New Orleans-style Royal B closes its doors
After 14 months of trying to bring their family tradition of fi ne New Orleans dining to the area, Clark and Blake Brennan have closed the Royal B Restaurant.
"It's been kind of like the perfect storm," Clark Brennan said by phone in confi rming Monday's closing. "The real estate market crashed, gas prices are horrible for a destination-driven market, the economy in the world today is down and it's an election year."
Having spring break and Easter in March didn't help, Brennan said, but April and May brought enough diners to give the owners hope.
"But June was 20 to 30 percent off (from the debut month in 2007) ... We had a great July 4th weekend, but there was nothing after that ... We were off about 50 percent," Brennan said. "So you get to a point where you can't do it anymore because you're putting good money after bad."
The Brennan bothers are grandsons of Owen Brennan and part of the family that owns and operates several famous New Orleans restaurants. They have just opened Clark & Blake Brennan's School of Fish in conjunction with St. Joe Co. in the resort community of WindMark Beach in Gulf County. Another Royal B Restaurant is being built in Jackson, Miss.
The Brennans have been leasing the location on Emerald Coast Parkway in Destin.
"Today I would say no, we would not be coming back. But we love the Destin market. It's a beautiful place. And this market will come back in 12 to 24 months," Brennan said. "But who survives will depend on who has deeper pockets to ride out the storm."
Dismiss employees was the "hardest thing," he added.
"I spend more time with them than I do my own family," Brennan said. "They are my family."
Another issue is private parties that have been booked in advance. Brennan said he and his brother are working with other restaurants to relocate these events.
But Michelle Sandler of Fort Walton Beach said she was not pleased because she heard about the closing through wordof-mouth and had to call the Brennans regarding her Sept. 13 party to celebrate the renewal of her wedding vows to Nathan Sandler, a technical sergeant in the Air Force.
"I'm still a fan of the Brennan family, but I'm very, very upset. It puts a sour taste in my mouth," Michelle Sandler said.
But her story would appear to have a happy ending because Ryan Montalto has booked her party for the same day at Pranzo, the well-known Italian restaurant owned by the Montalto family.
"He went over above and beyond for us," Sandler said.