Clary walks away from Clary's

James Clary, who opened Clary’s at 3014 E. Sunshine St., Ste. A, about 18 years ago with a $50,000 investment, sold the upscale restaurant Aug. 21 to Dave and Lynee Fender.

Clary said the sale will allow him to focus on “food and service issues” at Fish, a south Springfield casual dining restaurant he co-owns with Carenna Butterbaugh.

Dave Fender, who said he’s always dreamed of becoming a restaurateur, recently sold his Republic-based stainless steel manufacturing company, The Turning Center LLC, to fulfill his dream. Tank Components Inc. acquired The Turning Center for an undisclosed amount earlier this year.

Clary, a well-known chef who said he was approached by Bravo TV about auditioning for the show “Top Chef,” said he couldn’t pass up the Fenders’ offer.

“I’m not saying he overpaid, but it was a very good offer,” Clary said.

Clary wouldn’t discuss details of the transaction, but he said the sale was finalized Aug. 21. Clary said he received the offer, made his decision and closed the deal in a month’s time. Scott Axon with Business Brokers Unlimited acted as the broker.

Picking a local restaurant to acquire was easy, said Fender, who also declined to disclose the sale price.

“Clary’s is an institution,” he said. “James has set the highest standard for fine dining in Springfield.”

Fender said he won’t change the name of the restaurant or make any significant staffing changes.

“He’s smart enough to realize if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Clary said.

Fender said he’s fairly confident that chef William Mauk, a Springfield native who studied culinary arts in New Orleans under the tutelage of French master chefs, will agree to stay on. General Manager Aimee Barsness also will remain, he said.

Fender said the next order of business is planning the fall/winter menu.

With Clary’s now in Fender’s hands, Clary said he’ll turn his attention to Fish, 900 E. Battlefield Road. The seafood restaurant opened Jan. 1, 2005, in Battlefield Marketplace.

Clary said the October departure of the catering manager and general manager at Fish set into motion a “series of unfortunate events” he was unable to address because he was working 16-hour days at Clary’s.

“I knew Fish was just languishing,” he said. “This is a good thing for me, and I know it will be a good thing for Fish.”

Fortunately, Clary said, food and service issues are fixable. He said business at Fish – especially during the lunch hour – is already picking up now that he’s taken a more hands-on approach at the restaurant.

Clary said he wants to infuse the Fish menu with more creative dishes, namely “killer entrée salads” and “cool appetizers.” He’s also toying with the idea of adding sushi to the restaurant’s offerings.

Clary said he’ll assist Fender at Clary’s in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.

“I’m not just going to leave the guy in the lurch,” Clary said.[[In-content Ad]]