For more than 21 years now, Chris Dery and Dave Porteus have been serving up “honest meals” to happy customers at Abe’s, located at 5232 Ridge Road West in Spencerport.
The casual family-friendly restaurant serves up All-American dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and is known for its burgers as well as its daily specials featuring comfort food favorites like meatloaf, chicken and biscuits and fish fries.
Abe’s is housed in a log building one mile west of the intersection of Routes 104 and 259. Before it was Abe’s Restaurant, the site was the location of Hasman’s seasonal farm market and restaurant.
Q: How did you come up with the name?
“We were kicking names around,” remembers Dave Porteus, “we wanted something short. Abe’s tied-in with the log cabin.”
The interior walls are decorated with Abe Lincoln-inspired memorabilia – all provided by loyal customers, Chris Dery says.
Q: What are the biggest challenges you face in running a restaurant?
“The food and labor costs,” Dave explains. Recent spikes in the price of ground beef and the minimum wage increase have meant higher costs, “… but there’s only so much you can pass on to the customer,” Dave notes.
He says the minimum wage increase does not impact him as much regarding adult employees with experience; however, it can be difficult for high-school students who are working for the first time and may need to be trained for jobs such as dish washing.
“There’s pressure on kids to perform more quickly,” he explains.
That said, Dave emphasizes that he finds it very rewarding to work with young people and Abe’s has always employed local students as part of their staff.
Q: What has helped you to succeed for more than two decades?
“We have customers who have been here from day one,” Dave says. “We are also fortunate to have long-time staff.”
One employee, for example, began working at Abe’s while in high school and continued through college. Now that she has a full-time job, she continues to moonlight at Abe’s, Dave says.
“That’s the key to keeping us viable,” he says, a great staff, “and established loyal regulars keep us going.”
Dave adds that it is also important to ride out the rough times – particularly during the winter months.
Abe’s customers come from surrounding towns like Parma/Clarkson/Ogden/Hamlin, but many also travel from places like Gates, Holley, Greece and even the east side of Monroe County.
During the warm months, golfers enjoy stopping in and seniors (particularly snowbirds) are more numerous in the good weather, he adds.
Q: What are your plans for the future of the business?
Dave says he doesn’t plan to mess with success and will continue to build on Abe’s tradition of great service and delicious food.
“There will be minor menu modifications,” he says, “but no radical changes.”
Abe’s remains a family restaurant – part diner/part burger place, Dave explains.
The restaurant offers a varied menu. “The menu has expanded significantly over the years,” Dave says.
Menu options now include items like melts and wraps to reflect the changing tastes of customers as well as the popular daily specials. Also available are soups, salads and hot sandwiches, including fried bologna and Kabin Kids’ Meals. Old fashioned milkshakes are available and all food is cooked to order.
“There’s a lot more on the menu than when we opened,” Dave says, “Because we have so many regulars who come frequently, we want to give them variety.”
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a restaurant of their own?
“Save when times are good,” advises Dave, “winter’s coming,” noting that the winter months can be lean in the restaurant business.
He emphasizes that having a supportive family and a business partner are also very helpful, particularly in a business that involves long hours and sacrifice to make it work.
“Both of our wives are really supportive … this is an up and down business,” Dave says. He adds that the benefits of a business partner are many, particularly when you need a moment away, “…. you have somebody else … you can walk away for a minute,” he says.
Fall/Winter hours: Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Summer hours – 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
Printed January 25, 2015
