Two weeks after its Davidson debut, Hot Mess temporarily closed its doors at 416 S. Main Street to improve its execution.
Restaurateur Robert Maynard and chef Jennifer Brulé opened the restaurant on April 20 in the former home of Davidson Ice House. They temporarily shut the doors at the beginning of the month for approximately 45 days, according to Charlotte Business Journal. This comes after Maynard heard from too many people that they had wished the experience had been different. The closure will cost the business about $50,000, but that doesn’t stop the owners from having the highest expectations for this new restaurant.
“At Hot Mess, we’re all about owning up to our mistakes and taking responsibility,” according to the company’s website. “That’s why we’ve made the difficult decision to temporarily close our doors until we can meet our high standards and provide the experience that our amazing customers deserve. After a couple of weeks, we have determined that our standards, and quite frankly yours, were not being met. So we’re taking full ownership and responsibility for the situation and doing what is needed to fix it. We’re grateful for your understanding and support during this time, and we’re working hard to get back up and running as soon as possible.”
For the two weeks that the restaurant was open, it featured smash burgers with the option of adding cheese sauce, a proprietary seasoning blend, or house-made chops. Other items on the menu include Cape Cod-inspired classics such as Clawbster Roll, Lobster Chowder, and New England Nachos. As for the bowls, the restaurants offered options such as South of the Border and Tokyo Teriyaki, as well as build your own bowl. Once operations are running smoothly, Maynard hints at the possibility of expanding the brand beyond Davidson.
“I don’t care how it looks. It’s the bed we made,” Maynard tells the Business Journal. “We expect — and people expect — operational excellence. The main thing here is just to get it right. We have a vision here. I don’t see it as just one location.”
