Blind Butcher’s Owners Want to Save Their Greenville Avenue Bar

According to The Blind Butcher owners Josh Yingling and Matt Tobin, the last 18 months have been pretty rough. So they’re getting back behind the bar in order to try to save their business.

Yingling and Tobin, who also operate Goodfriend Burger Bar and Goodfriend Package, opened Blind Butcher in 2014, earning raves for its inventive takes on poutine and housemade sausages. The duo cites ongoing construction in the neighborhood as a factor in the restaurant’s bad fortune over the last year and a half. “Truth be told, the last 18 months have not been kind to us,” the post reads. “Construction on Lower Greenville and more and more restaurants opening across the city have put a hurt on us too.”

But instead of just closing the restaurant altogether, Yingling and Tobin are taking a hands on approach in trying to save what was once one of the hottest bars on Greenville Avenue. Starting on January 15, the two owners will work the bar at Blind Butcher, serving drinks and food from new chef Ernesto Garcia. The menu will also be “scaled down” for the foreseeable future. “This is not a notice for pity but as realistic small business owners we wanted to face the facts head on and give everyone, including ourselves, a chance to fight for this city’s restaurant scene and our place in it,” the post continues. “It is our hope that you guys will come out and support us.”

Whether or not this public plea actually translates to butts in the seats remains to be seen, but it’s already having an impact on social media. It’s racked up hundreds of shares and thousands of reactions on Facebook, along with plenty of comments from folks who are promising to finally make the trip to Blind Butcher.