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Cervasas Southwestern Grill on busy Route 2 in Newport may be small with just 33 seats, but that is exactly the way owners Kyle and Roxanne Russell like it.
After more than 14 years of managing big-box style restaurants – chains such as Pizza Hut, Wendy’s, Bugaboo Creek and Applebee’s – Kyle Russell knew it was time for a change.
“The frustration [with the chains] was that they became such broad entities,” Russell said this week. “Someone 1,500 miles away is making all the decisions. Maine isn’t the same as Texas. And Texas isn’t the same as Florida.”
Independence began looking more and more attractive to Russell and national marketing studies were showing that independent restaurants were growing and thriving.
“I was at a point in my career where I either was going to move up the corporate ladder or put my efforts into my own business,” Russell said. He chose to go out on his own and Cervasas, which has been open since last November, is drawing customers and praise from all over central Maine. (Cervasa is a variation of the Spanish word “cerveza,” which means beer, according to Russell.)
Enchiladas, fajitas, guacamole and fried ice cream are some of the delicious offerings – food that is hot because it’s trendy, not hot because of spice.
For more than four years, Russell and his wife planned what their own restaurant would look like. They knew the menu and the decor and, most importantly, they knew what they wanted for an atmosphere.
But banks are very skeptical when it comes to backing food establishments. It is estimated that 45 percent of all new restaurants fail in the first year.
“We originally looked at some spots in Bangor, but the banks weren’t willing to even look at us,” Russell said. “We needed to come up with some collateral.” So as the couple dreamed about opening Cervasas, Russell continued managing chain restaurants and they began buying apartment houses.
Last summer they dusted off the Cervasas business plan, moved to Newport and opened their southwestern grill, one of a dozen area eateries. “It’s been successful from day one,” Russell said. “This area has really embraced us.”
He said that diners from Newport to Hampden traditionally head to Bangor to dine out. “They stand in lines for an hour and a half. Now they have all these options in Newport,” he said. “I love competition. It draws more people to the area and also forces the existing restaurants to be on their game at all times.”
Russell said his restaurant “is very personal. It is like an extension of our home and we treat our customers like our guests.”
Even though Russell strives for an intimate, family atmosphere, he admits that were it not for his corporate experience, the restaurant might not have been as successful as it is. “Without that background, and in particular, without the contacts I made, I wouldn’t have this,” he said, looking around the brightly colored restaurant.
“We run this exactly like a corporate restaurant,” he said. “We are totally computerized. We need to track the cost of goods and labor costs. You can’t do that with a cash register and a pen and paper.” The restaurant also has wireless Internet access.
“For such a small place, we have a lot packed in here,” he said.
One of the most important qualities he retained from the corporate chains, Russell said, is to be consistent. The southwestern menu comes right from his childhood. Russell’s mother died when he was just eight and while his father worked long hours to support the family, Russell was raised by a neighbor from Puerto Rico. “I have always loved this food,” he said. “It’s not fancy. Just enchiladas, beer and margaritas.”
The only downside, he said, is that he has only had two days off, Easter and Christmas, since last August.
Already, however, Russell is contemplating expanding, looking for a downtown, neighborhood location to retain that family feel. “The one thing I fear, however, is losing that personal touch, which is exactly what I wanted to begin with,” he said.
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