Chef BJ Lieberman, owner of Chapman’s Eat Market, Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge and Metsi’s, said he’s decided to close Chapman’s, his first Columbus restaurant, while he could do so “responsibly.”
“I feel like it’s not often that restaurants get to choose how and when they go out. And it was important to me that we never got ourselves in any kind of situation where I didn’t think that we could make it,” he said.
“You just see restaurants all the time that have a sign up on their door one day that says ‘Closed’ and I really never just want that to be our story. Restaurants like ours are something that takes a lot to run every single day. And I just wanted to make sure we were doing this as responsibly as possible.”
Chapman’s opened in August 2020 after Lieberman signed the lease for the space in March of that year, a few weeks before pandemic closures took effect. Initially carryout-only, the restaurant slowly increased capacity as dining restrictions evolved.
“When we opened during the pandemic, I wasn’t sure that we were going to make it six months,” Lieberman said. “We made it five years. That’s really incredible.”
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During that time, Chapman’s received recognition from local and national media, including Columbus Monthly and the New York Times. Lieberman was also a two-time semifinalist for the James Beard Award.
The announcement’s proximity to the opening of Metsi’s in June is coincidental, Lieberman said. “It really has absolutely nothing to do with any of our other projects. It was a stand-alone decision.”
A social media post reported that the final date of service will be announced in August. In the interim, Lieberman said he is focused on taking care of his employees, the German Village neighborhood and his customers from across Columbus.
Known for supporting his employees through a 3% employee wellness surcharge on restaurant tabs that provides health insurance, overtime and more, Lieberman said he is committed to helping Chapman’s staff members “land on their feet.”
“The team that we’ve built is really just awe inspiring. It’s the thing that I am by far the most proud of,” he said. “I hope we can continue to work with as many people as humanly possible.”
He said he hopes the notice he’s providing will help his staff with the transition and allow customers to come say goodbye.
“It’s one of those things where all restaurants have a beginning, middle and an end,” he said. “I’ve been mulling this decision for a while.”
This article originally appeared on Columbus Monthly: Chef BJ Lieberman Wants to Close Chapman’s ‘Responsibly’
Reporting by Linda Lee Baird, Columbus Monthly / Columbus Monthly
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
