Cheesesteak NW closed its doors July 10 and is selling space as package deal with equipment

After less than a year, Springfield eatery Cheesesteak NW has closed its doors. But the restaurant, now for sale, has piqued the interest of businesses hungry to set up shop in Springfield's thriving downtown.

A Craigslist post advertising the property at 521 Main St. as for sale listed its closing day as July 10. The Craigslist post was updated to say "Nothing finalized yet but several excellent applicants and tons of calls on this space."

The location of the restaurant apparently wasn't why it struggled. Former co-owner Teri Burns, who opened the business in September with husband, Steve, said the reason for the closure was two-fold.

"Finding reliable, responsible employees was an ongoing issue for us. When you couple that (with the) aggressive minimum wage increase that’s taking place, it created a dynamic that we were still struggling with almost a year later," Burns said.

Problems with recruiting and retaining quality workers and efforts to give raises to better employees took a financial toll.

"You have to absorb those costs somewhere, and that’s your product," Burns said.

The couple was committed to organic and non-GMO ingredients, and wasn't willing to compromise on sourcing. Part of that stemmed from a transformative effect in their own lives that came from switching to a whole foods diet. When they opened Cheesesteak NW, they intended to give that back to the community. Burns said they were at a crossroads with the business, but ultimately, "we made the difficult call because it was so personal for us."

After closing, they posted the restaurant for sale for $10,000 on Craigslist on July 12. The space is being sold as a package deal, including nearly all the equipment, furniture and even some food. The ad also mentions a permit for outdoor seating on the sidewalk.

The first week, Burns said applicants weren't a good fit. Then, someone posted the ad in the Eugene Foodies Facebook group, and "it just blew up Monday morning." Burns has been showing the place with the property manager, Kryl's Investments, this week and they've had so much interest from strong, qualified applicants they have started a waiting list.

"The response from Eugene establishments wanting to get in there speaks to the growth that’s taking place down there," Burns said.

Downtown Springfield has been blooming, with recent openings on Main Street including the Main Street Market, Cornbread Cafe, Gryffs Pub, Addis Ethiopian Cuisine and George + Violet's Steakhouse, to name just a few.

"If the personnel problems weren’t so challenging for us, we would still be open right now," Burns said. Business was good, she said, especially during lunch as city employees and various downtown businesses sought a quick meal, and also on Fridays and Saturdays.

Burns says the property manager will make a decision next week. Ultimately, she knows they will choose a tenant to carry the momentum forward. "Whoever they choose, it’s going to be a great fit for the downtown area."

Follow Anna Glavash on Twitter @AnnaGlavash and on Instagram @541ToTheTable. Email aglavash@registerguard.com