It started back in 2014, one summer afternoon in St. Louis. I was in my back yard, grilling some pork steaks and enjoying a beer when my sister called me. Her husband's aunt wanted to sell the restaurant that his grandfather had started, and was going to sell it outside of the family. My BIL (brother in law) hated the thought of his grandfather's restaurant leaving the family, so he and my sister decided that they would buy it. My BIL is actually a German citizen, and the restaurant we are discussing was back in Germany.
His grandfather opened the Deutsches Haus Restaurant in the early 1970's, and built the business into a genuine landmark. It was literally famous all over Sachsen, and the place where you went of you were celebrating any kind of event. The restaurant has two banquet rooms, one of which has an actual lighted disco floor in it. It also has a Biergarten, and a seperate bar that serves the Biergarten called Die Schwemme. Just for the hell of it, a 12 room inn was added over the restaurant.
About 10 years ago my BIL's grandfather retired, and gave the restaurant to his son. Sadly, he passed away without warning not long after, and his wife was left to run things. She didn't really want to run a restaurant, and spent a long time trying to convince someone else in the family to run it, and when she finally said she was going to just sell it to whoever wanted it my BIL stepped up.
That's how I got the call.
You may be wondering why my sister was calling her brother, the petty bureaucrat with the City of St Louis, to ask advice about restaurants.
I started working in the restaurant business at the age of 14, and worked in it until I was in my 30's. Over the course of my restaurant career, I have literally done every job in the business. I left it after my first child was born so that I could have more time to spend with my kids, but I always missed it.
So my sister and I talked, and she asked me if I would be willing to go to Germany with my BIL to help him restart it. Needless to say, I was more than willing.
We talked at length about his plans. My BIL wanted to do an update to the menu, and make the place more like an American bar. He wanted it to be a little more casual, with almost a sports bar feel. He also wanted to add some American "Pub" food to the menu.
I went to Germany with my BIL that October, and again in the April of 2015. I considered moving at that time, but my BIL and I never came to terms. It was a shame, because I loved the restaurant, the town, and the people. Both times I was there my passion for the business was rekindled.
In the fall of 2015 my BIL closed the restaurant, but he didn't want to sell it. He was convinced that the business could thrive again. However, the experience left him more receptive to my terms, and during a conversation at Easter 2016 a deal was struck.
So in February of 2017 I quit my job of 21 years, I packed two suitcases, and I flew to Germany to re-open the restaurant.
That sounds a whole lot easier than it was. The man in the photo above was brimming with optimism and confidence. He thought that after 21 years of working in city government he'd be prepared for German bureaucrats.
Man, that guy was an idiot.
~Easy
To be continued...
