Shorty Small's makes way for Pasta House

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A nearly 6-year-old Springfield restaurant has closed its doors. Shorty Small's has served its last slab of ribs in Springfield ... for the time being.|ret||ret||tab|

According to Kendall Hancock, director of operations for Shorty Small's, the lease on the building and lot at 4109 S. National Ave., owned by Ron Stenger Co., changed hands Feb. 14. The restaurant closed its doors that night.|ret||ret||tab|

ExitSmall's. Enter The Pasta House Co.|ret||ret||tab|

After about five months of negotiations, the two parties reached an agreement: The Pasta House Co. and its proprietor, Steve Heil, purchased the remainder of the Shorty Small's lease for an undisclosed amount.|ret||ret||tab|

"At the very beginning, we weren't even interested ... then the offer started getting better," Hancock said. "They eventually made it enticing for us it was a deal we couldn't refuse."|ret||ret||tab|

Heil, the local Pasta House Co. franchise owner, said he had been looking at that spot for some time.|ret||ret||tab|

"The location is phenomenal. The National Avenue and James River Freeway interchange has a high traffic count," Heil said. |ret||ret||tab|

The new Renaissance Inn and the strip centers just south of the restaurant also were factors in his decision, he said.|ret||ret||tab|

This will be Heil's second location in Springfield. His original site is in the Battlefield Mall, and after 16 years in that space, Heil said, it was time to expand.|ret||ret||tab|

"We are definitely keeping the one in the mall, it has been our bread and butter," he said. "We just wanted to give the customers another opportunity to visit us."|ret||ret||tab|

The new location, which is 3,500 square feet larger, will better accommodate parking and allow for later hours things that are limited at the mall location.|ret||ret||tab|

"We have regular customer base that comes to the mall to see us, but sometimes, especially around the holidays, it can be a bear to park," Heil said.|ret||ret||tab|

Renovations to the South National building have begun and are targeted for completion in 60 to 90 days.|ret||ret||tab|

Hancock, the original general manager of Shorty Small's, said he's sad to see the restaurant leave Springfield.|ret||ret||tab|

"We've created customer loyalty here, and I hope that's what Springfield misses the most about us," said Hancock.|ret||ret||tab|

He added that the restaurant was in a difficult situation, and one that ended rather abruptly.|ret||ret||tab|

"We weren't out looking for options, this one just fell upon us," said Hancock. It didn't appear to us that anything was going to come of it until on that Wednesday when the lease was signed."|ret||ret||tab|

The very next day Shorty Small's closed. Hancock said he has been able to transfer several employees to other locations. |ret||ret||tab|

"We are a very employee-minded company and we've done the best we can to take care of our employees by shipping them to Branson."|ret||ret||tab|

He also said the Oklahoma City, Okla.-based Shorty Small's is building a new restaurant in Hot Springs, Ark., and some management transferred there.|ret||ret||tab|

But Hancock did hint that there may be a return to Springfield.|ret||ret||tab|

"We might give it some thought when we get (the Hot Springs location) up and going in a year and find another location here. We certainly like the town, and the town seems to like us," he said. |ret||ret||tab|

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