Grumpy’s Restaurant Featured “Grumpy's re-opens Middleburg location following fire, $1M rebuild” On BizJournals.com

By Penny Dickerson  –  Reporter, Jacksonville Business Journal

A January 2022 fire caused by faulty equipment completely gutted and shut down Grumpy’s Middleburg location.

Two-weeks shy of one year later, owner Dan Deleon has invested $1 million to rebuild the restaurant and will open doors to the public Jan. 2.

DeLeon said the Middleburg Grumpy’s located at 1805 Blanding Blvd., Suite 107 is 2,800-square-foot location and will retain its original footprint consistent with counterpart Grumpy restaurants in St. Johns and Clay counties. 

The Business Journal previously reported that Grumpy’s fourth and largest franchise opened in Neptune Beach on Nov. 14.

That 4,500 square feet restaurant cost $1.2 million and has 160 seats, private conference room and outdoor patio seating similar to Grumpy’s flagship location in Orange Park.

“We were hoping to acquire more space for Grumpy’s Middleburg by negotiating with the liquor store next door, but it just didn’t work out,” said DeLeon. “We were specifically looking to expand to a 10-foot wider space to add four more tables and additional cooler space.”

DeLeon said holiday traffic for all Grumpy’s restaurants has been “insane.” He said the restaurants have never been as busy during a holiday season and attributes it to people getting out more and families comprised of large parties patronizing the restaurants.

“Our goal was to see an increase in the single digits, but we’ve experienced tremendous growth with an increased volume of 12% to 15%,” said Deleon. “Middleburg has 53 employees with close to 40 working full-time. We were “lucky” to retain 80% of the original staff.

The Grumpy’s Middleburg restaurant is a franchise location owned and operated by Dell Hoard Sr. and Dell Hoard Jr. along with their wives Peggy and Courtney, respectively.

A fifth Grumpy’s in Yulee's Wildight development was also scheduled to open in January; it has been pushed back to the second week in February due to construction schedules.

For more information, visit: www.GrumpysRestaurantCo.com/Grumpys-Blog

Check out Grumpy’s Restaurant and the whole article at “FirstCoastNews.BizJournals.com.com”.

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Grumpy’s Restaurant Featured In “Grumpy's in Middleburg set to reopen Monday after January 2022 fire” On FirstCoastNews.com

Author: Renata Di Gregorio

The reopening is coming with a hefty price tag. Owner Dell Hoard, senior, says it cost more to rebuild than to initially open.

MIDDLEBURG, Fla — It's a new year and a new start for a beloved local restaurant.

Nearly a year after a fire ravaged their Middleburg location, Grumpy's restaurant on Blanding Boulevard has a reopening date: Monday.

The reopening is coming with a hefty price tag. Owner Dell Hoard, senior, says it cost more to rebuild than to initially open.

"The cost of everything has doubled," Hoard said. "It's significantly more expensive to rebuild our place than it was to build it originally."

Grumpy's on Blanding Boulevard was only open for one year before catching fire in January. It's been closed ever since, but now the company is starting the new year on the right foot. A fourth Grumpy's restaurant is set to open in May in the Wildlight community in Nassau County.

Hoard says supply chain problems caused a delay in reopening and they had to wait several months for appliances to be delivered. Inside the rebuilt restaurant, they say you'll notice only minor changes and some changes were made to make operations easier for employees.

They're reopening with 85 percent of their employees, many of whom worked at other Grumpy's restaurant locations this past year.

"We have such a family atmosphere amongst our employees and our restaurant patrons that come in," Hoard said. "We see a lot of them everyday."

Grumpy's is open from 5:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For more information, visit: www.GrumpysRestaurantCo.com/Grumpys-Blog

Check out Grumpy’s Restaurant and the whole article at “FirstCoastNews.com.com”.

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Grumpy’s Restaurant Featured In “‘Tough times happen’: Middleburg Grumpy’s owner excited for reopening year after devastating fire” On News4Jax.com

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. – The owner of Grumpy’s Restaurant in Middleburg says the last year has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster, but he’s excited to get back to serving the community.

Walk in, and the first thing you’ll now see is a charred sign (pictured above). Dell Hoard Jr. says it’s a reminder of what happened about a year ago.

“We’re gonna keep it like this,” he said. “It tells a story, and we want everyone to know it’s part of Grumpy’s now.”

In January 2022, the restaurant went up in flames. Investigators believe a fire broke out in the kitchen.

No one was physically hurt in the blaze, but the damage was extensive.

Hoard Jr. said that, naturally, the fire took an emotional toll.

“I mean, I couldn’t talk to anybody at the time,” he said. “It was hard. Our family, we put a lot into this, and I remember getting the call, I had just gotten home from eating here beside the place.”

