Cartoons owners sell to local investors

Gary and Rae Lynn Summers are trading 70-hour workweeks for the opportunity to travel the world. The couple sold Cartoons Oyster Bar & Grill Sept. 26 to a pair of local investors.

The investors _ Steve Crawford and Bill Brayman _ made an offer to purchase the establishment in early August. Selling Cartoons was not in the Summers_ minds until then.

_I wasn_t tired of it,_ Summers said. But the deal _ in excess of $1 million _ was too good to pass up. The sale included a one-acre lot and 7,600-square-foot building. Both sides declined to reveal the exact dollar amount of the sale.

_It was an opportunity that presented itself,_ added Rae Lynn Summers.

Sunbelt Business Advisors brokered the deal and US Bank served as lender.

The new owners have no plans to change Cartoons_ culture or its business model, which Crawford said has been a success.

_Gary and his wife, Rae Lynn, have done a phenomenal job over the years with this business. Cartoons is truly a Springfield landmark,_ Crawford said. _We have no plans for any immediate changes._

Changing focus

In an effort to _focus on us,_ Rae Lynn Summers said the couple_s immediate plans are to travel to Canada, the Far East, Mexico, Europe, or other destinations.

_It_s been a great living,_ she said Sept. 29, their last day on the job. _There_s a lot more out there to see and do._

The Summers have no immediate business plans. Rae Lynn Summers will continue work in Yoga instruction at Success Naturally.

Gary Summers said he_ll miss the daily camaraderie with customers.

_We really appreciate the business that we_ve had,_ Gary Summers said.

_We hope they still enjoy coming here,_ adding that the ultimate compliment would be to watch the business survive without them.

Summers said he_s confident the new owners will continue the tradition embodied by a sign hanging in the restaurant that reads: _Live well. Laugh often. Love much._

_That_s what we_ve done here,_ he said.

All 40 employees have been retained. However, one personnel addition was made that of General Manager Heather Brayman, Bill Brayman_s daughter. She has spent six years in management roles for Zio_s Corporation in Colorado Springs and Springfield.

_We_ve brought in a very talented general manger in Heather Brayman, whom we feel will complement the Cartoons family,_ Crawford said.

Investment tool

The new owners are _passive investors,_ said Crawford, whose day job is as Prime Inc._s general counsel. Brayman works for the U.S. Postal Service as Springfield postmaster.

_We saw it as an excellent investment opportunity,_ Crawford said of Cartoons.

Crawford and Brayman have a history of working business deals together dating back as far as seven years.

Earlier this year Crawford and Brayman purchased En_Core Resale Boutique in the Plaza Shopping Center. Their wives Shannon Crawford and Kim Brayman run En_Core, located at 1930 S. Glenstone, Ste. B.

Cartoons history

The Summers opened Cartoons in late 1987 after owning a Springfield nightclub called Custer_s. In 15 years, the Summers have invested approximately $500,000 in facility improvements, and more than tripled the restaurant_s size. Additions include the 200-seat Big Room for entertainment and private parties, and an outdoor patio and deck.

_We were really popular from the start,_ Gary Summers said. Cartoons became known for its seasonal parties, most notably Halloween, St. Patrick_s Day and Valentine_s Day.