"You have reached Frank's Bar-B-Que and catering service. I regret to announce that Frank's Bar-B-Que is closing down due to the economic situation of our nation...We're going to try and revamp this operation and reopen, maybe by the first of the year, if we can hang in there...Thanks for being a loyal customer and patron of Frank's. We appreciate you all. Thank you for calling."
That's the message that you'll hear when you phone Frank's Bar-B-Que in Novato.
Frank's, which opened last Spring, initially enjoyed a steady stream of customers but then the twin punches of the mortgage and credit crisis apparently flattened patronage. We say apparently, because judging from the positive reviews, both MoreMarin's and other customers, it wasn't an issue with the food.
Owner Frank Mead has maintained that the catering business and mobile food service will continue. According to this Novato Advance article, Frank and his partner, Elbert Lane, mortgaged their homes to pay for the restaurant start-up after negotiations with a lender fell through at the very start of the credit crunch.
Mead is trying to work with other banks to reopen sooner, but with the current stranglehold on credit, he's not hugely optimistic. As he told the Advance-
"Everything is up in the air. My life is on the line here. We want to get this place back open, so we can begin to service Marin County again."
We at MoreMarin wish Frank the best of luck in getting the restaurant back open again.
Meanwhile, if you need your "Q" fix, you can try having an event catered. Or you can visit the College of Marin or the Civic Center Farmer's Market on Thursday evening for portable service.
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