The bar, restaurant and live music venue will close its doors
for good Sunday
Gilroy – After nearly three years at the high end of Gilroy’s bar scene, the owner of J.R. Brewski’s has decided its time for last call.
The bar, restaurant, and live music venue will close its doors Sunday night under the growing pressure of tax debt and increasing competition.
Jeff Parsons, who opened the bar two and a half years ago on the western side of the city, said the closure spells the end of an era for him.
“This is a 15-year dream of mine,” Parsons said. “I personally designed and blue-printed the restaurant. I’m hoping to find someone to keep the name and a similar style, although I have to say the town as a whole is not ready for this price range of menu. I’ve suggested to some people that have expressed interest that they should knock it down a notch.”
The wood-paneled restaurant is best known for its steaks and seafood, which range from $18 for salmon to $35 for filet mignon. Younger crowds who come out for DJs and karaoke on Friday nights stick with beers and shots, according to Brewski’s employees, while older crowds on Saturdays and Sundays go for $7 Cosmopolitans.
Parsons said his establishment has struggled to keep up with lower-priced chain restaurants opening up in the shopping outlets. He said Brewski’s had a 20 percent decline in business with the opening of Mimi’s, a Southern-style restaurant, and Italian restaurant Johnny Carino’s, both in the Gilroy Crossing shopping center.
The struggling bar also owes taxes to the Internal Revenue Service and the state Employment Development Department, which have placed liens on the business, according to county records. Parsons declined to specify the level of debt.
“As part of this process, on a personal level and a business level, we have gotten in some tax debt,” Parsons said, declining to specify the amount owed. “I have cut deals and attempted to work through the situation with the IRS and state EDD. We did get behind a little bit. That’s a big part of this. ”
In its final weeks, Brewski’s also got into trouble with state officials for serving minors. Alcoholic Beverage Control agents issued citations July 22 to a bartender, patron, and four minors related to underage drinking. The citations will have no affect on his ability to operate through this final weekend of business.
Parsons said he is looking to sell Brewski’s as a “turn-key operation,” complete with a liquor license, leftover inventory, fixtures, and furniture.
Parsons, who has fended off rumors about the impending closure for months, extended his thanks to the people who kept the business afloat.
“We had a huge group of regulars and that’s why we were able to sustain this for as long as we did,” he said. “We’re going to go out with a big smile on our face and call it a day.”
The Shane Dwight Band, a rock-and-roll blues group, will perform on J.R. Brewski’s final night Sunday. The bar is located at 8080 Santa Teresa Boulevard.
Parsons said interested buyers should contact him at 408-482-8270.
