-nilly,” Cindy said.
In 1999, they broke ground for the building that is now home to Brewsky’s, at 23 S.E. 1st Ave. in downtown. Among its offerings are gourmet burgers, craft beers and lots of sports events to watch.
One of the toughest times was during the pandemic, when Art said the restaurant had to close for a total of six months over two years.
“We made a point that we were going to keep as many employees as we could,” he said in explaining their strategy to survive in those times.
Brewsky’s had already offered to-go service but the Lynchs decided that would be the way to keep their restaurant going.
“We had always done a lot of to-go anyway. We were good at it,” Cindy said. “We went full steam.”
Adding an online ordering system helped.
“We stayed steady,” she said.
The pair said there was no “aha” moment when they decided to retire. But they acknowledged they were getting tired.
Cindy said the couple realized they weren’t bringing the same energy and creativity to their operation. They wanted to pass the business on to someone who could.
They have no grand plans in retirement except to do more camping and traveling.
“Our plan is to hitch that camper up and head out,” Cindy said.
Art isn’t worried about getting bored.
“I have a fly rod and golf clubs. I think I can find something to do,” he said.
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