There was a ray of reassurance offered Tuesday to those who were anguished about Allyn’s Cafe being up for sale.Now that the cat is out of the bag, patrons of the eclectic East Side staple worried that the sale might mean sayonara. We took that worry straight to the Allyn of Allyn’s Cafe.”My wife started getting calls about, ‘Oh, is Allyn’s going out of business?'” Allyn Raifstanger explained in an interview on his outdoor patio Tuesday morning. “It’s like completely the opposite. Allyn’s is here to stay as long as somebody wants to keep it.”Then with a characteristic chuckle, he added, “I’m retiring.”Raifstanger turned 66 this past Sunday and has poured half his life into making the place a success.He made it clear he was willing to wait for the “right buyer” to come along and preferred that it remain what the neighborhood has embraced since 1991, a restaurant.”We had a letter of intent and I’ll tell you what that number was, $1.2 million,” Raifstanger said. “And that company was going to basically buy it for the property alone and empty, you know, basically gut it out.”Raifstanger said he didn’t want to go there, telling us his wall art, award plaques, historical photographs, and 220 beer steins would all stay if some new owner wanted to purchase the property, turn the key, and continue the restaurant tradition there. As he put it, why mess with the vibe?Over the past three years, Raifstanger has not only put sweat equity into the structure, he has invested heavily in a new roof, new siding, new equipment, and a new paint job in preparation for putting the business on the market.Whoever buys the 3,300-square-foot property would have an instant prime location.Allyn’s sits on a corner of Columbia Parkway one block east of Delta Avenue where upwards of 30,000 motorists pass by on a daily basis.Over the years, the cafe has weathered flooding, a pandemic, economic downturns, and the vicissitudes of the food and beverage industry.As owner and operator, Raifstanger and his wife, Karen, have devoted much of their lives to making Allyn’s a success. There is no off switch when it’s your baby.When COVID changed the dining-out dynamic, Raifstanger refused to stand still. He expanded his small patio into 1,700 square feet of remade, landscaped space that can accommodate more than 50 outside diners.So, one could label it a pandemic patio but he called it the Columbia-Tusculum Oasis.When asked about the key to running a successful restaurant, Raifstanger emphasized consistency, attention to detail, and treating employees like valuable assets.Some of his 20 staffers have been with him for many years. Raifstanger wants to devote more time to promoting a healthy lifestyle.He has written two books: “We Don’t Just Eat Lettuce: Vegan Recipes for Carnivores” and “What You Can Do In 3 Minutes.”He plans to write a third. He is working with Motz Real Estate to find the right buyer. He allowed that he has a couple more years in him to continue running things if it comes to that. A song of reassurance in a sense.Raifstanger once held forth on Sunday nights at his place playing the trumpet with the Bluebirds.He’s ready for some different notes now, moving onto another plane as he phrased it. He just does not know when the precise time will present itself.
There was a ray of reassurance offered Tuesday to those who were anguished about Allyn’s Cafe being up for sale.
Now that the cat is out of the bag, patrons of the eclectic East Side staple worried that the sale might mean sayonara. We took that worry straight to the Allyn of Allyn’s Cafe.
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“My wife started getting calls about, ‘Oh, is Allyn’s going out of business?'” Allyn Raifstanger explained in an interview on his outdoor patio Tuesday morning. “It’s like completely the opposite. Allyn’s is here to stay as long as somebody wants to keep it.”
Then with a characteristic chuckle, he added, “I’m retiring.”
Raifstanger turned 66 this past Sunday and has poured half his life into making the place a success.
He made it clear he was willing to wait for the “right buyer” to come along and preferred that it remain what the neighborhood has embraced since 1991, a restaurant.
“We had a letter of intent and I’ll tell you what that number was, $1.2 million,” Raifstanger said. “And that company was going to basically buy it for the property alone and empty, you know, basically gut it out.”
Raifstanger said he didn’t want to go there, telling us his wall art, award plaques, historical photographs, and 220 beer steins would all stay if some new owner wanted to purchase the property, turn the key, and continue the restaurant tradition there. As he put it, why mess with the vibe?
Over the past three years, Raifstanger has not only put sweat equity into the structure, he has invested heavily in a new roof, new siding, new equipment, and a new paint job in preparation for putting the business on the market.
Whoever buys the 3,300-square-foot property would have an instant prime location.
Allyn’s sits on a corner of Columbia Parkway one block east of Delta Avenue where upwards of 30,000 motorists pass by on a daily basis.
Over the years, the cafe has weathered flooding, a pandemic, economic downturns, and the vicissitudes of the food and beverage industry.
As owner and operator, Raifstanger and his wife, Karen, have devoted much of their lives to making Allyn’s a success. There is no off switch when it’s your baby.
When COVID changed the dining-out dynamic, Raifstanger refused to stand still. He expanded his small patio into 1,700 square feet of remade, landscaped space that can accommodate more than 50 outside diners.
So, one could label it a pandemic patio but he called it the Columbia-Tusculum Oasis.
When asked about the key to running a successful restaurant, Raifstanger emphasized consistency, attention to detail, and treating employees like valuable assets.
Some of his 20 staffers have been with him for many years. Raifstanger wants to devote more time to promoting a healthy lifestyle.
He has written two books: “We Don’t Just Eat Lettuce: Vegan Recipes for Carnivores” and “What You Can Do In 3 Minutes.”
He plans to write a third. He is working with Motz Real Estate to find the right buyer. He allowed that he has a couple more years in him to continue running things if it comes to that. A song of reassurance in a sense.
Raifstanger once held forth on Sunday nights at his place playing the trumpet with the Bluebirds.
He’s ready for some different notes now, moving onto another plane as he phrased it. He just does not know when the precise time will present itself.
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