Longtime downtown restaurant changes owners, temporarily closed for renovations

I admit, I panicked this morning and tried to eat my cereal bowl. You can’t blame me. I had heard that Quinton’s — the longtime downtown restaurant that is famous in my book because you can eat the bread bowl that the chili comes in — had closed. But don’t worry, Quinton’s is not closed for good, but has sold to a new owner. (Also, I’ll be fine. I’ll sell plasma to pay for the crown I now need.)

Brandon Graham, an owner of the Jefferson’s restaurants in Lawrence, has told me his group has bought the Lawrence Quinton’s from longtime owner Steve Gaudreau. Graham said the restaurant currently is closed for some renovations, and also the new ownership group has to go through the process to obtain a new liquor license for the establishment.

When the restaurant at 615 Massachusetts St. reopens — hopefully by Aug. 1, Graham said — customers will notice a few changes, including new flooring, paint and other cosmetic items. But he said plans don’t call for major changes to the menu.

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“We will keep the core items,” Graham said. “We may replace a few items that aren’t selling as well, but the stuff people have grown to love will still be there. The sandwich and soup vibe of the place certainly will go on without missing a beat.”

For those of you who haven’t been to Quinton’s, the establishment’s calling card is it menu of bread bowl soups and toasted sandwiches that range from reubens to BLTs to a turkey avocado club sandwich. Some of you may argue that the place’s true calling card isn’t a food item at all. Quinton’s certainly has a bar scene as well, and Graham said that will continue. He said the business, which has been in operation for well over 20 years, has built up a lot of nostalgia with the Lawrence community.

“I think its success today may involve some memories of good times over the years. I’ll leave it to the reader’s imagination to figure that out,” Graham said, noting that both he and his business partner David Bennett frequented Quinton’s as KU students. “It is just a good college town joint.”

This has ended up being a big year for Graham and his restaurant business. Jefferson’s recently opened its second location in Lawrence, taking over the west Lawrence space that previously housed Legends at Bob Billings and Wakarusa. That location has chewed up several restaurants, but Graham said business at the new Jefferson’s thus far is exceeding expectations.

“That has been a great business for us,” Graham said. “The community has supported us in spades at the west location.”

As for Gaudreau, I’ve got a call into him to receive an update on his plans. My understanding, though, is that Gaudreau is focusing on his other restaurant venture, Dempsey’s Burger Pub. That would make sense. Dempsey’s has been growing, and Gaudreau said his goal is to grow it even larger. I last reported on the business in June 2015 when Gaudreau opened a Dempsey’s in the Westport district of Kansas City, Mo. That followed deals that opened locations in Lincoln and Wichita.

At that time, Gaudreau hinted that his time with Quinton’s may be nearing an end.

“I want to grow it as big as I can go,” Gaudreau said of the Dempsey’s brand. “Dempsey’s is definitely our future. I prefer the restaurant business over the bar business. That’s more of a young man’s game.”

UPDATE: I did talk to Gaudreau today, and he confirmed the sale was so he could focus more of his time on the Dempsey’s brand. He said he’s currently in negotiations to open a Dempsey’s in Tulsa. Gaudreau said he still owns the Quinton’s in Topeka, but is in negotiations to sell that restaurant as well.

“Quinton’s has been a great run,” said Gaudreau, who has had the business for 25 years. “It is where I met my wife, so there is an emotional tie there. But I’m excited for Brandon to take the reins and have it going for another 25 years.”