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Adam’s Ribs, a restaurant owned by a UNLV professor, is temporarily closed for business, as indicated by the words written on a chalkboard outside their location across from UNLV Thursday, April 9, 2009.
Sunday, April 12, 2009 | 2 a.m.
In Today's Sun
This story is one part of a two-story package on how restaurants are faring during the current economic downturn.
• Enter stage right: Recession is stress-testing owners’ plans for start-ups
Sun Archives
Imagine going into a popular rib joint and being told you can order anything you like — except ribs.
That’s what happened to customers of the two Adam’s Ribs restaurants in town, a foreboding sign of what was coming.
Employees had seen the grim future when the cupboards grew so bare the cooks dashed to the grocery store to buy flour.
Both restaurants have since closed — the store at Grand Canyon Drive and Flamingo Road, near Summerlin, five weeks ago and Adam’s Ribs on Maryland Parkway, across from UNLV, last week.
“It’s not an easy time,” owner and UNLV adjunct professor Adam Carmer said. “We’re changing the plan, rethinking how to get our goals of having a great place accomplished.”
But while Carmer, who teaches beer and wine at UNLV, tries to figure out what to do with two closed restaurants, his employees — including former students — are trying to figure out what to do about him. At least 11 workers filed complaints with the state labor commissioner’s office, saying they are owed weeks of back pay. The state investigated and agreed.
In other words, this hasn’t been the most graceful of restaurant closings.
“There isn’t a template for closing,” Carmer said. “No one plans on closing down.”
• • •
Carmer opened the Freakin’ Frog and Whiskey Attic bars six years ago, before getting into the barbecue business. The Adam’s Ribs near Summerlin opened in September 2007 and the one across from UNLV opened 11 months ago.
Each location experienced troubles. The restaurant near Summerlin was given an F in January by the Southern Nevada Health District — and closed for a day — for violations including cockroaches, buildup of food debris, dirty utensils, poor food storage and other sanitation shortcomings. And the UNLV location was cited multiple times, and employees fined, for violations involving underage drinking.
Carmer was a constant, active presence at all four operations, former employees say. But about two months ago, he “just kind of disappeared and became more secretive about what he was doing,” said Tom Hirschfelder, the manager of the Adam’s Ribs on the west side of town when it closed.
As his presence dwindled, so did the inventory at both restaurants.
Corey Manning, head cook at the UNLV location, said the kitchen was falling short on supplies for at least a month before closing. On occasion, for instance, he had to fetch french fries from the Freakin’ Frog next door.
Carmer said the small adjustments normally required to keep a business afloat started to get beyond his capacity and resources.
On March 6, both locations ran out of ribs. Jessica Bernstein, a server at the UNLV Adam’s Ribs, remembers the reaction when she gave the news to a party of 40. “You seriously don’t have ribs?” Bernstein said they asked. Sorry. French fries? Um, no.
“I had a guy ask for five liquors, and I had none of them,” bartender Toby McCracken said.
Similar stories echoed at the Adam's Ribs near Summerlin, the first to collapse.
On March 7, Hirschfelder called Carmer about reordering food but was told to make do. That same day, word was spreading that the UNLV location was going to close the next day, a Sunday, for “restructuring.” Bartender Michael Rauner said Carmer told him that some workers would be laid off.
On that Sunday, Manning, the cook, said he was on the bus heading to Adam’s Ribs at UNLV for his shift when he got a text message from a co-worker: Everyone had been fired.
Workers drove by the restaurant and confronted Carmer, who was moving items into a van. Carmer told them not to overreact, that he was just moving some things around.
Back in the west side of town that same Sunday, Hirschfelder called Carmer with the latest sales figures. Hirschfelder said he was told not to come in the next day because that restaurant, too, would be closed a few days for “restructuring.”
The restaurant near Summerlin hasn’t reopened since that Monday, March 9.
That Monday was also payday, but nobody was paid. Instead, at a staff meeting, Carmer announced that there were only enough hours to keep two employees busy at the UNLV location.
Workers — some of whom said they were owed upward of $1,000 — demanded to know from Carmer when they would be paid.
He told them to return to the UNLV restaurant on that Friday, March 13.
They did. But Carmer didn’t.
Employees said they confronted him at the Freakin’ Frog. He pleaded with them to have faith that he’d pay them when he could. The Freakin’ Frog and Whiskey Attic are still open, but Carmer hasn’t turned to them to help pay the Adam’s Ribs employees. “It’s complicated,” he said.
The Adam’s Ribs by UNLV would eke out its final days with a staff of just two. It had discarded its regular menu — one that featured a photo of Mayor Oscar Goodman giving a thumbs up — in exchange for what turned out to be a going-out-of-business menu offering only five items. The only one resembling barbecue was rib tips.
And the bar’s rotating selection of 4 beers on tap was down to a lonely keg of Black Butte Porter by the end of March.
