Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in Springfield has closed its doors, less than a year after opening at the corner of Wabash Avenue and Veterans Parkway.
Joe Rupnik, the area franchisee for the family-style sports pub, opened Beef ‘O’Brady’s Jan. 24, making it the second Illinois location for the Florida-based franchise. The company operates 142 locations in 17 states, including one in Bourbonnais, Illinois.
Rupnik said the decision to close the restaurant was made on Dec. 6 because there were not enough staff to open. “Staff shortages, supply chain, rising cost of products and lackluster sales all contributed to this decision,” he said in a written statement to SBJ.
He said the remaining staff members were offered employment at other locations. Joe Rupnik also owns The Dublin Pub on Wabash Avenue, while his son, Lee Rupnik, operates D&J’s Café.
Rupnik was a licensee with The Pasta House Co. for more than 30 years and operated a Pasta House at 2599 Wabash Ave. up until Dec. 24, 2021. The location then closed for a month while the interior was revamped and it reopened as a Beef ‘O’Brady’s location in January.
