Sometimes, fun is not enough to float a restaurant.
With some studies estimating new restaurants fail at a rate as high as 90 percent, Leon and Dick’s Rib Shack, 7032 Market St., was added to the list of failures in December.
Leon and Dick’s Rib Shack operated for three years and lasted longer than many newer restaurants. Leon Mavrolas, who operated Leon’s Ogden Restaurant until 2007, was joined by Dick Secondo, formerly of Salt Works II, in the venture which boasted “A whole new take on comfort food.”
Attempts were made to contact the owners of Leon and Dick’s Rib Shack. No calls were answered.
You could blame the economy for the demise of the eatery, but online diner reviews tell a different tale. Reviews on Yelp.com gave Leon and Dick’s an average of just two stars out of a possible five. While most commented that the décor and service were fine, the BBQ ribs the restaurant was supposed to be famous for failed to inspire anyone who wrote about them
No amount of industry experience by the duo could save the shack. Before the New Year, a piece of paper on the door of the restaurant officially declared the end. It read: “Thank you all for your loyalty for the past 38 years, as we are now closed.”
The Rib Shack’s extremely diverse menu included ribs, burgers, seafood, pasta, Belgian waffles, even something called “Poor Man’s Eggs Benedict.”
As for what’s going there, so far nothing new is going at that location. As of Jan. 7, 2013, their sign says “for sale or lease” and gives a phone number to call if interested.
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Date posted: January 8, 2013
User-contributed question by:
Ann Ingram
Audra
It closed because the food & service were HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!
It closed because the ribs were the worse I have ever tried. Also, it said ribs on the sign and hamburgers on the side. Apparently, they didn’t know what business they were in.
Did anyone see the Foodnework show regarding Saltworks 2? This was the former restaurant of Dick Secondo. Two or three guys bought it from him and were struggling to keep it alive. They even paid a premium for his recipes. The host came in there and blasted the prior owner for serving canned goods as their main ingredients for their dishes and side items. He told the young guys they were fools to purchase these recipes that were not based on originality or fresh ingredients. I don’t know how they got any business at Dick and Leons after that episode was aired. Good grief.