Steer House in Pulaski closing after 41 years in business
After over 41 years in business, the Steer House in Pulaski is closing.
Owners Bobby and Lesia Abbott told The Patriot Thursday afternoon they had decided to close the restaurant.
“We’ve got 77 years combined in this restaurant and we’re just burned out,” said Bobby Abbott.
“Lesia and I can’t wait. It will be a breath of fresh air,” he added.
Abbott said plans as of now are to close the restaurant at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11 – “if we can keep enough help until then.”
Abbott said the restaurant’s 38 employees have already been told. The news, he said, was met with “sadness across the board.”
Nearly all the employees are part-timers, as Abbott said only the managers in the restaurant were full-timers.
Abbott urged customers who still have unused gift certificates from the restaurant to come in soon and use them as they can’t be used after the restaurant closes and no refunds can be given.
“We’ve had the restaurant for sale for the past year and a half,” Abbott said. “We’ve been trying to find a suitable restaurateur or someone to come in and buy the restaurant like it is and take it over and keep all our valued employees working. We had just come to the point we weren’t getting any legitimate offers or anyone who was interested so we decided to roll the dice and close it.
Abbott said the restaurant is still for sale.
“The tax assessed value for the property and the building is $463,000 and I’m asking $350,000 for property, building and equipment. All lock, stock and barrel. That’s turn-key,” Abbott said.
“Our main concern all along has been our employees, that’s the reason we have been tip-toeing on this thing for the past year and a half,” Abbott said.
“We’ve been bleeding money for the last three years solid. I’ve been running food costs about 2 percent higher than what it should be, and we just can’t seem to get the prices down. We were at the point I didn’t feel like raising our prices was going to be beneficial to us or our customers.
“We can’t be an Outback Steakhouse or a Red Lobster, and we can’t price our meals that high,” Abbott continued.
Abbott said being an independent restaurant, the Steer House just didn’t have the clout to get the buying power that a lot of chains do so “we’re at the mercy of suppliers like Cisco as far as their pricing. They’re going to miss us because we’re one of their best accounts.
“Our whole focus all along has been family and friends,” said Abbott. “We have made so many friends over the years. I just can’t tell you how much it has meant to us. Older customers who have come in and meant so much to us – you’d think of them just like your own grandparents. Over the years we lost a lot of customers and we keep losing them through attrition. We’re bringing in younger customers, but it’s just harder to stay in business anymore.”
Abbott expressed appreciation for some people who through the years have looked out for them.
“There’s a lot to be said about small business and how townspeople looked out for us. People like Tony Meredith and Chief Gary Roche with the Pulaski Police Department. Their people who travel the roads day and night have done an awesome job over the years. We’ve been broken into a couple times, and we’ve always had the support of the police department. They’ve looked out after us. And also, the sheriff’s department. It’s made our employees feel safer and me too,” Abbott said.
Abbott’s parents, Bob and Betty, opened the restaurant on March 6, 1978 and they owned it for the first 20 years.
“When my dad moved to Bedford in 1998, he turned over all the stock to me,” Abbott said.
“My mom is still alive in a nursing home in Bedford with Alzheimer’s. My father passed away back on Oct. 15. He found out five weeks before he passed away that he had leukemia,” Abbott said.
Abbott said he had the restaurant on the market a year before his father’s death, and, “he had given us his blessing on selling it.”
“We very much appreciate all of our customers through the years, as well as our loyal employees. We have several who have been with us 25 to 30 years,” Abbott said.
“That’s been the hardest part of it all.”
July 25, 2019 @ 5:04 pm
So sad ive been going there since i was young
July 25, 2019 @ 6:20 pm
My husband and I are frequent customers. We will miss the great food and employees. Saddens me, however, totally understand. Best wishes in retirement. Make great memories and know you touched thousands of lives in a positive way.
July 25, 2019 @ 8:14 pm
So sad to hear many years of memories here with family and friends best of luck to you the” Steer House” will be missed
July 26, 2019 @ 8:00 am
Our family and church groups have loved you over the past many years. It’ll be hard to replace your best salad bar, burgers, steaks, and the creamy but crunchy baked potatoes. Thanks for your service to Pulaski!
July 25, 2019 @ 5:10 pm
Totally understand but we sure are gonna miss you all Good food nice employees and food never changes Especially the chocolate pudding in the silver cups Everytime we come it brings back happy memories of my parents bringing us to eat here . Plus my husband and I have came there for 26 anniversaries..you will be missed. Good luck and God bless you
July 25, 2019 @ 6:10 pm
This is so sad but understand. My youngest son and I was there Friday . Both of my parents,who are now deceased,loved the Steer House and went there several times a month. This is an icon that will be missed. Best of luck to the owners and employees and may you all find happiness in all your endeavors
August 10, 2019 @ 3:45 am
I hate this so much! I have eaten there for so many years. I love this place. I will miss this place, the food and the people.
