22122 Sat Nov 23 01:35:53 -0800 2002 13 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 81357 The good news--Fenton's famed ice cream parlor on Piedmont Ave.--closed for a long time after a fire--now appears to be under construction and is festooned with signs proclaiming that it's really coming back. The bad news--I am reliably told that Autumn Moon restaurant, on Grand Ave. in Oakland is out of business. Autumn Moon wasn't a culinary standout, but it was a pleasant place for breakfast/brunch. There are many reasons restaurants fail, but the location is somewhat isolated and service seemed to be slipping. Sat Nov 23 01:35:53 -0800 2002 0 Nathan Landau 1 81359 You're right--the Chronicle reported Autumn Moon's closing: "After a nearly six-year run, Oakland's Autumn Moon Cafe (3909 Grand Ave., at Santa Rosa), closed at the end of October. Owner-chef Kerry Heffernan and her partner Wendy Levy, a filmmaker, said the recession did them in. Their business had dropped 25-35 percent in September and October. Levy is now teaching film, Heffernan is looking for other chef positions, and the business is for sale." Sat Nov 23 01:44:23 -0800 2002 81357 0 jenniferfishwilson 2 81360 A story about Autumn Moon's closure also appeared Nov. 13 in the Oakland Tribune: "Economics eclipse Oakland's beloved Autumn Moon". (http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%257E1804%257E988657,00.html?search=filterv) It quotes Heffernan's explanation for the closure: ""The fact is, our business fell off between 25 to 35 percent in the last four months," Heffernan says. "It cut into our operating costs. ... We kept tightening our belts, made cuts everywhere we could, but after a certain point, we would have been comprising our integrity, and changing what made it Autumn Moon Cafe, what made it special." Heffernan cites a number of factors that contributed to the cafe's closure. "We had fixed costs that doubled since 9/11 -- worker's comp., insurance, PG&E had tripled from the previous year, delivery surcharges went up because of the gas hike, the economy is bad. ... These problems didn't exist when we opened five years ago." I'm bummed because it was on my "to try" list; if I'd known it was going to close I would've hustled my ass on over there. Sat Nov 23 06:13:22 -0800 2002 81359 0 Theresa O'Connor 3 81365 This is very sad. Autumn Moon was my favourite brunch spot. I loved their pastries, flamboyant waitstaff, laid-back atmosphere. Sat Nov 23 13:02:07 -0800 2002 81360 0 marzipan 4 81381 Is there any way to know when a restaurant is about to close? Openings are announced months ahead of time, but nobody wants to trumpet a closing--maybe they keep hoping for a miracle. Sat Nov 23 19:31:52 -0800 2002 81365 0 Nathan Landau 5 81409 The only time I've known in advance was Won Thai in Berkeley. We used to eat there almost weekly, and one day there was a sign in the window thanking all the regulars for their business, noting that they would be retiring at the end of the month... giving us three more chances to eat there. But if we hadn't gone there, we wouldn't have known. (did anyone eat there in the last two months?) It would be nice to know beforehand, but I doubt any restaurant owner would *want* to announce it publically. "Look at me, my business is going under!" Even if you could cite the reasons they did, it would be kind of embarassing (although you'd make a lot more money just before closing down!). Sun Nov 24 14:24:32 -0800 2002 81381 0 Marc Wallace 6 81410 Okay, now that I've posted I've recalled a second instance: a Chinese place in the south Rockridge area. They also had a sign on the door. Unfortunately, after raving about the food to friends and dragging them along, we arrived there three days too late! Must be why I didn't remember it... the trauma. ;-) Sun Nov 24 14:28:11 -0800 2002 81409 0 Marc Wallace 7 81581 Well I'm glad to hear that reports of Autumn Moon's death were greatly exaggerated. Wed Nov 27 23:36:01 -0800 2002 81410 0 Nathan Landau 2 81413 Too wierd. A (male) Kerry Heffernan is the chef at a well known NYC restaurant, Eleven Madison Park. Sun Nov 24 15:13:07 -0800 2002 81359 0 Caitlin McGrath 3 81454 And Carrie Heffernan is a character on "King of Queens". Mon Nov 25 14:24:26 -0800 2002 81413 0 Dumpling 1 81367 Maybe folks got tired of paying too much for breakfast. Food was always good, but it was hard to get out of there for less than $15 a person. This is not a problem if the food merits it, but it was just a good solid breakfast. Sat Nov 23 14:25:57 -0800 2002 81357 0 SLRossi 2 81373 I'd agree... I live right near there but hadn't eaten there in three years. The last time it was packed and noisy, and the wait was an hour. (luckily there's a neat Scandinavian furniture store next door) I did love the food and the coffee, though. Had I known they were about to close I would have hurried over for one last meal. Sat Nov 23 16:24:36 -0800 2002 81367 0 Marc Wallace 3 81418 Autmn Moon will reopen in about a week with the same chef/ and similar menu but new and well experienced ownership. Good news!!! Sun Nov 24 19:55:20 -0800 2002 81373 0 tomritza 1 81628 I'm glad Autumn Moon went under. I've been waiting for this to happen. After going there alot when they first opened and it was really good and close by. However during the boom years that followed and it got a little trendy, they turned me and undoubtedly lots of other reliable customers away with thier inferior service and righteuos attitude. My last meal there was summer of 2001, when I bought out of town visitors there, and vowed never to go back. Not only was the bread stale, but we were charged for soda refills, and just plain treated like we should be glad to be there, and they shouldn't be glad to have us there. I knew then thier days were numbered and now I've been vinicated, thank-you. Just goes to show that even being the only game in town will not help if you give crappy service and food that is not the best it can be. Fri Nov 29 12:13:46 -0800 2002 81357 0 fromjersey