10/23/2023
For three and a half years I was privileged to work at C.A.Y.A. Smokehouse for the Blanchard-Knight family. With my good friend, Chef Nick “Jazz” O’Dea, we conceptualized a bunch of menus and re-launched Jeff’s catering program during the global pandemic. Encouraged by my friends, I started a vibrant cocktail program, developed new SOP's, and hired a new staff as we re-opened. In 2021, Chef Mark Protiva joined my team at the valued reference of our servers. He developed new recipes and revamped old ones, cooking with high quality products and an awesome palette of American and craft BBQ cuisines that was well-regarded by regular clients and by new guests. I believe that our culture has shone through our staff, who introduced so many people to a brand and company that they truly believed in. Mark and I had a rhythm at C.A.Y.A., and we were (are) honestly ready to do so much more.
In spite of our passions, 1403 South Commerce was infrastructurally crippled for a multitude of reasons that some of our best guests can tell you about. The crankshaft of the food truck snapped, resulting in it being out of service for ten whole months. There was tornado in summer of 2021 that knocked out the power for 9 days, resulting in flooding and the loss of over $5,000 worth of food. A costly restoration of the deep freezer condenser and headmaster had me carting frozen goods back and forth to my mom’s one week. There has even been continued, periodic flooding upstairs due to a fatberg under the intersection Wolverine Drive and South Commerce Road. So much other stuff has broken or gone awry over the last three years that to spell it all out here would cloy. The specific degree of horrible luck we dealt with is staggering and almost insurmountable. Part of me feels like it was never really made viable for the current owners— almost like the circumstances were almost contrived by their lessorship. Ultimately, with insufficient propriety and full consideration for the combination of its total expense, this restaurant can no longer remain open.
Countless improvements could be made to something good that make it better, and we would still be here for that if we could. Generally, restaurants operate at such a low profit point that when it comes to amortizing steep maintenance costs with excess utilities in a subprime location the situation can quickly become devastating. It is sad for a lot of people when a family business goes out. We all have families here, and even just thinking about losing a place that our families and friends would come visit tears at my heart. Furthermore, our team is solid. We have had almost no turnover over the last two years, and I am proud of all the people who worked and trained here with me. Our charitable work with the bands and sports teams at Walled Lake Schools, the F.O.P lodge # 128, Lakes Area Youth, the Louie R. Merlot Foundation, Hospice of Michigan, and St. Matthew’s Church will be missed especially as we approach the holiday season. To the communities we’ve grown up in and continue to be a part of, I am sorry for our absence. Even though we are closing as a business, please know that all of you— all of our guests—have helped us to grow as people and friends in our hospitality. Thank you for your support through this difficult time. I hope our loyal patrons can “come as you are” to enjoy this place again in the future.
-Alexander Brown, GM
