A popular neighborhood staple in Flagstaff is back for the first time in nearly two years, with a remodeled restaurant that retains its popular menu.
When the restaurant closes at the end of July 2022; ambiguity As to why the store suddenly closed. Mama B remained silent until February 20th. Instagram post We will inform you of the details of the reopening. The comment section of this post was filled with fans eager for his return.
The anticipation among residents as they wait for the restaurant to return speaks volumes about Mama B's importance to many in the city.
Ryan Boeser is the restaurant's general manager, and this year marks his seventh year in the position. Whenever people ask how long it took for businesses to reopen, Boeser points to a few key factors.
Two root beer floats on the kitchen countertop at Mama B's, March 27.
“We were forced to work within the walls of this place,” Boeser said. “We didn't want to tear it down because there would have been a lot more to worry about in terms of the city. It's a very old building, so it would have been hard to fix it up. Last winter was especially hard, so we didn't want to tear it down. usually takes a long time.”
Mama B's staff considered the idea of rebuilding the entire restaurant, Boeser said. However, certain city ordinances and the oddly shaped zones occupied by buildings complicated this idea. As a result, it was decided to carry out the construction within the existing building.
The restaurant originally opened until 3 a.m. as a late-night dining option in Flagstaff's historic downtown district, Boeser said. During this time, we sold mama burger Stacked with pickles, onions, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, Mama B's house sauce, fries and milkshakes.
The store moved to its current location at Kendrick Street and North Fort Valley Road in 2011. Boeser said the building itself also has significance, as it has been home to several other burger restaurants since the 1960s. Since moving to this location, Mama B's has expanded its menu and clientele.
On March 27, the restaurant's sign loomed high in the parking lot outside Mama B's.
“Little did they know we would become one of the busiest restaurants in town,” Boeser said. “The amount of food we were able to squeeze out of our tiny kitchen was incredible, especially considering the amount of space we had before the renovation.”
Boeser said some community members had concerns about the restaurant's new name after reading threads about Mama B's on Facebook and Reddit. He found that many people were worried about the business being sold to someone else or the menu being completely scrapped in favor of a new menu.
Many people already refer to Mama Burger as Mama B's, and Boeser cited this as the reason for the rebrand. The name “Mama B” is said to come from business owner Bernadette Chavez.
Grant Horne is the restaurant's current shift leader and started working at Mama B's in 2014. He assures loyal customers that despite the new interior and new name, Mama B's still serves customers' favorite dishes.
San Francisco Peaks gives customers a view from Mama B's window on March 27th.
“There have certainly been some changes to the menu, most notably the removal of soft serve ice cream,” Horn said. “We've removed some things from the menu for clarity, but it's definitely the same burger patty made by the same people.”
But the team isn't just working on interior design and menus.
Before the renovation, the restaurant had a typical drive-thru, where customers drove up to the speaker, placed their orders, and picked up their items at the counter. Mama B's is working on a new online ordering system for the drive-thru as opposed to the traditional design.
Instead of ordering from the menu at a drive-thru, customers will be able to order online and pick it up at the restaurant. Having a dedicated section for online pickup orders is nothing new in the restaurant industry, but Mama B's is taking the initiative to dedicate a drive-thru for this purpose.
On March 27th, there is a tip jar near Mama B's cash register that will determine the next burger of the month.
“Before, there was a line of cars coming out of the parking lot and onto the road, which caused a lot of traffic congestion,” Horn said. “We hope this system will reduce the amount of cars backing up at the restaurant. People can get in and out a lot faster.”
In addition to being a community favorite in Flagstaff and innovating ways to solve current problems hindering business, Mr. Boser takes pride in the way he runs his business with his employees. He said there was.
Charlotte Hurley, a Mama Bee's employee who worked at the store both before and after the renovation, said working at the restaurant was a fun experience.
“I love being able to truly say, 'I love what I do,' because I think that's a very rare thing for people to say about working in the food industry,” Hurley said. “We are treated with so much respect as employees. Honestly, I think that's part of what makes Mama B's job so efficient.”
Customers wait in line to order food at Mama B's register on March 27.
Mama B's team is now mostly made up of returning employees who worked there before the closure. Hurley said these employees are eager to return to a positive work environment.
She said her experience during the remodeling period was an exciting process.
“I’m really happy to be able to see it from the beginning and see the before and after,” Hurley said. “Everyone I worked with was so proud of this place. It really warmed my heart to see all the effort that went into this place.”
Boeser said the restaurant's reopening, with current operating hours of 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., was a success. Boeser is looking forward to opening full time in the summer and serving Flagstaff residents his iconic burgers all day long, he said.
