Like a phoenix rising

Almost one year after fire, owners of Silver Spur prepare to re-open

By LORI WEISS

Posted: April 21, 2009 |(0) Comments

Silver Spur signs line the windows of the former Elm Grove Inn building along Watertown Plank Road, while inside workers continue the construction of the new restaurant that will open April 27.

The restaurant's grand opening is set for three days before the first anniversary of the fire that destroyed the Silver Spur Texas Smokehouse BBQ's original home in Brookfield.

Frank Hornick, one of the restaurant's owners, said the fire was "horrible," not only because of the loss of the building, but also because it was the loss of a "family."

"We had customers running down the street with tears (in their eyes)," Hornick said.

Longtime employees out of work

Plus, knowing his employees would be without jobs was also hard to swallow, as his newest employees had been there for five years, he said.

The Elm Grove Silver Spur staff will consist of about 70 percent of its old staff.

Kelly Byrnes is one of those employees.

Byrnes had been a waitress with Silver Spur for 11 years before the building burned down and has been waiting for it to re-open.

"When the restaurant burned down last year, it was the loss of a family," Byrnes said, echoing Hornick. "We all got together two days later, and it was like going to a funeral."

Byrnes said the staff had to get different jobs, biding their time until the restaurant re-opened.

Jessica Piechowski worked at Silver Spur for nine years as a waitress, bartender and caterer, and shares the same enthusiasm for the restaurant.

"I can't wait to go back home," she said. "That was my home - my home away from home.

"When it burned down it wasn't just that I just lost my job, I lost my home - I lost my life."

But she said she always had hope that the restaurant would re-open.

Familiar faces, fixtures

Customers will be greeted not only with familiar faces, but also with familiar fixtures.

"We are trying to pull as much of the old stuff in as we can," Hornick said.

Byrnes said they have done a "great job of mixing the old with the new."

"It looks very much like the Spur," she said. "The things that make it look like the Spur are there."

That includes Woody, the restaurant's wooden American Indian that greeted customers at its old location.

Plus, Hornick said the menu will also remain the same - Southwestern-themed barbecue - with a few additions.

Byrnes said she is excited to go back to work.

"Being back together with the staff is like re-uniting a family and that's huge," she said. "The other part is seeing the guests again.

Byrnes said the best thing about the Silver Spur was it was a fun place as both a server and a guest.

"What's different about working at the Spur is the relationships that we have with our guests," she said. "We have a lot of fun with them. There has never been a day where I didn't want to go to work."

Lori Weiss can be reached at (262) 446-6645.