Central hemorrhaging: 3 restaurants announce closures

It was a brutal week for Nob Hill-area restaurants.

Three restaurants along Central Avenue in the popular part of town last week announced they were closing: Slice Parlor, Salt and Board and O’Niell’s Pub.

However, the Nob Hill community is hopeful those buildings will not stay vacant for long.

Adam Moffett co-owns Slice Parlor and Salt and Board, which closed last week.

Slice Parlor in Nob Hill was his first location back in 2011, Moffett said, and back then he paid $4,500 a month in rent.

Now he pays $8,000 a month in rent.

“Which is unsustainable for a family, student-friendly kind of restaurant,” said Moffett

Moffett said it’s becoming harder and harder for casual restaurants to make rent in the Nob Hill area. Slice Parlor on the 9900 block of Montgomery NE is staying open.

Last week, the restaurant’s windows had paper over them so no one could see inside.

“Thank you to the Nob Hill community for 13 amazing years in business,” read a sign posted on the door.

Rob O’Niell is the owner of O’Niell’s Pub, and he’s closing his Nob Hill location but keeping open the O’Niell’s on the 3300 block of Juan Tabo NE. He couldn’t be reached for comment last week.

“We just had to make a decision as business has fallen off,” O’Niell told local TV station KRQE.

“Due to multiple determining factors, it has become impossible for us to keep O’Niell’s in Nob Hill open,” states a closing note taped on the wall outside the Irish pub. The restaurant’s last day of operation is Nov. 3.

Brick Light District loss

Salt and Board’s closing marks the end of the restaurant, at least under its current owners. Its last day was Saturday.

“It’s always been a struggle; it’s been more of a passion project,” Moffett said.

The first problem with Salt and Board was its size, which Moffett said was too small. It sold charcuterie and cheese boards along with toasts and sandwiches.

While Moffett said the restaurant was profitable, splitting the profits between two owners made the margins pretty thin.

Moffett said he and his partner were planning to sell Salt and Board to a third party. However, the company that owned the building, Base 5 Retail Partners, wouldn’t sell the lease on the building, Moffett said.

Base 5 Retail Partners didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Where does this leave the Nob Hill?

Valerie Osbourn is the executive director of Nob Hill Main Street. Osbourn said she is hopeful the restaurants will soon have new tenants.

“Those buildings won’t stay vacant for long,” Osbourn said.

There are new businesses moving in that Osbourn pointed to, such as Mission Winery and The Smokey Note, that prove Nob Hill is bustling.

Osbourn said she was surprised to see O’Niell’s closing.

“It’s pretty disappointing and sad,” said Osbourn.

Gary Eyster, president of the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association, said restaurant closures aren’t unique to Nob Hill.

If people are concerned about these restaurants leaving the community, “make them busy,” he said.