New Shrine Restaurant management team replaces group from Hofbräuhaus
The leadership team at the venerable Shrine Restaurant and Banquet Center wants to let area residents know they are forging ahead with their plans after replacing the previous management from the Hofbräuhaus developers.
While there is a new management company behind the scenes, you will still see familiar faces such as general manager Marsha Goodnick, who has been with the Shrine Restaurant and Banquet Center for 20 years.
New tables, chairs and carpeting have already been added to the main dining room. In January, look for updates to the dinner menu such as family-style offerings of roast beef on Thursdays, a pasta bar on Fridays, a hamburger bar on Saturdays and fried chicken on Sundays.
The new management company, St. Lorenzo Hospitality, has replaced Oak Tree Management Services, which was formed by the Keller family of Effingham as part of the development of the Hofbräuhaus German restaurant and brewery across Illinois 15 from the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the religious order that owns the Shrine, severed ties with Oak Tree Management at the Shrine Restaurant and subsequently filed a lawsuit that asks for a $171,766 judgment and alleges a breach of contract by Oak Tree.
A spokesman for the Keller family and Oak Tree Management could not be reached for comment.
Along with the Oblates’ lawsuit in St. Clair County, the Keller family also faces a St. Louis County Circuit Court petition from Royal Banks of Missouri seeking a $21.7 million judgment regarding loans for the Hofbräuhaus.
New management
St. Lorenzo Hospitality has a contract with the Oblates to run the Shrine Restaurant and includes company principal Matt Stukenberg and Josh Mazander.
Mazander said he and Stukenberg have experience in construction and business but previously have not run a restaurant.
They want to analyze the business side of the operation but are keeping in place the restaurant employees such as Goodnick.
“We’re going to bring business acumen to a team that already knows how to run a restaurant,” Mazander said.
Goodnick said there are several other employees who have been with the Shrine Restaurant for a long time.
“We have a lot of regulars,” Goodnick said. “We enjoy our customers.”
On a recent Saturday during the Way of Lights, the restaurant served 589 customers, Goodnick said.
Community presence
Goodnick said the restaurant has been in operation for nearly 50 years.
And Mazander said he and Stukenberg wanted to help preserve the sense of community provided by a business that has been operating for nearly half a century at the Shrine’s lush setting.
“It’s a beautiful place to be,” Mazander said. “It is really a jewel in the community. The fundamental reason why we decided to join the Oblates in serving out here is to help serve the community with the National Shrine.”
St. Lorenzo Hospitality has already spent about $70,000 in renovations at the Shrine Restaurant, Mazander said.
When asked why area residents should check out the Shrine Restaurant, Mazander said, “Primarily, we’ve got great food.
“We’re modernizing the look and feel of the restaurant and it’s an important part of the community.”
Shrine Restaurant info
Along with the main restaurant where customers can order off the menu or enjoy a buffet line, patrons can reserve space in the banquet center.
The Shrine Restaurant, located at 442 S. DeMazenod Drive off Illinois 15, can seat up to 450 people for a banquet. Smaller groups of 10 to 20 people can also reserve space.
Mazander and Goodnick said the banquet center is a good site for corporate events and wedding receptions.
You can get more information about the Shrine Restaurant on its Facebook page.
