Shelly Mattson has closed Hunter’s Ridge Restaurant at Pebble Creek — not just for the winter season, but permanently.

 

Last week, Mattson posted  her decision to close the restaurant saying, “running two restaurants by myself simply became too much.”

 

Her plans are to focus solely on Nix Restaurant on Hancock Street and keep it a successful business.

 

Mattson acknowledged the financial difficulties she was faced with — falling behind on rent and utilities at the golf course and not seeing a silver lining in the near future. She said physically, mentally and emotionally she is unable to deal with the stress and responsibility accorded to managing both businesses.

 

“I’d have to attribute my decision to the fact it’s become more and more difficult to be successful there when there is so much negativity pointing towards the restaurant and the golf course from certain people on the council,” Mattson said. “Because of that negativity I’ve not been able to book any weddings for the last year because people are so unsure of what to expect, thanks to that criticism.”

 

Mattson says she lost over $50,000 just in the past year.

 

“I really thought I could make it work out there but the restaurant and golf course needs the city to promote it and be advocates for it rather than demote it,” she said.

 

Hunter’s Ridge began operations in 2012 when Mike and Mars Dols bowed out of operation of the Blue Moon Grille after two years. Before that, Tim and Tammy Cox ran T’s Restaurant for one year and before that, Randy and Sherrie Peake ran Peake’s Restaurant for three years.

 

The Dols and Scott and Karin Pauly started up the Blue Heron Restaurant in 1997 before renaming it Bluestone in 2001 for the final five years of its existence. Prior to that, the first restaurant tenants were Troy and Tammy Getchell, who ran Flagstix from 1988 to 1997.

 

The Mattsons negotiated  a $15,000 annual lease for the first two years with the rent jumping to $30,000 in year three — including a percentage of the sales.

 

The tenant (restaurant) is responsible for 100% of the garbage service and 100% of the real estate taxes each year. Utilities are split between the landlord and tenant with the tenant paying 75% of the electric bill and the landlord paying 25% all year long. Tenant is responsible for 100% of gas service for the months of April-Oct. and 75% during the months of Nov.-March, with the landlord paying 25%. Water/sewer is split with tenant paying 75% and landlord 25% during the months of May-Oct., and tenant responsibility growing to 90% and landlord decreasing to 10% for the months of Nov.-April.

 

The tenant is also responsible for the exterior maintenance of the facility, for janitorial service and supplies, snow removal and maintaining good repair inside the facility. Security services were split half and half.

 

The Mattsons and the city are in negotiations right now on clearing up the past rent and utility charges. Shelly says she has thousands of dollars in assets still at the restaurant that she would be willing to “trade” with the city to get the situation back to square one.

 

City Administrator Greg Pruszinske says the city is considering the “trade” but will need to look at the situation further before accepting.

 

“Our goal with Shelly and with any of our past tenants has been to be a partner in the business and not just the landlord,” said Pruszinske. “We (city) don’t harbor any ill will to Shelly or any of the past tenants and it’s always been our goal to see businesses thrive in our city.”

 

Over the years, the restaurant usually has closed to daytime operations during the winter months, due to slow business. They have been open evening hours for dinners Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and Sunday brunch. The restaurant has also opened for special parties and receptions.

 

The city hopes to have a new restaurant leaseholder on the premises to coincide with next year’s golf season and already scheduled events.

 

Shelly believes the restaurant site is destined for failure as long as certain city council members continue to declass the golf course and the dining establishment. She also contends any future tenants would possibly be successful if they weren’t burdened by the excessive rent and utilities associated with the business.

 

“It’s funny how all the previous owners have successful restaurants outside of Pebble Creek, so it’s not the tenants who are failing out there,” Shelly said. “I don’t like to fail. I loved it out there and it wasn’t an easy decision to close doors.”