From there, the family business focused on rebuilding — although it took a lot longer than expected.

Hoard Jr. says they’ve been motivated by their loyal customers.

“It’s been so comforting to know we have so many people around here who care about Grumpy’s,” Hoard Jr. said. “We were only here for 15 months, but we were able to come in and form that relationship that we could really see.”

“Tough times happen. And you can see what comes from it afterwards,” Hoard Jr. said. “You’ve just got to work hard and you’ll get back to where you were.”

Nearly a year later, crews are putting the final touches together before the doors reopen.

For more information, visit: www.GrumpysRestaurantCo.com/Grumpys-Blog

Check out Grumpy’s Restaurant and the whole article at “News4Jax.com”.

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Grumpy’s Restaurant Featured In “A year after a devastating fire, a popular family-owned diner rises from the ashes” On Jacksonville.com

Teresa Stepzinski

Florida Times-Union

The Monday reopening of a popular family-owned diner almost a year to the day after a devastating fire gutted the Clay County restaurant is giving customers and the community a reason to smile.

Franchise co-owner Dell Hoard Sr. and his family are welcoming folks back to the table at Grumpy's Restaurant at 1805 Blanding Blvd. at Branan Field Walk retail center in Middleburg.

The Hoard family along with Daniel DeLeon, president and CEO of Grumpy's Restaurant, promised to "build back stronger " after Jan. 19, 2022 fire — sparked by an electrical issue in the kitchen — swept through the restaurant several hours after it had closed for the day.

They kept their word.

Although the rebuild was slowed somewhat because the damage was more extensive than originally thought and cost more due to inflation, they persevered with support from the community including a local financial institution, Hoard said.

“We have been very fortunate that the community has been so supportive,” Hoard, who owns and operates the restaurant with his wife, Peggy, their son, Dell Jr. and his wife, Courtney, said in a news release announcing the reopening.

Hoard said people repeatedly have been asking them when the diner would reopen. Customers and other Middleburg businesses rallied to help the restaurant and its employees after the fire.

“… They really care about Grumpy’s and our employees. The local business community has also been helpful with donating clean-up supplies and food and hosting fundraisers. Their outreach and willingness to help was just amazing, and we are very grateful for everyone’s support,” Hoard said.

Grumpy's Restaurant, based in Orange Park, is known for its freshly made-from-scratch breakfast, brunch and lunch Americana comfort food, ample, plate-filling portions, family-friendly prices and genuine hospitality. The Middleburg diner is among five Grumpy's either open or coming soon in the greater Jacksonville area.

The Hoards were Grumpy's first franchise owners. DeLeon and the Hoard family opened the Middleburg restaurant in October 2020. It quickly became a Clay County favorite like the original Orange Park flagship diner.

The fire was reported about 7:50 p.m. — nearly four hours after the business closed for the day. Grumpy's was empty when an employee at a neighboring business smelled smoke and called Clay County Fire Rescue, DeLeon previously told the Times-Union.

No one was injured. The fire had started in the prep room of the kitchen along the back wall of the 2,600-square-foot restaurant. The diner had a fire suppression system but the building didn't have a sprinkler system. The fire raced through the restaurant, DeLeon said.

Before the reopening, DeLeon confirmed to the Times-Union that the final cost of rebuilding and reopening the restaurant totaled about $1 million. That was significantly more than initially estimated immediately after the fire happened.

Hoard said 121 Financial Credit Union helped them "bridge the gap between the amount paid by insurance and the cost to rebuild. "

“We are embedded in the Middleburg community and are here to support small businesses, particularly at their most dire time of need,” David Marovich, president and CEO of 121 Financial Credit Union, said in the news release.

Marovich said the credit union and the Hoard family had a longtime relationship.

“We are 100% committed to our members and their success. After seeing the devastation that occurred and the outpouring of support from the community, we wanted to do our part to help them reopen as quickly as possible,” he said.

Hoard said the diner has "retained about 85% of its employees." Many were able to relocate temporarily to the other Grumpy's Restaurant locations while Middleburg was closed. The family has been interviewing newcomers to the restaurant team in preparation for the reopening.

“We’ve always had a family atmosphere at Grumpy’s, which to me was the most crucial part of our success,” Dell Hoard Jr. said in the news release. “Our employees, the environment and the daily interactions are what keep people coming back."

He noted that their customers "have formed relationships with our employees and it’s so important to have that."

"We really wanted as many of our team to come back as possible, and we are thankful that so many are staying with us. We look forward to welcoming our new team members as well,” Dell Hoard Jr. said.

Customers probably notice some "refreshed interior elements but most of the minor changes have been focused on making operations easier for employees, the family said.

