Some Ariz. eateries take summer vacation

An increasing number of Valley chefs, punched by a seasonal nose dive in business, are closing their restaurants for a week or more this summer.

From Crudo and Beckett’s Table in Phoenix to Posh and Franco’s Italian Caffe in Scottsdale, many of the Valley’s top eateries are temporarily closing in July and August for both financial and personal reasons.

The respites minimize losses when diners are out of town or holed up in air-conditioned homes, helping restaurants avoid spending profits from the October-to-May high season to stay afloat during the slow summer months.

The breaks also allow chefs and their staffs to take vacations from 12-hour workdays and six-day workweeks.

“We’re shutting down to give ourselves a much-needed break during a time when business is so slow it’s scary,” said Crudo chef-owner Cullen Campbell, who was named Chef of the Year by the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame. Campbell and business partner Maureen McGrath plan to marry and honeymoon in California wine country during their three-week break.

In the summer, Valley restaurant sales drop 30 to 40 percent, with chef-owned-and-run eateries sustaining the hardest hits, according to the Arizona Restaurant Association.

“The blame is simply the summer heat. It’s hard for restaurants to compete with 115-degree temperatures, and they struggle to fill seats,” association President Steve Chucri said.

Independently owned eateries serve about 10 to 15 meals on a typical weekday summer night, compared with 35 to 50 during the high season.

“We’re the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the country, with millions living here, and we don’t have 60 people on a summer night willing to pay for a high-end meal at all our chef-owned restaurants combined. I just don’t get why they won’t go out for a nice meal,” said Joshua Hebert, chef-owner of Posh, a hip, “improvisational” restaurant in Scottsdale.

The summer slump also is exacerbated by a seasonal downturn in expense-account dining and tourism, chefs said.

This summer’s closings come as eateries slowly recover from a brutal recession that claimed 500 Arizona restaurants.

Some restaurants do like to open during the summer because it’s a great way to quietly work out kinks before the busy season rolls around. At least eight new restaurants, including a chef-owned pizzeria, a chain sports bar and a brewpub, are among them this summer. Generally, however, about two to three times as many restaurants debut each month in the Valley during the rest of the year.

Despite signs of economic recovery, at the local level, difficult conditions remain because of rising food and utility prices and skittish consumer spending, industry officials said. Scorching summers add to the challenges.

The decision to close is not easy. Chefs fear angering customers and losing staff who take other jobs during the break. To minimize damages, restaurants advertise their intentions on social media and front doors.

Despite the risks, chef Bryan Dooley is shuttering Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue in Cave Creek for two weeks in July and August to travel to Germany with his family.

“It was really more personal than financial. The slow season gives us an opportunity to spend time together as a family,” said Dooley, whose eatery has been in the black the past two summers. “We hope our customers understand.”

Yet, there are owners who keep their restaurants open all summer, including chef James Porter of Petite Maison in Scottsdale.

“APS does not give me a break on utilities. My landlord still collects rent,” he said. “It does get really slow, but why give up even a little revenue?”

Porter, who also stays open to keep his staff employed, prevents waste by ordering smaller quantities of food for the especially slow nights.

“It’s painful in the summer, so we make all sorts of adjustments to be able to keep our doors open,” he said.

Next summer, the Arizona Restaurant Association plans to carry out an aggressive marketing campaign to fight summertime doldrums, possibly including a discount-dining card, similar to one organized this summer by Margo Media, a Phoenix-based marketing firm specializing in the restaurant industry. Small Bites of Summer offers diners a complimentary small bite at 30 local restaurants.

“We recognize that people need incentives to dine out in the summer,” Chucri said. “It’s a short off-season, but a hard one.”