Brix…ah, Terrace Café on Pantops to close
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“It’s time to downsize,” says Brix Terrace Café owner Karen Laetare.FILE PHOTO BY WILL WALKER
Restaurant owners tend to preen like cats when they first open, but when they close they tend to slink away like them. So kudos to Brix…ah, Terrace Café owner Karen Laetare for contacting Dish to let us know that she’s decided to close her Pantops restaurant. Not an easy thing to do. The reason? Well, it’s clear that the economy hasn’t been helping any—almost any restaurant owner you talk to these day will tell you the same thing—and that trying to maintain a big, high volume establishment had become a challenge.
“It’s time to downsize,” Laetare admits, saying the restaurant could close as early as this weekend.
Meanwhile, she wants to remind her customers that her decade-long Brix brand, which the newly opened franchise Brixx: Wood Fired Pizza in the Barracks Road Shopping Center forced her to change before they arrived, is still going strong on a much smaller scale at the Martha Jefferson Hospital outpatient facility on Pantops, where she has been operating the Terrace Café @ Martha J since April. Also, Laetare wants to assure folks that her decision to close had nothing to do with the Brixx pizza place trying to force her to change her name.
“It’s a little sad,” says Laetare, who admits that opening the big space on Pantops had been years in the making. “But I have to do what I have to do.”
Laetare knows of no plans for the Pantops space, which is owned by the shopping center, but she says her loss could be someone else’s opportunity. “It’s a great building, has a great kitchen set up,” she says. “And there’s a lota love in it.”
As for her decision to announce the closing, Laetare says it was a no-brainer.
“My customers deserve it,” she says, “because they’ve been phenomenal.”
Dem brownies at Brixx be da bomb yo!
The Pantops restaurant name is spelled “Brix,” whereas the newfangled pizza joint at Barracks spells it “Brixx.” Despite the spelling difference, the pizza joint still managed to make Brix change its name to “The Terrace Cafe.”
I’m normally all for the little guy, but finding fault with the company that registered its name BEFORE the local one is pretty silly. The Hook’s own article acknowledges that Brixx registered their name a year before Karen. Why is Brixx in the wrong?
By the way, I always wanted to like Brix, but it always took soooo long to get anything out of their kitchen. Even when the place looked empty, it would take at least 20 minutes to get a sandwich from them. I only went there three times before I couldn’t stand the wait anymore.
We went just once. The wait was awful! The food was OK. The acoustics and glare were terrible. I’m surprised it lasted as long as it has. When we get over that side of town, it’s Tip Top for us!
Food was poor and overpriced! Good riddens
I do feel it was very expensive to eat there. The menu selection was limited as well.
When Brix used to be over on 53 across from Jefferson Vineyards, it was the best place around for sandwiches, cookies, and brownies. The ambiance was great too. Moving to a location hidden back in a shopping center was the death knell for me. I made the trip a few times but the location was a real problem.
Brix’ food is excellent and the restaurant interior was comfortable and inviting. They out-classed a significant portion of the pantops shopping area clientelle, as evidenced by some of the comments.
Steve, don’t try to spin business mistakes by the owner of this restaurant into some snobbish statement about the people that shop at pantops.
If the restaurant were as good as you say, the people would come. Regardless, the location WAS awful.
I went there once and spent over $7 for admittedly tasty slivers of meat and spread in some airy bread. It was not markedly better than more satisfying sandwiches I could get elsewhere in far more convenient locations and for a lower price. It did, however, arrive quickly, no doubt due to the fact that no one else was in the restaurant.
The reason this business failed is not due to the “pantops shopping area clientelle [sic]” but due to a failed business plan and a failure to execute a successful business plan.
You may resent the people that shop in the other businesses at pantops all you want, but that resentment will only continue to fuel your delusions regarding the failure of a restaurant you claim to have enjoyed. I feel sorry for you.
Jeeze, tough crowd. While everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, I feel I should mention that making such strong public comments based on single visit is something a professional restaurant reviewer would never do. It would be like someone randomly coming into your place of employment and passing judgment on your work performance based on a few hours of observation. Just something to consider.
Many fine restaurants have closed in the last year, including Cassis, Ventana, and Wild Greens to name a few. From what I’ve observed its tough for most restaurants out there, as its been for alot of different businesses, no matter what their business plan. Again, just something to consider.
Dave McNair
All very true, David. I only felt compelled to comment in reply to Steve’s outright snobbery. However, I did experience what I experienced. If others’ experiences were similar, no amount of “class” would persuade them to return.
