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Closing bittersweet for Dink's workers
(by Barbara Christian - September 11, 2008)
Closing bittersweet for Dink's workers
By BARBARA CHRISTIAN
Dink's Colonial Restaurant owner Dennis Zdolshek said, Tuesday there was no good way to announce the closing of the Chagrin Falls landmark, but he did try to inform as many longtime employees as he could prior to making the decision.
The North Main Street diner closed after Labor Day, and employees said they were told it would reopen Sept. 11, after some interior cleaning and refurbishing. Instead, they received a note in their final paycheck envelopes announcing that Dink's would close and is being sold.
Mr. Zdolshek said he and the new owner have been negotiating since January. The purchase will include the former Evans Flower shop next door, he said.
According to Mr. Zdolshek, he has gone over the employee list with the unidentified prospective new owner. Former Dink's employees will be offered jobs, "if it's a good fit," he said. He also has written letters of recommendation for some career employees, he said.
There was another factor in his seemingly hasty decision, Mr. Zdolshek said. He had been offered a job with a New Jersey company, and had to give an answer, he said. Unlike the all-day, seven-days-a-week restaurant business, the position will permit him more time at home with his wife and two daughters, he said.
"Dink's did not go out of business," Mr. Zdolshek said. "We were doing well. We were known for our quality food and service, but there comes a time for everything to end, and this was that time."
In fact, the business has changed before, including a switch in locations when the Yours Truly Restaurant moved to Chagrin Falls. The original Dink's owners, Grace and Hilda Zdolshek, aunts of Dennis and Allan Zdolshek, bought the building in which the restaurant relocated.
Another major change came last year, when Allan Zdolshek decided he needed more time with his family and retired as a full-time owner and employee. He now drives a school bus, and the hours are more family friendly, he said, but he continued to help out at the restaurant.
It's been 25 years since the brothers took over the day-to-day operation of Dink's from their aunts.
Dennis Zdolshek adds their aunts know about plans to sell and "are fine with it."
Not so fine with the decision are some Dink's employees, who said they were blind sided by the decision to close and did not have ample time to prepare.
Three of them, Lindsay Bricker, Myra Chudakoff and Nanci Weinrich, met outside of the darkened Dink's Restaurant Monday morning to mourn its passing and discuss their future.
Mrs. Weinrich, the weekend hostess at Dink's for eight years, said, "Dennis and Dink's saved my spirit after my husband died." She said she owns a craft business but needs to supplement her Social Security payments.
She said she is sorry about the way employees were notified, without thanks.
Ms. Chudakoff was a full-time employee, although there were no benefits with the job. She said she wanted to focus on what a loss the closing is to the community. She and three-year, part-time employee Lindsay Bricker said Dink's was a place where people went not just for a place to eat but as a social outing.
Ms. Chudakoff said many older people do not cook anymore, and Dink's provided a real day-to-day service for them.
Two of those regulars stopped by the restaurant as the former employees stood out front, including Sue Martens, who walks through town daily.
"She comes in every day," Mrs. Weinrich said.
Mrs. Martens expressed surprise at news of the closing. "They are so nice, and I am so sad for them," she said of the employees. "The girls give me water and napkins to wipe the sweat."
Nick Karos, who owns a chain restaurant himself, walked up to the front door of Dink's, when Mrs. Weinrich told him about the closing.
"It's a historic place. They can't close it," Mr. Karos said. "Someone has to take it over," he assured the three women.
"We all loved being here," Ms. Chudakoff said. "It was a fun place for us and for the customers."
Miss Bricker said it was fun to watch as "families grew almost before our eyes." She especially loved seeing the pregnancies become babies and then children, she said.
And Dink's meant a lot for the paychecks, Mrs. Chudakoff said. There are single mothers working there and people trying to make ends meet in a tough economy, she said.
There were tears in their yes as they spoke of all the people they will not see again. They rattled off a list of names that seemed to have no end.
Mrs. Winrich, Mrs. Chudakoff and Miss Bricker said Dennis Zdolshek could have told them about the decision face to face. They said maybe he was afraid everyone would quit when they were given notice.
"No one would have done that. What's the point?" Ms. Chudakoff said.
Instead they were told when they reopened that they would have new menus and employee handbooks, they said.
But turning back to better memories, Mrs. Chudakoff said, "It was a fun place and a real loss to the community."
"And a real meeting place," Mrs. Weinrich added.
"I am not sure I could work in another restaurant. It wouldn't be the same," Miss Bricker said.
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