Grumpy's Restaurant Middleburg will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily like its sister restaurants in Orange Park, Neptune Beach in Duval County, The Fountains at St. Johns in Saint Johns and coming soon, its newest restaurant in Wildlight in Yulee.

For more information, visit: www.GrumpysRestaurantCo.com/Grumpys-Blog

Check out Grumpy’s Restaurant and the whole article at “Jacksonville.com”.

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Grumpy’s Restaurant Featured In “Grumpy’s in Middleburg to reopen in January — nearly year after fire” On News4Jax.com

By: Nick Jones

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. – After nearly an entire year of hard work, the Grumpy’s Restaurant located in Middleburg said Tuesday it will soon reopen following a devastating fire last January.

Specifically, it has set a date of Monday, Jan. 2 for its official reopening, according to a news release. The owners say the final cost to rebuild was “significantly more” than what was originally projected, and with the help of 121 Financial Credit Union, they were able to bridge the gap between the amount paid by insurance and the cost to rebuild.

“We have been very fortunate that the community has been so supportive,” Dell Hoard Sr., co-owner of the restaurant, said in a prepared statement. “People are always asking us when we will reopen. They really care about Grumpy’s and our employees. The local business community has also been helpful with donating clean-up supplies and food and hosting fundraisers. Their outreach and willingness to help was just amazing, and we are very grateful for everyone’s support.”

David Marovich, president and CEO of 121 Financial, said the credit union has had a long standing relationship with the Hoard family.

“We are embedded in the Middleburg community and are here to support small businesses, particularly at their most dire time of need,” he said in a prepared statement. “After seeing the devastation that occurred and the outpouring of support from the community, we wanted to do our part to help them reopen as quickly as possible.”

Chances are you’ve heard of Grumpy’s, and you’ve likely been to one somewhere in the Jacksonville area. Notably, it’s been the JaxBest choice for the area’s best spot for breakfast — and it took top honors in the category again this year.

At the time of the fire, crews said they believed the fire started in the restaurant’s kitchen. No injuries were reported.

For more information, visit: www.GrumpysRestaurantCo.com/Grumpys-Blog

Check out Grumpy’s Restaurant and the whole article at “News4Jax.com.com”.

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Grumpy’s Restaurant Featured In “Grumpy’s Restaurant to reopen in Middleburg nearly a year after fire damaged the building” On YahooSports.com

By ActionNewsJax.com News Staff

December 28, 2022 at 6:48 pm EST

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. — Nearly a year after a fire shut its doors, Grumpy’s Restaurant in Middleburg is reopening on Monday, Jan. 2, according to a news release.

Action News Jax first told you about the fire when it happened Jan. 19, 2022. The fire started by the kitchen and no one was injured.

The rebuilt restaurant will occupy the same 2,600-sq. ft. footprint and has retained about 85% of its employees.

The final cost to rebuild was significantly more than original projections, according to the owners. With the help of 121 Financial Credit Union, the owners of Grumpy’s said they were able to bridge the gap between the amount paid by insurance and the cost to rebuild.

“We have been very fortunate that the community has been so supportive,” said Dell Hoard Sr., co-owner of the family-owned and operated restaurant, said in the release. “People are always asking us when we will reopen; they really care about Grumpy’s and our employees. The local business community has also been helpful with donating clean-up supplies and food and hosting fundraisers. Their outreach and willingness to help was just amazing, and we are very grateful for everyone’s support.”

In the weeks leading up to the reopening, the owners have been conducting meetings with team members – many of whom had temporary employment at other local Grumpy’s restaurant locations – to share what’s changed at the restaurant.

Customers will likely notice some refreshed interior elements, but most of the minor changes have been focused on making operations easier for employees, according to the owners. The Hoard family has also been conducting interviews to welcome some new employees to join the Grumpy’s family.

For more information, visit: www.GrumpysRestaurantCo.com/Grumpys-Blog

Check out Grumpy’s Restaurant and the whole article at “Yahoo.YahooSports.com”.

#Grumpys #GrumpysRestaurant #Franchising #Restaurant #Franchise #Florida #Breakfast #Brunch #Lunch

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Grumpy’s Restaurant Featured In “Fire-ravaged Grumpy's Restaurant to reopen Monday” On WJCT.org

WJCT News | By Dan Scanlan

Published December 28, 2022 at 5:18 PM EST

The fire started in the kitchen just hours after the popular Middleburg restaurant had closed that Jan. 19.

Clay County firefighters quickly suppressed the flames that ate away at the interior of Grumpy's Restaurant at 1805 Blanding Blvd. just before 8 p.m., but damage was extensive.

Just under a year after fire ravaged the popular breakfast and lunchtime spot, the Grumpy's will reopen Monday, good as new at its 2-year-old location.