Very sad to see Chef Laetare loose yet another presence of her creative culinary delights in the C’ville area. Brix Market on 53 was a comestible oasis next to the vineyard, and a fantastic beginning or end to visiting Monticello, where, at the time, there was virtually a nonexistent eating establishment of note. Her stint at the newly renovated Monticello was a godsend for me and my family. Many tourists with whom I have spoken in the last two years throughout my travels in the US have told me of their experiences at Mr. Jefferson’s estate, mostly commenting on how they enjoyed a coffee, a sweet, Panini or wine and beer from Chef Laetare. It’s a crying shame that the Monticello Foundation politics may have played her a bad hand in her demise from there, as I hear they are known to do. Sorry Mr. Jefferson, for they know not what they did. As for BRIX MARKETPLACE AT PANTOPS, another culinary oasis in a desert of fast food chains and regular fare will be missed (don’t get me wrong, “ain’t nothing bad” about the local eateries). Surely the current economy, with all its social and cultural ramifications played a role. Chef Laetare deserves better. Charlottesville deserves her talent. I am confident that Chef Laetare will rise from the ashes of our broke down palace, as the economy improves.
I am a fan of Brixx and find it sad they are closing. I think any restaurant owner faces challenges in this economic climate. But to be fair and put things in perspective, Chef Laetare is an excellent chef and she always held herself to a high degree of integrity in her business as well as creativity in her cooking. She is the type of small business owner we need in our community…. always held in mind the highest good of the customer and the employees. Brixx was an excellent restaurant and the owner a wonderful, talented cook and person. I’m very glad that Martha Jefferson Hospital has such a high degree talent in their midst. Kudo’s to Brixx, Karen Laetare and MJH…… I hope Brixx Cafe reincarnates at some time in the future with their wonderful menu, food, ambiance, creativity and fun atmosphere. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Brixx Cafe.
Meanwhile,
I can agree with you that this place never seemed to me, to bring out the best in Lataer’s line up. I am not sure why, but the events I ate at she catered always felt more zesty, and her little shop always felt more friendly.
However, Steve has a valid point about the location. A place like Brix relies on a good deal of casual walk in client, looking for a bite to eat after doing a degree of shopping. The folks that shopped there, as a whole, were not likely able to afford her fare, or necessarily value it. I don’t look down my nose at the patrons of the area, but that is the way it is.
Additionally, it was located in a way that those who might like it, would not want to drive there to simple get a quick bite. She might have found it much easier to cater out of, but with catering in the area certain to be way down, and establishment in that location is just going to struggle.
Dave, How do these negative comments benefit your advertisers or the readers of this blog? What is the purpose of allowing such negative comments regularly on this site? I understand that there is freedom of expression in America, but what did you think was going to happen when you write this drivel about a failed business? And the Arby’s Slonaker story, too?
?,
The fact that you call my stories “drivel” while complaining about negative comments on the blog aside, I think you’re being a bit myopic here. Yes, people write negative comments, but they also write intelligent, passionate, positive, and insightful comments as well, just as they have here. Go down and look at the free speech wall on the Mall. Free speech is messy.
How do they benefit advertisers or readers? Well, I’m a reporter so I’m not really thinking about how advertisers might feel (I write about restaurant openings and closings all the time), and as for readers, well, I would hope the comments might get them fired up to offer their own opinion and perspective…just as you have.
Dave McNair
Huh, I’m sorry to learn that Brix is closing. I’m glad she didn’t just ’slink away!’ I’ve only eaten there twice but I would have loved to go back again and again. It did feel a little big/cavernous — I’d vote for a smaller cozier space for her next venue. Loved the food, and the desserts were divine. This is a loss for this part of town. It sure was tucked away in there; I’m don’t doubt that the location contributed to the slow traffic. Thanks to Dave for keeping the community up to date on restaurant comings and goings. Good article, the opening sentence grabbed me and I thought you said a lot, concisely. Thanks!
I didn’t know you were a cat person Dave,How many do you have?
Dave has only a few cats, Tom. They are good cats. Why do you ask?
In reply to Dave…Dude, you only have one chance to make a first impression. That’s especially true in the restaurant business. All the folks who have judged and commented on Brix per one visit, rock on! No restaurant can claim to be a everyone’s fav, that’s why we have such variety.
In reply to CheckPlease…yes, but how reliable are first impressions? Nothing wrong with going with your first impression, if that’s what you choose to do, but like those who voted for Nixon, first thought the Tea Party was a fringe movement, or invested their money with Bernie Madoff, you do so at your own risk. Again, just something to consider.
Dave McNair
Give the woman a break! Being one of the original BRIX chicks, I know how much time, energy, hard work, blood, sweat, tears, heart, soul and love Karen put into her business. Karen gave her all to provide this town with her culinary delights. Anyone who critisizes her accomplishments, obviously has none of their own. The only mistake she made was believing that folks knew what good food was. Rock on, Mamasita!
I love Brix’s food and am always looking for good places to eat on Pantops. Sadly, my several visits to Brix restaurant in Pantops left me frustrated with the very long waits for a sandwich and frequent order mistakes. The newer Terrace Cafe in the hospital is just as slow and disorganized! I have had to wait for 15 minutes to have a sandwich made at MJH when there were no other customers in the cafe! I finally stopped going to both places. It makes me sad, but I don’t see a successful future for this business because of the ongoing problem of extremely slow service!