July 25, 2019 @ 5:38 pm
so sad best food in pulaski been eating there for years you will be missed
July 25, 2019 @ 5:41 pm
I remember when we went to Roanoke Restaurant Good Show and tried to out buy each other. Good times sorry you have to give it up but I know how you feel.
July 25, 2019 @ 5:41 pm
so sad best place to eat in pulaski allways good food
July 25, 2019 @ 5:48 pm
I was,the Pepsi premix and syrup man whom whom help set up their fountain drinks before they opened. I was their hooking tanks up when they were practicing cooking before they opened .they gave me and Pete ODELL a free meal that day .I still tell everyone i was one of the first that ate their fantastic food .me and my wife’s favorite resteraunt and we have been going their to eat for 41 years. Thank you all for the awesome food friendship and hospitality. We will miss you all so much
July 25, 2019 @ 6:12 pm
So very sorry to hear this. My husband and I had several dates there when we were dating. Still celebrate birthdays and anniversaries there. We have been a faithful customer for over 25 years.
July 25, 2019 @ 6:37 pm
We had dinner there, the night my mom went into labor with my little brother. He’s 35 years old now!
July 25, 2019 @ 7:27 pm
I have been going since I was very young it going to be sad 😢
July 25, 2019 @ 7:51 pm
Sad to be losing such a great family spot. As one of the original employees; my first job! I also remember those practice meals.
We have always enjoyed meeting family and friends for those “miss you” meals the Friday night meet ups and great holiday times. You never know who you will see walk in but be sure 9 out of 10 times everybody will know everyone else.
Good luck in the future.
We will miss you all.
July 25, 2019 @ 8:09 pm
It’s sad that the nicest restaurant in town is closing. Pulaski is seriously a dying town.
July 26, 2019 @ 10:11 am
Mama always said ” If you can’t say something nice about somebody or something, just keep ya mouth shut”!!!
July 26, 2019 @ 2:19 pm
Hi Ashley – Pulaski isn’t really a dying town. Real Estate prices are going up because they are so expensive in Radford, C’Burg and B’Burg, pushed as they are by the solid employment offered by the universities and other major businesses like Corning. Volvo is bringing in hundreds of new jobs over the next few years. Pulaski has the best economic outlook of any town in the nearby area, and sad as it is that this great restaurant is closing, I think it’s pretty clear that it’s mainly because the owners are tired, a lot of their customer base has passed, and they can’t compete with evil corporate chains (which I never would frequent). I’ve only been in Pulaski for a year, coming from Radford, and before that California. Californians would die for the prices and lifestyle here. Pulaski was hit hard by the loss of its furniture industries, but I predict a bright future for this lovely town!
July 31, 2019 @ 12:17 pm
Ashley, have you been to Pulaski lately? It’s seeing a great upturn. Volvo making a record investment in the plant and hiring a large number of people. Shelors investing heavily. Their Jackson Inn and the hotel are beautiful. They’ve brought many more people to the baseball games by making the ball field/park so much better! Bimmer World is adding $1 millions bucks to their business in Dublin. Red Sun Farms in Dublin going strong. Other manufacturing/businesses/restaurants popping up all over Dublin and Pulaski alike. Brand new elementary and middle schools.
I read in an excerpt from an earlier article in this paper that according to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Pulaski County finished 2nd in Job Creation, 4th in New Capital Investment and 2nd in the Number of Projects Announced per capita for the Calendar Year 2017 OUT OF ALL 95 COUNTIES within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Pulaski County was the ONLY county that finished 4th or better in all three categories, respectively placing the County in the top spot overall in economic development performance.
Before you make such a statement it would be a good idea to get out of the house, come down here, and take a look around.
July 25, 2019 @ 8:26 pm
I worked there about 8 years. Right out of high school untill 2003. Mr. Abbott, Bobby and Lisa all great people. Larry and Tina were great as well. Going to miss that place!!!!! But, wholeheartedly understand. Prayers for everyone involved and that have to move on to different paths ahead. My god bless you and happy retirement. Enjoy….
July 25, 2019 @ 8:58 pm
So many memories there. When my husband & I dated over 25yrs ago the Steer House was our eatery hangout. Over the years we always enjoy going back to eat & fellowship with family & friends. So sad.
