Borst Bonanza Steakhouse
celebrates 35 years with a 35 cent steak
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[June 24, 2017]
LINCOLN
- Who doesn’t love a really good deal when it comes to eating?
The Borst family is celebrating 35 years serving delicious food to
customers in Lincoln. To show their appreciation to the community
they are offering a delicious mouth-watering deal.
“We are excited,” said owner Brett Borst. “We were trying to think
of something different to reward the community so we came up with
the idea of 35 years and 35 cents. When you purchase a buffet, you
get a 5 oz. sirloin steak for 35 cents.” The three-week promotion
began on Monday, June 19th.
So many families throughout the community have memories of going to
Bonanza to eat. The food is always the main reason to go to Bonanza,
but yet the entire dining experience offers so much more. You know
you are going to eat a variety of delicious food and if you go away
hungry, it’s your own fault. But the Borst Bonanza Steakhouse
experience is so much more than just filling your stomach.
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The famous
Bonanza salad bar featuring cold
items made from scratch.
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Customers eye the wide variety of hot food.
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No one can skip the delicious desserts at Bonanza.
It’s about the camaraderie with family and friends, sitting, talking
and reminiscing, while eating in a family-friendly, God-loving
atmosphere. Piping hot rolls and chocolate chip cookies served to
the table fresh out of the oven by a smiling face add to the
pleasurable dining experience.
Sitting down with the Borst family this week to talk about the
promotion that just kicked off the day after Father’s Day, which
happens to be the second busiest day of the year for the restaurant
(behind Mother’s Day) was just like visiting with old friends.
John Borst, who is now affectionately known as Grandpa “B” around
the restaurant, reminisced as his wife Marjorie, son Brett,
granddaughter Emily and General Manager Candace Dieckow all gathered
around.
“My father had the Bonanza in Springfield, Illinois,” began John.
John’s parents, Barden and Alyce Borst, moved from Niles, Michigan,
in 1967 to start the Bonanza Restaurant on East Clearlake Road. It
became a well-known and popular eating place for many years,
according to the Borst Family Bonanza history compiled over the
years.
John continued, “We moved here in 1981 from Niles, Michigan. Up in
Michigan we had a chain of fifteen cent hamburger places like
McDonalds. We sold those restaurants and came down here and bought
this restaurant. All of our families are in the restaurant business.
Marjorie’s brother was founder of Bojangles, a chain in the southern
states, and my daughter’s husband works for Jimmy John’s and my
folks, of course, were in the Bonanza chain, so that’s where we get
it. We passed it on to Brett.” Brett is also known around the
restaurant as Mr. “B” to the staff.
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John explained that Marjorie’s mom and dad also had a famous
restaurant in Niles, Michigan for many years. “So the restaurant
business is in our blood,” said John Borst. “Not that the name of
the restaurant was famous for being a chain operation, but as he
explained, “Back then it was the only restaurant in town because
there weren’t that many restaurants at that time.” Therefore, it was
famous.
John and Marjorie Borst purchased the Bonanza in Lincoln after it
had been repossessed by a bank in Champaign. The John and Marjorie
Borst family opened the Lincoln business on February 17, 1982, under
the elder Borst’s philosophy.
“Grandfather also told us that there was a philosophy in the food
business that when competition came to town we always would worry
about the competition and he would tell us, “There’s nothing you can
do about the competition, what food they serve, but there’s
everything you can do about your own food,” said John Borst.
With so many family influences on John and Marjorie Borst, the
burning question was - What did they decide to do that was special
for the Bonanza of Lincoln, Illinois, to make it their own?
“Well I borrowed a lot of money,” John said with a big smile. “And
so that was my motivation.”
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John went on to explain further reasoning behind the new business
venture. “Our family had decided that we would claim the verse in
the bible that says, “A good name is better than wealth.”
“We really wanted to concentrate on getting a good name and so we
tried to build a business with a good name,” John said. Thirty-five
years later that has clearly been a successful theory on which to
build a thriving business.
“We are very appreciative of the community supporting us,” said John
Borst.
