BAXTER — Lights still flicker inside Famous Dave’s restaurant in Baxter but no one was on hand for a meal Monday.
Famous Dave’s restaurant closed its doors in Baxter Sunday night. A typed note on the front door hangs next to the greeting “ya’ll get in here” and says the restaurant is closed and “Thank you Brainerd lakes area for your continued support over the years.”
Famous Dave’s addition to the area was part of phase one at Baxter Village, which opened along Highway 371 in October of 2005.
In 2002, Randy Jernberg, owner of Famous Dave’s in Crosslake first reported the interest in moving the restaurant from Crosslake to Baxter. Just last year, Chef Charlie Torgerson, Famous Dave’s owner in Baxter, was on the Food Network’s TV show “Best in Smoke” with Famous Dave founder Dave Anderson.
Famous Dave’s corporate office in Minnetonka reported the decision to close was made by the franchise owner, listed as Baxter BBQ.
Baxter BBQ originally filed as a Minnesota business in 2005. Its chief executive officer on file with the Secretary of State is Van Johnson. The taxpayer of record for the restaurant property is Border State Bank of Greenbush, Minn.
Famous Dave’s has 185 restaurants, with 53 of those as corporate restaurants and the remainder are franchise operations. Monday the Famous Dave chain announced a deal for 21 new restaurants and a newly launched “Shack” concept for “fast-casual, high-quality, quick-serve concept.”
“With this signing, we are getting a great head-start on our goal of adding 50 new locations over the next two years. With even more deals on the table, Famous Dave’s growth potential looks outstanding,” said John Gilbert, CEO of Famous Dave’s, in a news release.
The Famous Dave’s in Baxter made the Minnesota Department of Revenue’s posting of facilities tax delinquent for liquor, wine and beer sales. Taxpayers make the list after being delinquent in paying their taxes 10 days or more. Baxter BBQ Inc., doing business as Famous Dave’s on Edgewood Drive, first made the list on Sept. 12. While a business is on the list, no wholesaler, manufacturer or brewer is allowed to sell or deliver product to it.
Famous Dave’s corporate office couldn’t shed light on whether this chapter for the local franchise owner here marks the end of the restaurant’s presence in the lakes area.
RENEE RICHARDSON, senior reporter, may be reached at 855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Dispatchbizbuzz.
Comments (24)
Add commentDamm
Damm
was not their first time on
was not their first time on the delinquent list!!!!!! and to get caught buying from liquor stores to stock! sounds like poor management i had been on there several times. this place was busy enough to withstand the lakes area kinda funny how they made the list after a busy summer! i can understand after a slow winter but you have to pay your taxes!
Double
Double Damn!
I used to eat at Famous Dave's
on my way home from school and back. We usually stopped in Maple Grove either there or at Joe's Crab Shack. Good eats.
However, in recent years, I found the ribs tough. The quality has declined. I ate at the Brainerd location twice and was never impressed. There are much better places to get ribs in this area, though it is sad to see a restaurant close.
Their sauces, though, are pretty good...
Louie's Bucket of Bones in Ironton
not only great food, but an atmosphere and fun! Eat Local, avoid the chains!
Now at least ...
... my salt intake can get back to normal.
They can't even pay there
They can't even pay there employees!! Those poor kids working there and then they go to cash there checks oops they bounce!!!
I'm Going to miss them
Famou's Dave's was by FAR my favorite place to eat in the lakes area.
Not very good as rib places
Not very good as rib places go. Everything tastes the same.
Way too tough ribs,
good sauce.
MARSBAR
?? Just because it is a chain does not mean it is not owned by a local. Most chain restaurants in our area are owned and operated by people who live here. On another note, I have to assume I am not the only one who has heard they were going to close for a few years now. Always sad when a business shuts down.
Sad
Dove5131 it wasnt the management I know first hand cause I worked there all the problems happened because of the ownership!! Plain and simple they didnt care about the employees or the customers for a fact! Not only did they not pay taxes but they didnt pay any bills so the management and the employees paid out of there own pockets just to keep the place open, if that hadnt been done and we didnt open the doors cuz of no food or no electricity the owners would have been mad at us when it was there fault to begin with. The staff was dedicated...the owners criminals...
on a better note...
there is now a building all prepared to put in a Red Lobster!!!!
Red lobster
Is not coming anytime soon. They same people that own Olive Garden, own Red Lobster and they have already said the area is too small for a RL. That is fine with me. There are some really good options in the area for seafood.
Famous Dave's
Not the first business to close because of liquor tax deliquency. Does this possibly give a hint that maybe MN liquor tax might be a tad to high for businesses to handle?
Louie's Bucket of Bones
This place had some of the worst food I ever ate. I wouldn't recommend no one to go there.
@Lorizen
You do not understand that the liquor tax this establishment owes was added to the customer tab and collected from customers on behalf of the state. Famous Dave's chose not to forward the money they collected. That is a felony not an example of high business taxes.
Totally agree, Purposed. And, don't mess w/comfort food!
And I think there are ways to protect the financial interests of employees who might not have received that final check(s)? What a loss of decent ribs, though. C'mon. Don't mess with us when it comes to our comfort food. This is a sad story.
Not the only one
I see "the lakes" on 371 is on the list as well, not that its a big suprise.....I wonder what it will be called next time around