quote:

common curtisy

You might want to learn to spell "courtesy" before you critique others on it.

quote:

Originally posted by TheMoon:
So, leaving a dozen people wondering whether or not they might or might not have a job makes it their f@cking business.

Having bartended in my past life for a number of years, I will tell you that the LAST person who finds out the restaurant is closing is the employee. I worked at a Levy Restaurant at 900 North Michigan and they gave us 2 day notice they were closing. It's the business. But if you are a restaurant employee, you know the signs.

I might add that, had the employees done a better job of caring for customers, or learned how to manage a table, they might have survived. Decent food. Good drinks. Consistently lousy service.

Ron has hit upon part of the issue. If customers constantly need to flag down the server, their not doing their job. A good server anticipates the customer's needs.

For example, when a customers glass is empty-

1) Ignore it
2) Act startled that the customer would actually want a refill
3) Ask the customer if they would like a refill before the glass is actually empty.

Kelly seemed to be one of the few servers that picked answer # 3

All too often the servers would hang out in the bar back area just chit chatting. Part of being a server is being a sales person. Customers are like teeth if you ignore or neglect them, they go away.

1958, axe to grind? No. I just amazes me that there are people out there that just don't give a damn; from my understanding EPub was out looking for a new job and got one weeks before the doors closed on the Firkin - he made sure his *** was covered, while letting the employees think that they were going to be taken on by the new owner. Guess what? And, from talking to people, there still isn't anything cut in stone with a deal for someone to buy the place. If people know what is going to happen, then they deal with it, but if they aren't given any insight to what is going on, it leaves them in a limbo, and that is wrong.
And Yoss, all you have is to say something about my spelling? That critique is just petty.
Ron - if the service was so lousy, why did you keep going back? Or did you? Maybe if EPub was aware of the lack of service maybe he should have said something to the people that worked there; did you ever say anything?
When push comes to shove, it is ultimately the responsibility of the manager and owner to ensure the place is run well and properly, and to use from Mr. Kas' baseball analogy, when the team isn't winning, you don't fire the team, you get rid of the manager.

quote:

And Yoss, all you have is to say something about my spelling? That critique is just petty.

It's called attention to detail. Send your resume out with some misspellings and see how far you get.

"Maybe if EPub was aware of the lack of service maybe he should have said something to the people that worked there; did you ever say anything?"

AAAhh, the battle cry of the American "victim" worker-It's always managements fault. Once again personal responsibility and pride in a job well done has no place here. It's the customer's or manager's responsibility to get you to do your job. Do you really need the manager to TELL you that the customer's glass is empty, refill it?

Moon-If you remain in the food service industry, remember this quote-"The tip will reflect the service."

Good Luck Steve and Mrs. P.!

Thank you for all you did for your patrons and for Glen Ellyn. May the smokeless, casual, family-type restaurant/bar trend continue! Cheers.

Yoss, I never said I was a victem, and I would never play the victem card, I would take responsibility for my preformance. And I didn't say that the staff should be told to refill a glass, but if EPub knew that things weren't being done, then yes, it is his responsibility to say something to the staff or find someone else who will do a better job. Face it, he blew a good thing, and you can't see past that and come to terms that he didn't do what he should have done to keep that place going. He had nothing to lose, it's my understanding that it was all his father's money (and a considerable sum at that). He didn't care about the place, if he did, he would have been there on the last day it was open. Want someone to take pride in their job, it sure didn't seem like he had any pride about the Firkin; but please, keep defending him and see how far that gets you.

Moon-I appreciate your passion on the subject, but I'm not clear on what he should have done to keep it going?

Victem (sic) or not...it's time to move on. Moonie...there is no way that you did not have prior notice of this place going bye-bye. Hell, I knew about it forever ago. Was it loyalty or comfort that kept you around? And since you appear to have an inside into what the place went for, etc., how can you really express shock and surprise of the closing of Firkin?

I never feel glee when someone is put out on the street. But open the paper...I guaran-bloody-tee you'll have a job tonight if you work in the kitchen. Behind the bar or a server? Maybe within the week. And from what I have seen...you'll make a poopload more money. You really should be looking at this as an opportunity. And here's a small piece of advise...prospective employers shy away from hiring people that gripe about past positions. They'd rather hear you say good things about your past employers rather than your biatching. So keep your comments here where they are appreciated. There hasn't been anything going on around this BB lately.

In all seriousness....good luck.

