Bones goes dry

When The Inlander marched out its “Nuthin’ Fancy” cover story, we used Lazy Bones Barbecue as prime, juicy proof that in times of recession, casual restaurants thrived.

Oops.

Call the Lazy Bones number today and it will ring and ring and ring. And ring. Tuesday, Nov. 3, was Lazy Bones last day, owner John Fletcher says.

“There was a lot of factors.” Fletcher says, “It was an expensive location, the recession, we were under capitalized.”

Fletcher had been impressed by the solid, consistent business when Lazy Bones opened. “It’s slowed down in September,” Fletcher said back in late September. “I’m not sure if it’s a seasonal thing.”

That makes some sense. Barbecue is a summer-style food and may not fit with the soggy months of fall. And where the open rugged interior captured the spirit and light of summer, in the dark of the encroaching winter, it just seemed gloomy.

There may have been other problems: When Latah Bistro Chef David Blaine announced Lazy Bones’ opening on his From the Back Kitchen blog, three of the 10 comments were complaints about the parking.

Anyone who’s been tried to find parking at the Regal Pond strip mall understands the problem.

“It’s tough,” neighboring Twigs Bistro manager Rob Graham said. “People have to park on the street. There’s so many different restaurants in the strip here.” But Fletcher doesn’t blame parking.

“I wish I could say that was part of it,” Fletcher says. “We had lots of slow lunches were there were plenty of open parking places around.”

Wheat Montana, the previous tenant in Lazy Bones’ location, also closed in less than year. — DANIEL WALTERS