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.”
So sad ive been going there since i was young
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
...read more...so sad best food in pulaski been eating there for years you will be missed
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.
so sad best place to eat in pulaski allways good food
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
...read more...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.
We had dinner there, the night my mom went into labor with my little brother. He’s 35 years old now!
I have been going since I was very young it going to be sad 😢
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
...read more...It's sad that the nicest restaurant in town is closing. Pulaski is seriously a dying town.
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.
...read more...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.
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.
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
...read more...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
...read more...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
...read more...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
...read more...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
...read more...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
...read more...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.
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
...read more...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
...read more...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.
Best salads steaks in town I'm going to miss this place so much 😭😭😭😭😭
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.
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
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