July 25, 2019 @ 9:00 pm
Have been a customer since I was in grade school. My Mother and Father always went to the Steer House. Till this day I still do. My family and friends and my Company “Coake Electric”. We will miss this olace.
July 25, 2019 @ 9:51 pm
Jim and Sandy Carr. So sad sure going to miss it. We lived in Northern Va for 37 years. Each time we came home to visit we always came there for dinner. We moved back last year. And we have been there quite a few times. Hope you all have a wonderful Retirement. Best food around.
July 25, 2019 @ 10:44 pm
We’ve loved and came to Steer House for MANY years! You could always count on the freshest salad in town, a great meal, very friendly staff, and a very reasonable price We will truly miss you! We have an over-abundance of fast food/unhealthy food but not enough places to get something good (my favorite, a pork ribeye) We rarely go to the other “sit-down” restaurants in the area because even though;we could, I’m no paying $40-$50 for a meal that mine at home it better!
I understand and best wishes to you Thanks for all of your hard work and delicious food! Here’s hoping someone will step forward and buy your business!
July 25, 2019 @ 10:44 pm
I have enjoyed this restaurant for 41 years and I have more memories than I could ever put in this comment….but what makes me sad is how it had never changed and that’s what I’ll miss the most and the little paper butter pads on the bar for your cornbread and rolls and the little dessert cups and then all the other special details that are only special to the beloved faithful home town coustomers like me!
It’s like saying good by to a family member I’m beyond heart broken, I will miss it greatly!!!!!! Best wishes and much love for the many memories and good food you could count on to always be like it was!!!!
July 26, 2019 @ 1:34 am
Best wishes for a happy and long retirement! Many fond memories of eating here with my mom and her Jefferson Mills co-workers. The Steer House used to be “the place” to go out for a good family meal and meet friends. Sit down in a booth and enjoy visiting. The parking lot would be packed and overflowing on Sundays after church. We no longer live in Pulaski and will miss the Steer House when we visit.
July 26, 2019 @ 2:54 pm
Yea going to miss the steer it opened when me and my buddies was still in high school I had a lot of friends who worked there while in school I never had the pleasure to work there I worked at the Pulaski theater but me and my buddies would hang around there at night time after cruising through town (they started calling us the steer house gang) back in 1979 thru 1984 yea going to miss the great service and food good luck on your retirement
July 26, 2019 @ 9:08 pm
This news is heartbreaking to me! My husband grew up in Pulaski and has gone to Steer House all his life. He introduced it to me when we started dating. We now live in Princeton WV but still drive over every now and then to eat at Steer House. My son cried when we broke the news to him. We will miss The Steer House so much, but wish you the best in your retirement.
July 28, 2019 @ 10:43 am
Over the years, I have made some great memories with family and friends at the Steer House. It is sad to see a great family friendly restaurant closing. Best wishes to the owners as they begin a new adventure in life.
July 28, 2019 @ 4:36 pm
Sad to see it close but seriously it’s not exactly a turn key business someone would have to gut it and remodel ok food but really dirty and outdated. And totally ducked taped should have thought about that about 10 years ago and when was the last time ceiling fans were cleaned waiting for clump of dirt to fall in food wish you all the best
July 29, 2019 @ 5:16 pm
I worked there for several years as a teen, and it was definitely a formative experience. For instance, I learned how to vacuum a 3,000 square foot restaurant with a shop vac (it takes two, folks) and how to tell if I was going to get stiffed by a customer based solely on the amount of times they asked me to refill their Mountain Dew. Good times.
July 30, 2019 @ 9:54 pm
My family and I ate at The Steer House often. I brought out of town guests there who enjoyed it as well. So very sad to know that it is closing. Many thanks for the good service and fine food.
July 31, 2019 @ 12:44 am
Best salads steaks in town I’m going to miss this place so much 😭😭😭😭😭
March 16, 2020 @ 8:39 pm
I lived in Pulaski from 1981-83. I worked at the Presbyterian Church. I ate at the Steer House many times. I loved their soup beans and baked potatoes. Anytime I drove through on I-81 I always stopped there.
July 2, 2020 @ 3:37 am
Back in the late 70s I worked at Steer House on Brambleton Ave. in Roanoke. Good place to work. I was too immature then to hold down a job (I was 17 going on 13). Bob and Jim were my bosses. I owe Bob an apology for the way I behaved. If you’re out there and you happen to see this, Bob, my apologies for having been such a punk kid. Thankfully, time has a way of leading people to maturity.