New partners buy Tucson's
By BOB BRUCE / Abilene Reporter-News
People and names and satisfied customers are the keys to success in the restaurant business, say Mark Byram and Eric Riojas, the new owners of Tucson's, 3370 N. 1st.
"I like people to come in and know their names and they know my name," Mark said.
"We're kind of like 'Cheers,' " the partners said in agreement. "We've even got our Norm."
Mark said he and Eric recently purchased the 16-year-old restaurant from its owners, who reside in Dallas. They said no changes are planned in the 160-seat establishment, which has been known as Gardski's and Gardski's Loft as well as Tucson's.
Mark said they have about 45 employees and a monthly payroll of nearly $18,000.
The partners' ties go back to the year the restaurant opened.
"I hired Eric as a dishwasher," Mark said.
From that Eric progressed to cook. Then, one day Mark was in need of a kitchen manager.
Mark remembers Eric asking, "Let me try it."
"So I did and it worked great," Mark said. "Today he does all the ordering and dealing with the salesmen and the shopping. He's probably more in charge of operations, and I'm more in charge of bookeeping and running the restaurant."
But Mark says he's careful not to let the bookeeping keep him from what he likes best - being out front, talking to the customers.
Mark has been in food service for 19 years, starting in Amarillo as bar manager at another Gardski's. Then, in November 1980, Mark moved to Abilene as the bar manager of the local Gardski's. About 1984 he became general manager here.
Mark, 40, who grew up in the oil fields of Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, characterized food service this way: "The hours are just like the oil field - you're just inside!"
Two years ago Mark left, working with Tom Perini at Buffalo Gap for 10 months.
"I learned a lot and had a wonderful time and left on good terms," he said.
That was followed by a four-month stint with Burger King, then back to Tucson's.
"An opportunity was available to come back. Eric was running it by himself while I was gone," Mark said.
Eric, 30, a native of Topeka, Kan., said he's been in food service since he was 14.
What works best is good food and keeping customers happy and coming back, Eric said.
"And making unhappy customers happy," he added.
Occasionally odd things occur, Eric said, smiling.
Like the time a street person tried to push a lawnmower into the restaurant.
"It was a big old lawnmower, and he was trying to push it inside," Eric said. The intruder's motive remains a mystery because he fled upon seeing three police officers who were dining at Tucson's.
"He took off down the street," Eric said.
Then there have been disgruntled wives searching for their husbands, Eric said.
And on one occasion, during an argument, a woman threatened to hit a man with a ketchup bottle, he said.
But generally the atmosphere is sedate, Eric and Mark said.
They said they seek to "maintain a casual yet professional atmosphere with a family-oriented theme."
Tucson's is open daily from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.