HOUSTON - The former chef of an upscale Westheimer restaurant says months of city road construction doomed his restaurant. But new owners, with a new restaurant concept and a new restaurant name, are getting ready to give the same location a try.
60 Degrees Mastercrafted closed March 8th after a year-and-a-half effort by chef Fritz Gitschner. The chef told KHOU 11 News several weeks ago that City of Houston utility construction in front of his restaurant was taking its toll.
"When everything is done I think it's going to be a great location. But it's just weathering the storm right now," Gitschner said last month. Declining business forced Gitschner to give up his attempt to weather the storm any further. He sold his interest in the business and is no longer connected to the restaurant.
"Yes it did have an impact," said Tate Johnson of the traffic mess along Westheimer and in front of the restaurant location. Johnson is part of a new ownership group that has taken over the restaurant location and plans to reopen it next month as Harwood Grill. But he believes the Westheimer construction project wasn't the previous operation's only problem.
"But it just wasn't the right niche for this location," he said.
Johnson and his team are in the process of redecorating and rebranding the restaurant and bringing in a new chef who will put a different spin on the parent company's already popular high-end Akaushi beef.
"The portions, the size, and atmosphere are going to be the biggest difference. The food is still here," said Johnson.
As for the construction along Westheimer, Johnson says the City of Houston has assured him they only have two weeks left of work directly in front of his store, although the total construction project could last for several more months. And on Friday a large track-hoe was still parked in the street in front of the restaurant.
But Harwood Grill is scheduled to open next month as the new restaurant coordinates the exact opening date with the city's best estimate when access to and from the restaurant will be improved.
"I think 100 percent sure it's going to work," said Johnson.
Other businesses in the area estimate they have seen a drop off between 10 to 30 percent in business during the months-long construction along Westheimer and Shepherd.
