Has it already been two weeks?
Granted, the Come Back Inn’s early October closure now qualifies as “old” news, which I learned while away on holiday in the Netherlands, and even though it might strike some as tactless to reawaken the trauma so soon after mourning’s conclusion, this essay last week by Maggie Menderski in the Louisville Courier Journal merits considerable recommendation.
Menderski offers a fine tribute to a beloved institution (founded in 1996), while also explaining in a single tight paragraph the panoply of recurring factors adversely affecting not just this particular restaurant, but so many others in the metropolitan Louisville area.
What is to be done? That’s the question, and answers are few. If you have any …
Germantown’s Come Back Inn receives last farewell from Louisville locals as it closes
There wasn’t just one thing that led to this decision, (owner Cathy Zachari) told me during a farewell party for regulars on Sunday evening. The building’s owner has plans to sell. COVID-19 has obliterated the restaurant’s catering arm, which relied heavily on corporate office lunches. The restaurant had a strong, dedicated team when she first took it over in 2012, but in recent years, staffing has become more difficult. Come Back Inn has a made-from-scratch kitchen, and operating it takes skilled cooks. Sourcing some ingredients has become troublesome, which has created consistency issues with her menu. The building is old, and the equipment requires expensive upkeep.