Now qualified to retire, how is retirement
going for Grandpa and Grandma “B” these days?
“Well, I am not totally retired. Brett still makes us work a little
bit,” said John, with Brett laughing in the background. “We still do
the decorating and some of the office work,” said John.
As business partners and marriage partners, John and Marjorie are a
successful duo. “It kind of fell into place when we got here,” said
John casually. “I was in charge of the back of the house, and the
crew and Marjorie was in charge of the dining room and pouring
coffee. She poured so much coffee when we first started that she got
big calluses on her fingers. So really Brett and I both know that
she (Marjorie) is the secret to our success.”
Son Brett was twenty years old when his parents purchased the
Bonanza in Lincoln. “It was fun to work with my family. I’ve never
worked for anybody else but my father,” said Brett. “When we came
here, I had done construction work before, but I found out I liked
the restaurant business better.”
Preparing food and meeting people’s needs were things that Brett
immediately liked about the restaurant business. Over the years
Brett has enjoyed investing in his employee’s lives and seeing them
become successful.
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“We have a number of second generation employees right now. We
actually have one of our assistant managers whose father used to
manage for us. I am just carrying on what my parents taught me.
Those were my goals, too,” said Brett Borst.
Reflecting on his youth and the time spent learning the business
under his father, Brett said, “Early on I decided this is what I
wanted to do. He just mentored me and taught me. So, whatever I
could read on it, I was a sponge. I just enjoyed it so much.”
Brett clearly loves what he does and has a passion for it. The
admiration for his father is clear in conversation as well.
Brett’s daughter, Emily, is also involved in the
business on a part-time basis. “I grew up here and was taking around
rolls and cookies at the age of twelve probably,” Emily said. “It’s
definitely a blessing to work with Dad and see his relationship with
Grandpa. It was a learning experience for me from a young age. I got
to see how to really be under that authority and see that
relationship grow. That’s basically what I really got out of it. I
definitely like to work with people and I studied social work in
school.”
Emily credits Grandma Marjorie Borst with teaching her about
customer service and upon hearing that compliment the matriarch of
the Bonanza family, sitting nearby, flashed a smile a mile wide.
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The Borst Bonanza Steakhouse family celebrates 35
years. Left to right GM Candace Dieckow, Marjorie Borst, John Borst
and Brett Borst.
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GM Candace Dieckow cooks chopped steak on the
flame-broiled grill.
Brett Borst was also smiling when he introduced General Manager
Candace Dieckow. It is evident that she is treated like family by
the Borst clan.
“I was born in Canton, but Lincoln is my home,” said Dieckow.
“I’ve been here at Bonanza eleven years in July,” she said, also
smiling. “Both my brothers worked here before as well.”
Dieckow began working at Bonanza the summer she turned 17. “My
brother got me the job. He was like “Hey, Mr. “B” my sister is
looking for a job. Can you give her a job?” Mr. “B” came back with a
simple, “Oh, a Dieckow? Sure, no problem.”
She worked her way all the way up to General Manager and now even
some of her recipes are featured at Bonanza.
“He’s been a great boss,” said Dieckow of Brett Borst. “I couldn’t
ask for a better boss to work for. He’s like a second dad to me.
He’s taught me everything I know and I appreciate everything that he
shows me. He continually shows me things because I still haven’t
learned everything, even after eleven years. It’s just been a great
experience for me. I was a lot different when I first started here.
I was really sheltered and now that I’ve been in it for so long, I
enjoy talking to people now.”
Dieckow continued, "It’s really nice to see regulars and to achieve
regulars, too. Seeing new faces brought in and then them showing up
again, that’s really exciting in that aspect of it, too. It’s hard
to be a leader, but it’s also a great accomplishment when the day is
over and there’s been success. It’s a really fulfilling job.”
Dieckow is the prime example of an employee who worked her way up
from the bottom. “I started out as a roll and cookie girl, went up
to host, went to cash, cooked on the front line and then prepped in
the back of the kitchen. I’ve pretty much done it all except for
wash dishes. I became an assistant manager in college and then once
I graduated college I was here for about a year, and then I took
over the general manager’s position.” Dieckow has been the General
Manager for three years now and fits nicely into the role.
