Chef wins name game, reopens Clary's

Greene County Judge Miles Sweeney opened the door for Clary on July 30, when he denied the restaurant’s previous owners David and Lynee Fender’s request for a temporary restraining order against Clary to prevent him from using the same business name.

The Fenders filed the request July 5, less than a month after closing the East Sunshine Street restaurant that they purchased from Clary in August 2006. The Fenders then filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 6, according to their attorney, Angela Acree.

Acree said Mid-Missouri Bank holds a lien on all of the closed restaurant’s assets, and as a result, Sweeney declared the Fenders were not the proper parties to request the restraining order.

Mid-Missouri could, however, opt to auction the Clary’s name with other restaurant assets, Acree said.

Mid-Missouri Bank spokes-man Thane Kifer declined to comment on the bank’s intent until more details are worked out. Attempts to reach the Fenders for comment were unsuccessful.

While embroiled in the name-ownership dispute with the Fenders, Clary closed his Fish restaurant in Battlefield Marketplace, 900 E. Battlefield Road, in June, and spent six weeks and about $60,000 renovating the space into a new version of Clary’s. Clary held a VIP opening July 29, which he said drew about 225 people and raised nearly $8,000 for Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks.

“People were really very impressed with the look of the new restaurant, the food and the staff,” Clary said. “It’s hard when you’ve had a place for 18 years – people have certain expectations. You can never recreate a place like that.”

Clary changed the space’s interior to include earth tones and natural elements, such as bamboo and leather. The restaurant now has two private dining rooms; one seats up to 30 people and is closed off with soundproof curtains, and another, dubbed “Camelot,” seats 20 people and has a round table for 14 – suitable for small business meetings, Clary said.

Other new elements include a classic cocktail bar, a tapas-style appetizer menu, a nine-course tasting menu that can be paired with wines, and live music every Monday and Friday.

About eight of the approximately 50 employees from Fish came on board at the new Clary’s, and Clary has hired about 52 more to round out the staff.

Clary’s is open weekdays for lunch and dinner and on Saturdays for dinner.

This story originally appeared in SBJ’s July 31 free e-news Daily Update. Click here to register.