For co-owner Dell Hoard Sr., making the homestyle breakfasts and lunches his local customers love with 85% of his original employees back behind the griddle and counter means he is no longer a "Bad Mood Dude," the chef character depicted on their menu and website.

"No longer a bad mood. I try not to be a bad mood guy anyway, but I'm really happy right now" Hoard said. "Our community and our employees and everything have been so positive during the whole thing that it helps. Everywhere I go, somebody will stop and ask me about Grumpy's and when it's going to open back up.

Clay County Fire Rescue initially reported on Twitter that its crews were working a commercial structure fire on Blanding Boulevard in Middleburg, then posting by 9 p.m. that multiple units had helped get the blaze under control.

No injuries were reported, the nighttime blaze starting in the back of the building and damaging the kitchen area as smoke affected the 2,600-square-foot corner restaurant dining room. Heat from the fire was so bad that vegetable cans exploded in the kitchen, Hoard said.

The loss of the popular breakfast and lunch spot, with its pancakes, omelettes, meatloaf and burgers, affected his customers and staff a lot, Hoard said. Now everyone he speaks with is happy to hear that Grumpy's is rebuilt.

"I just appreciate the fact that they care enough to ask," he said. "At 5:30 a.m. Monday, they can come up here and have it. We are ready. "

The final cost to rebuild the locally owned breakfast and lunch spot was significantly more than original projections, according to owners. Insurance to rebuild was about $750,000, but it cost a quarter of a million dollars more, Hoard said. And it took them about four times longer to rebuild than it did to open two years ago, with modifications needed to meet changes in code made since.

That made it very tough, on top of the devastating fire, he said.

“A lot of heartache, a lot of very trying times," he said. "If you don’t think COVID has changed the world, try to rebuild something right now as far as getting manpower, and the cost of everything is about doubled from what it was when we built this place. So it has been very trying.”

121 Financial Credit Union helped them bridge the gap between insurance and the cost to rebuild with a loan, CEO and President David Marovich said.

“We have had a relationship with the Hoard family for a long time, and we are 100% committed to our members and their success.,” Marovich said. “After seeing the devastation that occurred and the outpouring of support from the community, we wanted to do our part to help them reopen as quickly as possible.”

After the fire, Grumpy's kept many of the Middleburg restaurant's employees on the job at its other locations. Now most of them are preparing to return to the Blanding Boulevard site after its rebuilding, which saw some minor changes to make it easier for them, according to the owners.

Grumpy’s has other locations in Orange Park, Neptune Beach and Saint Johns, with a fourth opening next year in Nassau County’s Wildlight community.

For more information, visit: www.GrumpysRestaurantCo.com/Grumpys-Blog

Check out Grumpy’s Restaurant and the whole article at “WJCT.org”.

#Grumpys #GrumpysRestaurant #Franchising #Restaurant #Franchise #Florida #Breakfast #Brunch #Lunch

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Grumpy’s Restaurant Featured In “Grumpy’s Restaurant to reopen in Middleburg nearly a year after fire damaged the building” On Yahoo.com

By ActionNewsJax.com News Staff

December 28, 2022 at 6:48 pm EST

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. — Nearly a year after a fire shut its doors, Grumpy’s Restaurant in Middleburg is reopening on Monday, Jan. 2, according to a news release.

Action News Jax first told you about the fire when it happened Jan. 19, 2022. The fire started by the kitchen and no one was injured.

The rebuilt restaurant will occupy the same 2,600-sq. ft. footprint and has retained about 85% of its employees.

The final cost to rebuild was significantly more than original projections, according to the owners. With the help of 121 Financial Credit Union, the owners of Grumpy’s said they were able to bridge the gap between the amount paid by insurance and the cost to rebuild.

“We have been very fortunate that the community has been so supportive,” said Dell Hoard Sr., co-owner of the family-owned and operated restaurant, said in the release. “People are always asking us when we will reopen; they really care about Grumpy’s and our employees. The local business community has also been helpful with donating clean-up supplies and food and hosting fundraisers. Their outreach and willingness to help was just amazing, and we are very grateful for everyone’s support.”

In the weeks leading up to the reopening, the owners have been conducting meetings with team members – many of whom had temporary employment at other local Grumpy’s restaurant locations – to share what’s changed at the restaurant.

Customers will likely notice some refreshed interior elements, but most of the minor changes have been focused on making operations easier for employees, according to the owners. The Hoard family has also been conducting interviews to welcome some new employees to join the Grumpy’s family.

For more information, visit: www.GrumpysRestaurantCo.com/Grumpys-Blog

Check out Grumpy’s Restaurant and the whole article at “Yahoo.com”.

#Grumpys #GrumpysRestaurant #Franchising #Restaurant #Franchise #Florida #Breakfast #Brunch #Lunch

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