 Unlike some rumors, this one was based in fact. Rusty's was headed
for a closing… until now.Rusty's owner, Russ Hruby, explained
that he had been looking for a buyer for "some time" but couldn't
find anyone interested in purchasing his Lincoln location.
Hruby, who started in the restaurant business with a Maverick in
Springfield in 1980, had seven restaurants operating at one time.
Now, at age 62, he has been either selling or closing the locations
in an attempt to retire. Hruby said the Lincoln location is his last
restaurant.
With insurance and loans coming due for renewal at the end of the
month and no prospective buyer, Hruby said it looked like the time
to close and continue to offer the location for sale.
Then, fortunately for Hruby, the employees and the community, a
potential buyer walked in the door recently, and now things are
looking excellent for the restaurant to continue.
Russ said Terry Munson, a Decatur restaurateur, has offered to
buy the business, and yesterday they received a favorable response
from a local bank.
Hruby said he realizes that all the paperwork to transfer a
business takes time, but now that there is something in the works,
he will keep Rusty's open until new ownership can be finalized.
"We have 35 employees plus two managers. This means they still
have their jobs. This means Rusty's is staying open," Hruby said.
Joel Smiley, executive director of the Lincoln & Logan County
Development Partnership, said he has been in constant contact with
all parties, offering whatever assistance he and the partnership
could offer.
"They have 30-plus employees at Rusty's, and keeping jobs in the
community is just as important as creating new ones," Smiley noted.
[to top of second column] |
Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder found out the good news at the Lincoln
Rec Center last evening and also was pleased with the news.
"This is great news for the employees at Rusty's, and it's great
news for the community," Snyder said.
Hruby said that in the last few days, business had dropped off
significantly with the word spreading around town of an imminent
closing, and he hopes the good news that Rusty's is staying open
will spread just as quickly.
"We need people to know we are open and will continue to be open.
You don't have to cancel your Christmas party or your plans to use
Rusty's," he said.
Both the Lincoln Kiwanis and Lincoln Rotary as well as other
service organizations have been using Rusty's for several years for
meetings.
[By
MIKE FAK]
 |
