Hoffbrau to Reopen Oct. 11

The owners of Hoffbrau Steaks, a landmark in downtown Fayetteville for the past 21 years, plan to reopen the restaurant by Oct. 11 after closing on June 20 for renovation and reorganization.

Workers were busy in late August chipping up the old tile floor to make way for a new stained-concrete floor. A wall was also being removed from the kitchen of the building at 31 E. Center St.

Leo Charboneau, one of three owners of Hoffbrau Steaks of Arkansas Inc., died suddenly on April 22 of a heart attack. The other business owners were his wife Hilda “Sunny” Charboneau and his son Matt Charboneau.

After running the restaurant since 1989, Matt left the Hoffbrau in May to work for Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale.

When his father died in April, Matt was training his sister, Margaret Charboneau, to take over operation of the Hoffbrau. Margaret has also taken over Matt’s place as one of the business owners. Scott Mays, the general manager, is now the third owner in the new company, LAC Inc., which is named for Leo Charboneau.

“Our decision [to close the restaurant] was based on a family tragedy,” Margaret said. “It wasn’t because of the smoking ban.”

She said food sales were steady, but liquor sales were down 30 percent to 50 percent between March 11, when Fayetteville’s smoking ban on restaurants went into effect, and June 20, when the restaurant closed.

On June 22, Hoffbrau Steaks of Arkansas filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company later filed a petition specifying $25,000 in assets and $133,524 in liabilities. The largest unsecured creditor was Sysco Foods of Little Rock, with a claim of $14,052. Chapter 11 allows a company to remain in business during reorganization.

Kirby Walker opened the Hoffbrau in 1983. In 1989, he sold it to Gary and Tommye Thompson. They sold the business to the Charboneau family in 1993.

Stella Moga of Westlake, Ohio, owns the building.

Margaret, who has been having health problems this summer, said the kitchen and floor renovations will cost between $25,000 and $30,000.

“It’s been a lot of hard work,” she said.