Manuel's Owner Thanks Customers for Support Despite Price Increases

Several weeks after announcing it had to raise menu prices, the owner of Manuel's Tavern thanked his customers for their loyalty and support.

"I want to thank everyone for the kind words and support for our open letter," owner Brian Maloof wrote on the venerable Poncey-Highland eatery's Facebook page.

"The love shown by you has brought tears of joy and comfort to my mind. For the first time in a 6 months I did not feel alone in the struggle to secure the continuation of Manuel's."

The note of heartfelt thanks follows the restaurant's Feb. 28 announcement that market conditions left him with no alternative but to raise prices.

The changing landscape was so great that the restaurant, which normally would absorb those costs, could no longer afford to do so.

Indeed, the restaurant says it pays double for a sizable percentage of the items on its menu compared with a year ago and that the costs of all its food items have gone up.

For example, the tuna items on the menu will see price increases of as much as $1.25 as costs to the restaurant for the fish have risen to $11.25 per pound following the 2011 tsunamin that struck Japan. That's a little more than double the $5.50 per pound the restaurant used to pay.

"The cost of regulatory compliance has risen significantly, as well." Maloof told customers in his Feb. 28 notice. "What used to be free from the city now comes with cost. In addition to compliance costs, our property taxes have risen a large percentage."

Opened in 1956 by Manuel Maloof, Manuel's Tavern has storied legacy of visitations by sports heroes, Hollywood A-listers, governors and presidents.

But maintenance costs for the historic building at the corner of North Highland and North avenues has risen and the need for repairs have increased in frequency.

As it looked to keep costs in check the restaurant dropped health insurance for employees because premiums were soaring about 30 percent per year.

That decision Maloof plans to reverse as market conditions make it a little more affordable.

Even so, he figures it will cost the restaurant $40,000 to $60,000 a year, based on preliminary estimates.

"Everything we normally do to keep costs and prices low is now exhausted, and we are left with no choice but to implement some changes," Maloof wrote on the eatery's Facebook page.

Among other changes:

• Hours: Now open Mon-Fri at 11 a.m. and Sat-Sun at 9:30 a.m. Brunch  from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat-Sun. Closing time is 1 a.m. Tues-Sat and midnight Sun-Mon
• Smoking: The entire restaurant will be smoke-free by January 2014, but now smokers will be restricted to the main bar until then.