A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Stover E. Harger III / The South County Spotlight
CLOSED — The Ruby Ranch Cookhouse abruptly shut down last week, leading to questions from several employees about unpaid wages.
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The Ruby Ranch Cookhouse in Warren was forced to close its doors last week, a syndrome of the downed economy, said owner Diana Andersen.
Andersen, who bought the business at 56821 Columbia River Highway a year and a half ago, said she owes rent on the building and fully intends to satisfy her outstanding debts.
Some employees have expressed concern about the abrupt closure, including unpaid wages owed to them by Andersen.
Andersen denies the claims.
A previous restaurant venture by Andersen, Tuscany Eatery and Spirits, in Scappoose, went belly up only a few months after opening this fall.
“I’m never going to open another business again,” Andersen said. “I’m done.”
Portland just has too many options to compete with when you have bad food or bad service. Unfortunately for RR, they had both. I went there two times and the service was crappy both times and the food was not much better. It’s hard to justify $60 - $70 on dinner for two when you don’t enjoy it.
(email verified)
Wed, Dec 09, 2009 at 10:15 PM
I dined at the RR and asked for a chicken dinner. I was served a 'Chicken back' as part of my meal! (I didn't eat that.) I don't usually 'complain' because I have waited tables and worked in restaurants. I told the Wait Staff that a 'Chicken back' should never be part of a dinner plate. They said 'uh, okay'. That was my first and last experience at RR. I agree that it was too expensive and lacked quality.
(email verified)
Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 07:27 AM
With the economy the way it is, service and great food are a MUST to succeed. I have went to the RR a handfull of times for lunch and dinner and have found that the service was horrible every time and the price for the mediocre food was way to high along with the price for drinks. I try to support local establishments but when it came to the RR I wouldnt even hesitate to take my money to other places where food is excellent along with the service.
(email verified)
Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 11:41 AM
I am sad to see the Ruby Ranch close down since it means that now the employees are out of a job. However, now maybe they can get a job where they actually get paid on time if at all. My daughter worked there and had issues getting her checks, getting them cashed and getting pay stubs to go along with them.
People should understand the Bureau of Labor and Industry laws. If they did, the employees would know that the employer has to pay a penalty for every day the check is late, or every day the employee could not cash that check through no fault of their own. Eight hours per day pay is owed in penalties up to 30 days.
Small claims court is a great place to start.
(email verified)
Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 12:34 PM
I am sad to see the Ruby Ranch close down since it means that now the employees are out of a job. However, now maybe they can get a job where they actually get paid on time if at all. My daughter worked there and had issues getting her checks, getting them cashed and getting pay stubs to go along with them.
People should understand the Bureau of Labor and Industry laws. If they did, the employees would know that the employer has to pay a penalty for every day the check is late, or every day the employee could not cash that check through no fault of their own. Eight hours per day pay is owed in penalties up to 30 days.
Small claims court is a great place to start.
(email verified)
Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Andersen tried to have a yuppy style restaurant, one like you might find in the Beaverton area. She forgot the St.Helens area is a economically depressed area. In the St.Helens area there are a lot of unemployed workers who can't afford a restaurant like RR. When you take into account a restaurant with poor service, high priced food and poor quality, that spells disaster. Andersen is smart to persue another venture. It appears she wasn't cut out to run a restaurant. Hopefully someone will take up residence at the former Ruby Ranch location with a nice family style restaurant, serving good food at an depressed area price.
(email verified)
Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 04:35 PM
Andersen tried to have a yuppy style restaurant, one like you might find in the Beaverton area. She forgot the St.Helens area is a economically depressed area. In the St.Helens area there are a lot of unemployed workers who can't afford a restaurant like RR. When you take into account a restaurant with poor service, high priced food and poor quality, that spells disaster. Andersen is smart to persue another venture. It appears she wasn't cut out to run a restaurant. Hopefully someone will take up residence at the former Ruby Ranch location with a nice family style restaurant, serving good food at an depressed area price.
(email verified)
Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 05:14 PM
I am sorry to see RR close their doors. While many of you have expressed that you were not fond of the food or the service I had quite the opposite experience when I dined at RR. I also think that it is a shame that someone who tried hard to help out the community by doing many fundraisers when she heard there was a need wont be there anymore. Having to make a decision to let your dream go is hard and I am sure even harder when it is made public for everyone to see. I am hoping despite this that she and all her employees are able to get past this and better things are in their future.
(email verified)
Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 07:28 AM
Starting up a small business is a risky proposition. Starting up two small businesses is an even riskier venture. Start-up restaurants have a high failure rate and perhaps this is a case of too much, too soon. In the case of Tuscany, a bit of research into the previous restaurant at that same location should have been a clue. They simply can not compete with a very popular restaurant next door, in the same building.
(email verified)
Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 08:21 AM
Starting up a small business is a risky proposition. Starting up two small businesses is an even riskier venture. Start-up restaurants have a high failure rate and perhaps this is a case of too much, too soon. In the case of Tuscany, a bit of research into the previous restaurant at that same location should have been a clue. They simply can not compete with a very popular restaurant next door, in the same building.
(email verified)
Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 08:22 AM
i think the high cost of the food was what shut her down--we dinned there twice and for two people we paid well over $50 for not so great food! I would rather go to Portland to eat and know that the food is good!
(email verified)
Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 03:48 PM
what would you expect from a restaurant run by an owner who tells customers, "I don't go into the kitchen, I just let them do their thing". "Their thing" was a breakfast for three that was over $40, under done pancakes(not sure how one does that), two meals at the table coming out twenty minutes apart, both orders of French toast, and terrible chicken fried steak.
(email verified)
Tue, Dec 22, 2009 at 02:28 PM
Ruby Ranch Cookhouse is one of the few restaurants we've patronized in this county we would take visiting friends to..it was one of our "nicer going out for dinner" locally choices. I am amazed at complaints of food quality & service enough that I figure I should speak up. The waitresses were always very friendly, the food good. Yes, prices are higher at nicer establishments. This place had a great atmosphere & menu and was CLEAN...not something many area restaurants can claim. It was obvious someone had put their heart and sole into creating it ...not something many area restaurants can claim. We are disappointed they are gone as we were pretty impressed they were surviving at all in this economy . I don't know the owner(s) but if you were able to create a business and succeed as long as you did in the worst part of this economy in one of the poorest counties in the state you need not to be "done". Keep your head up, there are many who are very disappointed to see your the "Closed" sign.
(email verified)
Thu, Jan 07, 2010 at 07:25 AM
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Re: Ruby Ranch shuts down
I'm sad to see this restaurant close. Maybe, Diana should have not opened the restaurant in Scappoose. Seems that the funds only go so far when running such a business. The service was poor at Scappoose and went downhill at Ruby too. Customer service needs to be the factor for restaurants but so many don't care. Well, this is what happens when service is poor.
"Schatz"
(email verified)
Wed, Dec 09, 2009 at 04:59 PM