Caesar’s to reopen today
Restaurant returns after brief closing
By Rachana Dixit, news editor
Posted on February 1, 2007

HARRISONBURG — Caesar’s Restaurant has undergone an unexpected makeover.

In the past several weeks, the Neff Avenue establishment went from receiving regular business to shutting down in mid-January. However, a reopening is planned for today.

“We wanted to get it reopened as soon as we could,” said Caesar’s office manager Roy Heinlen. 

Original Caesar’s owner Wayne Fralin, a retired physician who opened the restaurant May 1 of last year, said he sold the restaurant to David Robinson last June. Robinson, who previously managed the Papa John’s on East Market Street, was a general manager at the time. Fralin reacquired the restaurant last month.

“[Heinlen] defaulted on his agreement,” Fralin said. “None of us really understand what happened.”

Heinlen said he discovered the restaurant had been shut down after he called the main phone number and found it was disconnected. He added that all other phone numbers were nonfunctional, as well.

Fralin said he knew the restaurant was experiencing financial trouble, but didn’t think it was anything to be concerned about. He added that there was a possibility that Robinson was not making certain payments on time — which exactly were not specified.

“We don’t know why it wasn’t doing well,” Fralin said. “I didn’t have any clue.”

Caesar’s staff members echoed similar feelings. Senior Philip Worosz, who has worked at Caesar’s as a server and bartender since its opening, said he knew the restaurant was closing, but did not receive any in-depth information on the matter.

“We were kept in the dark,” he said.

Before its closing, Caesar’s appeared to have alcohol licensing issues as well. Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Public Relations Specialist Kristy Smith said Robinson’s name was not on the restaurant’s alcohol license while he was the owner, making it illegal for the restaurant to distribute alcoholic beverages.

Smith said ABC special agent Daniel Blye discovered the problem and was working with Robinson to get his name on the license. But, Robinson agreed to surrender the license Jan. 11. The restaurant closed shortly after, but Smith said this was not because the ABC shut it down.
Though the licensing issue implies a violation of the ABC code, no charges have been filed. Smith added that she did not rule out the possibility of charges being filed in the future.

An ABC license has been reinstated under the former names, making it legal for Caesar’s to distribute alcohol when it reopens today. Though the restaurant will still have certain food and drink specials, bar manager Chad Moore said it may not have the same discounts as they did in the past.

“We were just giving [alcohol] away,” he said. “It was too much.”

Kitchen manager Jesse Oram said that the menu also has undergone several changes, adding more “bar food,” steak and chicken entreés, and burgers. Oram said some of the less-popular Italian dishes have been removed as well, because the restaurant does not want to be labeled as only having Italian food.

“When you call yourself an Italian restaurant, you’re locked into that,” he said.

Robinson could not be reached for comment by the time of publication.