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Letter to the editor

Beef prices doom Durango

By PAUL SWIDER
Published June 7, 2007

Durango Steakhouse closed two Pinellas locations at the end of May as the company "evolves the brand" in the Tampa Bay area.

"It's been a struggle in the casual steak business lately, " said Burton Bullard of the Bullard Group, which owns seven Durangos and other restaurants.

The Durango at 3901 Fourth St. N wears a sign that thanks people for 12 years of business but indicates that the company lost its lease. But Bullard said that the same day that store closed, he also closed the restaurant in the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach.

"Commodity beef prices have been crushing lately, " Bullard said. In response to the increasing cost of beef, he said, he will rework the business model into one that doesn't focus on steaks and offers more choices.

The test case will be the Durango in Largo, which will convert in August to Matchstick Grill, a new concept that offers steaks but also "American classic comfort food."

"We're going to put more variety on the menu and rely less on steaks, " Bullard said.

He said Matchstick will still have steaks but will add ribs and other barbecue, seafood and items like chicken pot pie. Bullard said he would convert other Durangos in the coming months and would have a new Fourth Street location for Matchstick within a year, though he wouldn't specify where.

In addition to the two locations closed and the Largo restaurant, Bullard retains two Durangos in Atlanta and two in Brevard County, on the east coast.

The latter are doing well, Bullard said, but may convert to Matchstick if the concept succeeds in Pinellas.

The Atlanta Durangos are not scheduled to convert.

Bullard also operates Gratzzi Ristorante in BayWalk, and the associated Ammazza, a quick-serve Italian concept on BayWalk's ground floor.

Bullard also operates Bascom's Chop House on Ulmerton Road in Clearwater.

Bullard said the upscale Bascom's performs better than the Durangos because it can better absorb increasing food costs.

Paul Swider can be reached at 892-2271 or pswider@sptimes.com or by participating in itsyourtimes.com.

[Last modified June 6, 2007, 22:43:20]