Springfield restaurateurs purchase Chardonnay

Brothers Billy and Mike Jalili, and Billy’s wife, Sara Jalili – owners of Bijan’s, 209 E. Walnut St., and Flame, 314 W. Walnut St. – inked a deal May 9 to purchase Chardonnay, 1620 E. Republic Road, in French Quarter Plaza.

Its owner, developer Bill Jester, said the restaurant wasn’t on the market.

“They approached me about a month ago,” Jester said, adding that the Jalilis made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. “I have a dozen new projects going right now, so I intend to do what I do best, which is develop real estate, and they intend to do what they do best, which is run a restaurant.”

Neither Jester nor the Jalilis would disclose the purchase price.

Jester and Don Grimes opened Chardonnay Oct. 1, 2001, and Jester, who owns French Quarter, bought Grimes out in May 2002. In previous coverage, Jester told Springfield Business Journal that Chardonnay grossed $150,000 a month, a figure Billy Jalili confirmed as current.

Billy Jalili said that he, his wife and his brother began discussing the purchase six months before they approached Jester. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant was attractive because of the location, its 660-seat capacity and its banquet rooms.

Chardonnay’s last day of operation is May 30; the Jalilis plan to reopen toward the end of June after making some cosmetic changes. Jester said that commitments for banquets and receptions would be honored.

The restaurant will be renamed Touch. Chef Mike Jalili said his menu will have “just a touch of Mediterranean influence” inspired the new name.

A menu has not been finalized, but Jalili said its price range would be similar to those at Bijan’s and Flame. “Anywhere from $12 or $13 and up,” he said.

Chardonnay has 25 full-time and 20 part-time employees, and the Jalilis plan to meet with each one regarding employment. “We’d love to hire as many as possible,” Billy Jalili said.

Bijan’s and Flame employ 110.

All three Jalilis will focus their attention on Touch once it opens, Mike Jalili said. Once Touch is running smoothly, they plan to share administrative duties, with each rotating to spend time at the individual restaurants.

“Basically it’s three of us, but Mike will be in charge,” Billy Jalili said.

The Jalilis opened Bijan’s in 1996. In 2004, they leased the site of the former Epicurean restaurant and reopened it in October as Flame. In addition, the Jalilis own Bijan’s Under the Tower, a banquet facility at 320 S. Patton Ave., which opened in 2001.

In 2004, the trio purchased the rights to open an Andy’s Frozen Custard franchise in the Branson area. Originally slated for an early 2005 opening, the custard shop has yet to open.

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