Finally, last week — as the restaurant’s liquor license was expiring — the restaurant closed. That was that.
And still no one has been paid.
Hirschfelder says Carmer hung up on him when they last talked — and then Carmer called him demanding to know why Hirschfelder was “hunting him down” at his other restaurants.
For his part, Carmer says “everybody who is owed money is going to be made whole.”
But the labor commissioner’s office, which opened its investigation March 16, said Carmer has failed to respond to any of the 11 letters the agency has sent him.
Larry Dizon, the lead investigator in Southern Nevada, said Carmer has brushed off the agency when reached by phone, asking to be contacted later.
Every delay is costing Carmer money. The state found that Carmer owes 11 employees a total of $24,000. The amount would have been $9,000 were it not for late fees, Dizon said.
The drama has generated bad publicity for a man who is accustomed to good ink.
“Here’s the reality: when you’re learning how to walk you fall and scrape your knee. I’m not embarrassed,” Carmer said. “My eyes are open. Yes, there are some huge things here that have to be dealt with that aren’t the most positive things in the world.”
Carmer’s corporation, meanwhile, is listed as the owner of Oh Zone, an organic restaurant that hasn’t yet opened.
Carmer says he is only an adviser.
This story has been corrected to reflect the exact location of the Adam's Ribs on the west side of town. It is not in Summerlin.
As a regular of the Freakin' Frog and Whiskey Attic, I will stop attending those venues and take my business elsewhere.
What a deadbeat.
It sounds like there is more to this story than a lack of customers. Maybe Carmer is in the process of getting a divorce.
just one of a hundred stories like this going on in vegas now.
A good restaurant will be successful in good and bad times especially if ownership understands how to adapt.
My business is working with restaurants to expand, or in some cases fill locations that they shut down. We are seeing a tremendous amount of new restaurant activity, primarily a result of very competitive rent rates across the valley. Several concepts are thriving, generally mid priced "quick serve" sit down concepts, buffets and pizza. The common tread - excellent food with good value.
Carmer's restaurants were average at best... there are several much better BBQ joints in town, several of which are thriving. So I disagree that his challenges are solely a result of the economy. Even a year ago, his locations where regularly empty on typically busy nights in the restaurant world (myself and a friend were the only patrons for at least 2 hours on a Friday night). Dropping prices won't solve the underlying problem of just OK food.
Economic slowdown is like a forest fire, it clears out the debris and the clutter to make room for more growth... in this case a not so great BBQ joint shuts down, making room for a better restaurant.
Professor or not the owner has a lot to learn about the restaurant biz, I wouldn't be inclined to take his class... Stick to the dive bars, having Delerium Tremens on tap is smartest thing you've done thus far.
Airfare is dropping, so that will help some for Las Vegas economy. But look at these hundreds of billions now pouring in to everything. This economy will be turning around within months -- found a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
Carmer needs to get these employees paid. Period. The longer he waits, the bigger the fine. He will bring down the Frog as well.
piece of s***
Avalanche, well said... "A good restaurant will be successful in good and bad times especially if ownership understands how to adapt.
Dropping prices won't solve the underlying problem of just OK food.
Economic slowdown is like a forest fire, it clears out the debris and the clutter to make room for more growth... in this case a not so great BBQ joint shuts down, making room for a better restaurant."
I agree whole heartedly. When I go out, I will pay for great food and great service.
The Oh Zone will be a 'No Zone' for me.
Restaurants closed for cockroaches by the health department and employees unpaid. This guy is still teaching beer and wine at UNLV?? What are his qualifications to teach anything. He should be in jail.
Maybe he is waiting for a raise at UNLV to bail him out.
How can this man stay employed by that marginal school on Maryland Park Way
And this guy TEACHES at UNLV? I wonder WHAT he teaches, and why they hire him?
I know what it is like to be in a company that is running out of cash. I used to work accounts payable for an architecture company that was having cash problems. When bill collectors called I had to stall for time. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and I quit. It's like the movie "Save the Tiger". Carmer is never going to come up with the money, unless he borrows some from the mob. lol
The Frog and Whiskey should be closed within 2 weeks if this dirtbag does not pay up what he owes his employees. He should be suspended from UNLV until he pays.
It is sad any business fails! However, when a business is struggling, the worse thing an owner can do is not acknowledge the problems to the staff. If Cramer had been honest with staff and told them the business was really struggling and he was struggling to pay wages, something could have been worked out.
The worse thing he did was promise to pay people and now he owes three times as much. No doubt most of his employee's lived pay check to pay check and they have had to borrow money to pay their bills. So I have no problems with the fee's the state has added on. I am sure Cramer could end this by just paying the wages his business owes. His refusal to take personal responsibility is his downfall.
What do you expect from a guy who teaches... <wait for it.....> Beer and Wine!
Seriously? That's a credited course? Even at a party school? How do you take someone seriously that has that gig?