I don't know EPub too well though he was always extremely welcoming whenever we went there. I try not to judge people too much unless I am extremely well-aware of the job they are doing (or not doing). Moon seems all too happy to do so and I am betting that Moon has either worked for EPub or has a close, intimate friend who did and they are disgruntled. I don't like the lack of notice either but I do know that many industries don't tell people they are about to lose their job until they do. (By the way, our government does provide unemployment for those who end up in a spot like this.) In fact, I would argue that this is accepted practice in most industries. If the staff can't handle the real world, then perhaps they will want to pursue an advanced degree and find a "safer" work environment.

By the way, I don't know why EPub wasn't there on the last day but I do know he has his hands quite full with a new baby so, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he did what he felt was right.

Clam, not in any need to open a paper, unless it is to catch the latest standings in the baseball. I think there was a lot that EPub could have done, I was in there days (when they still opened for lunch) and nights, and saw that as of the last six months or better, he was not around even when he was there - I had on more than one occasion been there long enough to tip the glass for a while and never saw him, even when the bartender said he was there. No more on this will come from me, I will say; let's agree to disagree. I thank you for the time to voice an opinion and Yoss, if ever I need to get a resume' in order, I'll ask you to have a look at it, I would appreciate the "curtisy" of that. Hopefully whatever goes into that space will do well.

Understood, Moon. And I can understand your confusion/anger. Hope everything works out for you.

BTW, Go Red Sox.

Clam, no confusion or anger on my part, thing are and have been well for me. Red Sox? OK, I see another arguement brewing !! It's the Cubbies year !!!

Don't talk about the Cubs...you'll jinx 'em.

quote:

Yoss, if ever I need to get a resume' in order, I'll ask you to have a look at it, I would appreciate the "curtisy" of that.

I'd be happy to. I had a career coach back in 2001 who did wonders with my resume, time to pay it forward.

True story:

Firkin's was always a favorite of the District 41 "NO" crowd. The night of the referendum, we were going to have Preserve41's celebration at Firkin's. (Dutch, for all you auditors). We had even told the papers about it. We brought the laptop computer to check returns, but could not get online with Firkin's internet.

I pulled the "in charge" person over and explained that we were expecting a lot of people for the referendum returns. "What referendum?" was the reply. After a civics lesson, I explained that we would like to use their wireless network for returns.

After checking on that for about 10 minutes, he returned to tell me that we could not use their network because "the guy with the passcode left already". He could not assist us. Needless to say, we had to adjourn and meet elsewhere. All 20 of us.

That is just one reason why they are out of business.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryan Potts:
Agreed. Good luck Steve. You'll be missed.

Welcome aboard newbie. BTW, shot a 77 at Angel's crossing yesterday...IMJ were you there?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by TheMoon:
Yoss, I never said I was a victem, and I would never play the victem card, I would take responsibility for my preformance.QUOTE]

What is happening here?! Where are the standards?! If I had put up a post like this, Fish would have told me to go back to 3rd grade. Yikes.

We love ya Steve!

Just to clarify the facts.

The staff has known for over 6 weeks that the place was up for sale. The nature of deals like this meant that the exact date of closing was not known by me or anyone else until about 2 weeks ago. The staff has known as much as me since then. It wasn't until this morning that we called the deal off and are pursuing other offers. Such is the nature of these types of transactions. I never kept anything from the staff and was open with everyone when asked about the situation.

All potential buyers have expressed interest in retaining the entire hourly staff. I made the staff aware of this fact, but also told them that I could not make any promises for a new owner. The salaried staff, Jack and I, have been working on finding new jobs since we decided to sell.

I was fortunate enough to have found a new job that required me to start before The Firkin officially closed its doors. I have a wife and an 5 month old daughter to support and a mortgage to pay. I stopped paying myself some time ago in order to ensure that I could keep my staff employed and paid. I see now how much that was appreciated.

I'm sorry that I was not there for the final night of operation, but it was a necessity of my new job. I sent along family members in my place to make sure that things went smoothly.

Yes, once the place was up for sale, I mentally and emotionally moved on. There is no point in wallowing in my failure...and this was a failure.

To say "he blew a good thing, and...he didn't do what he should have done to keep that place going" is coming from someone who never saw our financials. We never had anything close to "a good thing" going.

I'm sorry that some employees have some hard feelings, but I guess it's to be expected in a situation such as this.

Thanks to all those who have supported us. I will miss you!

Steve