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“It’s definitely a responsibility that I take on and try to do the
best I can. I enjoy it,” said Dieckow. Brett Borst also teased that
“someday we may be working for Candace.”
“Treat your people like family and they will take care of your
business,” said Brett Borst, words that ring true as Dieckow spoke
of her affiliation with the Borst family.
Dieckow added her own thoughts, “Not only do we want to make it a
family restaurant for our customers, but we also try to make it a
family environment for our employees, too. Because we do have second
generations who have been here and they know that it’s a good place
to work. That’s why we want to keep that name up that they’ve
created as well. It’s not just a good place for people to come and
eat, but it’s a good place for people to come and work. That’s why
I’ve been here that long and a lot of people tend to come back.”
Those people have been coming back to see the Borst family and eat
at Bonanza for 35 years and counting now.
The Borst family could not be more proud to serve the community.
“The community has been good to us and we want to give back to the
community,” said Brett Borst.
“At the end of the day it’s not about the food, it’s about the
relationships that keep people coming back,” said Brett. “The
relationships we have with customers and our employees is important
to us. That’s why we’ve enjoyed it for so long.”
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"We are the last Bonanza in Illinois,” continued Brett. “There are
still close to 100 stores in the United States. But we do a lot of
stuff different because we make most of our food from scratch. A lot
of the recipes are from my grandfather.”
Brett also shared some wisdom from his grandfather. “My grandfather
would always say because our business is very, very competitive,
just because you have it today, you’re not going to have it
tomorrow. That’s why we are doing the 35 cent steak deal. We want to
keep improving and keep those people coming back.”
Steaks, chicken, seafood and that hot and cold bar featuring
everything from salads to pizza to desserts, all keep people coming
back to 1121 Hickox Drive.
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But wait, there is one more attraction that draws folks to the
parking lot. “Curly” is the main attraction outside. Most people
recognize the black and white steer that came to Lincoln in
September 1995 and he has a name. According to the legend, “Curly”
has been in the Borst family herd since 1968. Next year he will
celebrate his “50th” birthday. After gracing 27 years in front of
the Springfield Bonanza, “Curly” traveled old Route 66 to join the
family at Lincoln Bonanza. People come from all over to get their
picture taken with “Curly.” The Borst family has even seen customers
from the McDonald’s next door come over for a picture.
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The lovable steer had a brush with fame in 2010 when high wind gusts
of 47 mph whipped through Lincoln and tipped the beloved fella over.
“Curly” also loves getting festive and dressed in lights at
Christmas.
Now if you are really curious about the origin of the Bonanza
restaurant, keep reading.
Brett Borst explained that Bonanza, the restaurant, started in 1962
in Eastchester, New York. “It’s a little bit different than it is
now, but they wanted to start a chain that had a family niche that
wasn’t met before,” said Brett. “Of course, it took off from the TV
show. They borrowed the name from that and gave the restaurant a
country western theme.” The popular television series, “Bonanza” ran
from 1959 until 1973.
“One year later Ponderosa, the restaurant, started because of the
success of Bonanza,” Brett explained. Fans may recall that the
Ponderosa Ranch was actually the name of the fictional ranch the
Cartwright family took care of on the television show “Bonanza.”
So, they were separate until the ‘90s,” said Brett. Today Bonanza
and Ponderosa are owned by the same parent company.
“A little Bonanza history that you wanted but were afraid to ask?”
teased Brett. Some people still confuse Bonanza and Ponderosa, but
as Brett put it, “As long as they come, I don’t care.”
The Borst family would like to thank the Lord for the many faithful
employees who have served the people for the past 35 years. They are
also grateful to God for blessing this business. The family would
also like to thank the people of Lincoln and the surrounding
communities for their continued warm and friendly support. The Borst
family, along with General Manager Candace Dieckow and the great
staff at Bonanza, care about serving their customers and they will
do whatever it takes to get folks to come back again and again.
Congratulations to the Borst family on serving the community for 35
years!
[Teena Lowery]
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