Has anyone ever taken Adam's wine or beer class. When I took it several years ago as a professional in the industry and UNLV grade he never supplied a syllabus, book, etc. He verbally lectured on wine to students who were taking a wine 101 course who had no clue how to spell Viogner, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. It was a joke, and I think UNLV should be embarrassed to have Adam as a professor in the beverage dept. Maybe someone should have sat in on him to see how he taught students who payed $600.00+ for a class. He probably even demanded vendors donate wine for his classes to do business with him, keeping the extra $$ required from ULV students to take a beverage course where they taste wine, beer, etc. Scum bag.
On that note. There are some fantastic beverage professionals at UNLV. Bell for example. People this is serious industry, and there are experts that deserve to acknowledged. However Carmer was never one to be acknowledged and should have never been allowed to be a university prof.
"payed"??? And THAT from a COLLEGE student?? Good grief!
as a BBQ afficionado, I actually sampled the ribs in the Summerlin location. nothing special. it's shocking to see that they got and F rating. based on my experience they lacked a marketing plan and presence in the area.
they had zero chance of success.
they won't be back.
I just want everyone to know I used to work for Adam at the Maryland pkwy location. I was a bartender/server/doorman/what ever they wanted me to do i did.I worked my ass off for Adam. I was the guy that covered everyones shift when they didn't feel like coming in.I can say Adam was f*** up for laying off his whole staff and then not paying on pay day. We all were living pay check to pay check. I called Adam number of times on the money he owes me. He just gave me excuses. I called Adam told him i was hungry had no food to eat, but he didn't care.I had to wait 3 weeks for my unemployment to kick in. I'm glad Jessica wrote a story to the sun about Adam. Adam wanted to keep her as a server but she told Adam to f*** off. she told him that he was wrong for what he was doing.PLEASE don't feel bad for that guy.I hope i get paid from that job.I hope Adam pays for his sake. There are more then 11 people that he owes money to. I bet he is scared.he's got people stocking him for the money he owes.LOL I hope nobody goes to his restaurants.If Adam would have made payment opions with me I would be fine.
A few things of note. First off, I think I may puke. I ate at the Summerlin location about 5 times..the first couple times it was delicious. Adam was always there (as was his wife) and the ribs were fresh and fall off the bone good. The last few times over the past 6 months, Adam was nowhere to be seen, the food quality went from bad to worse (I honestly believe they cooked the ribs on Monday and just reheated them all week or something - dry, shriveled and bad). But I can deal with the fact that I ate bad food - I am going to PUKE thinking that this slimeball was running a restaurant that received an F cleanliness rating. Adam, I know you are reading this, and I want you to know you are disgusting.
As for his cavalier attitude about not paying empoloyees - well, further proof that this guy is just a sleazeball. Losing a business is a bummer to be sure, but to take advantage of your empolyees on your way down is despicable. I have no idea what a "beer and wine" class consists of, but I am confident UNLV won't lose a penny's tuition if they kick this bum to the curb.
Intentionally misleading and lying to employees and then running out on their pay. That's what a weasel does Adam. May your other businesses fail also.
He has bigger problems than that. UNLV gave him funds to purchase beer/wine for tastings for his students, and he used freebies from the beer/liquor companies instead, and either pocketed the money, or used it for purchases for his restaurants.
He was an absentee owner almost from the very beginning at Adam's Ribs, refused to listen to suggestions from his management, and put out a bad product. He claimed to have his own special barbecue sauce, but there sure were a lot of empty 5 gallon jugs of Sweet Baby Ray's lying around in the kitchen.
On busy nights, he had no security staff, and no proper doormen, putting his staff at risk. He showed up for one busy night, posted himself at the door, attempted to charge everyone 5 dollars to get in, killed all business in a matter of hours, and then was smart enough to never do it again, while the staff tried to rebuild the damage he had done. Staff that worked evenings often never saw him for weeks at a time. can you imagine opening a restaurant, and not being there for dinner?? He pays his general manager cash under the table a pathetic wage, so the guy can't even collect unemployment now. He had a steady coolection of tweakers working his line, that were willing to work for minimum wage, and not care if they ever got overtime, because if employees went over 40 hours, Adam would just adjust ther times down. He had been stealing money from his employees checks for months, and every two weeks, there was a parade of employees with 'mistakes' in their checks. Funny thing, no one ever had a 'mistake' in their favor.
His only advisor was some out-of-touch old timer, who helped him design the various graphics around the restaurant, which appeared to be written in crayon, and printed on a beat-up Xerox.
That is just great. I teacher of a beer and wine class? uh yeah. I don't think he should ever bother trying to open a restaurant again. Cripe I would never eat at a place that was filthy and with bugs anyway
All I can say as a former employee, Adam is quite the talker.I refused another job to go work for him as a manager which never happened.I don't think he will be re-opening his businesses, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Frog closed because of this. I feel for all the employees who were there at the end, I'm just glad I got out when I did.