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Hoof & Horn may reopen
Roy Swope’s hopes to reopen the Hoof & Horn Steakhouse are still alive.
“We are just awaiting the final piece to the puzzle,” he said. “It’s always been the intention (to reopen) ... but we just kept running into stumbling blocks.”
The iconic restaurant, located at 429 Illinois Ave., burned in a fire in September. Mr. Swope said insurance money paid off the restaurant and that debris from the fire has been cleaned. Mr. Swope is the majority owner of the restaurant.
Mr. Swope said he wants to rebuild Hoof & Horn with its original Western theme if he can finalize plans. He said he would hate for people to be disappointed if the restaurant doesn’t reopen.
Customers who have Hoof & Horn gift certificates can redeem them at the River House in Atchison, Kan. Mr. Swope is the manager of the Atchison restaurant.
“The longer we’ve been closed, the more of a St. Joe following we’re getting,” he said of the customers at River House.
Business reporter Jennifer Hall can be reached at jennhall@npgco.com.
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All I know is that if they reopen, it should be on the Belt at the North Shops. They would make a killing there....
Posted by apmastrangelo on August 5, 2008 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)Sure if they can manage a rent of about 4-5 times triple net of their current expense.
Posted by wickedtruth on August 5, 2008 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)Or how about on the south end of the Belt? Get that ball rolling for new business!
Posted by lilyann on August 5, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)Whats the point of re-opening if it's not in the original building?!?!? That is what made that place special.
Granted there was a fire, but it didn't destroy the entire interior. Most of the main dining room wasn't even damaged beyond some smoke.
Posted by thisones4u on August 5, 2008 at 5:57 p.m.This comment was removed by the site staff.
Posted by heritage on August 5, 2008 at 10:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)"burned in a fire" .......a-r-s-o-n. accent on the last three letters.
Posted by thisones4u on August 6, 2008 at 8:34 a.m.This comment was removed by the site staff.
Posted by devinbroncs123 on August 6, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)South Belt is a good idea. San Jose Steak House is all we have down there. I just don't see how running a *Good* steak house right next to a bunch of train tracks can be good for business. Move it to the Belt.
Okay so I'll admit the arson thing. That was shady. Super shady... I don't know what to think of it. The food was good though.
Posted by akm on August 6, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)I agree with liyann. It should be in the original location. The place was always packed regardless of the RR tracks. I work in this area and there was always a huge lunch crowd as well as dinner crowd.
Posted by g73 on August 7, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)The Hoof would not be the same without the original location. They had no problem keeping the place packed. While were at it. I wish we could get the Original Bucket Shop back.
Posted by joetowner on August 7, 2008 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)you do realize that both the hoof and horn and bucket shop were brothels, right? Take the buildings back to their original intent? :D
Posted by domicella on August 7, 2008 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)Jennifer, Will you please email me when the Hoof and Horn reopens? My wife and I live in KY and we take a trip to NE every year, always stopping off on the way to eat at the Hoof and Horn or the Bucket Shop. I know that the Bucket Shop closed a few years back but last Oct we were shocked to see that the Hoof and Horn had burned....it almost ruined our trip! I hope that they reopen soon and in the same building. Loved being right next to the old stockyards and train tracks.
Posted by devinbroncs123 on August 7, 2008 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)Actually the Bucket Shop is open again. They just recently added a Crispy Crunchy Chicken inside of it. My Aunt is the regional trainer for Crispy Crunchy Chicken and she was bringing by Bucket Shop food on a nightly basis.
Posted by Joe_Wright on August 7, 2008 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)Wait Wait Wait...the Hoof & Horn was a good steakhouse? Not even close. St. Joseph cannot support a "good" steakhouse. The demographic simply isn't here for that.
Posted by heritage on August 7, 2008 at 8:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)the best thing about the place was the history and the catfish. otoh, northy's rose from the ashes, and is very strong in downtown. it is the sense of "community" and if you wait too long, that community disperses.
Posted by DADicated on August 7, 2008 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)Hoof n Horn may not have been a great steakhouse per se, but it sure served some mighty fine steaks.
Posted by fly2sky on August 7, 2008 at 11:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)I'm just curious what type of place Joe_Wright thinks is a good steakhouse...
I miss the Hoof, and if they do re-open I hope it is in exactly the same place. Or at least stays on the south end, near the stockyards. The place was always packed right where it was. If it moved to the belt I would really be sad.
Posted by Joe_Wright on August 8, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)Fly2Sky...Here are some examples; Mortons's,Herford House, Ruth's Chris, Del Friscos, Montana Teds, to name a few.
St. Joseph doesn't have the demographic to support these type of places, which is fine. If you want a good steak in town you will have to go to The Meat Market for some certified Angus and go home and cook it.
Posted by akm on August 8, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)I loved the Prime Rib, spinach salad and homemade rolls!
Posted by heritage on August 8, 2008 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)joewright.....i have to differ on what constitutes a good steak place. try again. those are all franchise wanna be second rate venues. go try ben benson's in nyc.....
the reason to support the hoof and horn is to continue tradition and to support stand alone enterprise.
Posted by domicella on August 8, 2008 at 2:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)Joe Wright....you are an idiot. Heritage is right. You all need to support the local business, especially one as good as the Hoof and Horn. I've eaten at Mortons, Ruth Chris, Montana Ted's and Del Frisco's......they can't hold a candle to the Prime Rib at Hoof and Horn. Never been to Herford House but I can't imagine that a "chain" could compare. You should try to find a good "local" steakhouse where I live......HAH! These people down here in the South think that Texas Roadhouse is fine dining......yeccch.
Posted by fly2sky on August 8, 2008 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)I'll be stopping in St Joe in October....sure hope that the Bucket Shop still serves their famous Beefburgers.
Sorry, chain restaurants do not count as high quality steakhouse's to this farmer/rancher. I grow my own angus beef, so I don't go out to the store to find it, if I do go out for a nice steak or prime rib you really couldn't beat the hoof, the klub in Mound City is also very good. And if you really want to go uptown head to the majestic in KC. Calling a chain restaurant a great steakhouse is just ridiculous.
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