Ernie’s closes, Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint to open
Photo by Don Petersen | The Roanoke Times
Ernie’s has served its last potato cake.
The downtown landmark closed its doors yesterday and today signed the business over to the owner of a Harrisonburg restaurant, Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, Ernie’s owner Aimee Simmons said.
Simmons wanted to get out of the restaurant business because of rising food prices.
“If we go up on our menu prices customers get irate about it,” she said. “It is almost impossible to stay in business without raising food prices.”
Simmons said she’d been looking to sell the business for two years. When Jack Brown’s showed interest in Ernie’s location on the downtown market, Simmons said she traveled to Harrisonburg several times to make sure it was a good fit for Roanoke.
“Seeing the way they run their business, I just fell in love with the place,” Simmons said. “I think it’s going to be a huge benefit to downtown.”
Jack Brown’s specializes in burgers (how about an Elvis, with peanut butter, smoked bacon and cheese?) and sells 100 kinds of beer.
Ernie’s was founded in the mid-1980s by Ernie Arthur, who opened it after closing the nearby Boiler Room.
Simmons, who was a server at the restaurant, bought it four and a half years ago.
I will be talking with the owner of Jack Brown’s soon, and plan to share details about the new restaurant in an upcoming Retail Roundup column.
January 24, 2013 - 1:53 PM
The Jack Brown’s in Harrisonburg is quite good. Although I usually go just for the beer selection.
Click on “food” on their website and it lists hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries, and fried oreo’s. Plus daily special. And 100 kinds of beer.
No potato cakes.
Good riddance Earnie’s. WELCOME JACK BROWN’S!
I am heart broken. Myself and my girlfriend use to frequent Earnies. We will miss the smiles and the coffee with vanilla creamer. :’(
Jack Brown’s reminds me of the Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring MD. Even if they have a limited menu, as long as they do it very well, they should do fine.
So much for my being able to frequently ask my co-worker Mark Berman, “So, how was Ernie’s this morning?” when he comes in reeking of grease smoke.
I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed breakfast at Ernie’s and am sad to see it go. Not that I won’t hit Jack Brown’s, but Ernie’s was good.
Jack Browns could do one special addition to their menu — ask Ernie for permission to sell the Ernie Signature Potato Cake…it would go well with a burger.
This place was great. Dive breakfast all the way. It will be missed. RIP – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151222713797286&set=a.10151117069237286.437720.670832285&type=1
Oh my goodness. Im sad to lose Ernies, but I looove Jack Browns!
I stopped going to Ernies several years ago when I noticed the Cavalier doll hanging by a noose in the back dining area. Really did not miss it.
potato cake hamburger..Hamburger with potato cake on it..Or hamburger between 2 potato cakes…everyone loves those potato cakes at ernies.
Ernies was find until the last owner took over, back in the day it was great but its been horrible over the last few years. went there on monday with my co-workers and all of us felt like garbage after eating it. had to eat in the storage room, while they were making a delivery and noticed that the “keep refrigerated” egg box sat on the floor 1 hour and 15 minutes. beyond disgusting good riddance Ernie’s and I will hold the memories of when you used to be good.
Another affordable local restaurant is gone; another casualty of the Bank Bubble Recession the politicians never talk about.
Instead another beer joint–wow, Roanoke really needs more beer!
Out with a hometown favorite and bring in another franchise..Tudor’s now Ernies. There goes the hometown feel from the heart of Roanoke.
Won’t miss the grease smell on my clothes all afternoon! Wow, that was bad.
Where does it say anywhere that its a “casualty” of anything? It sounds like the Harrisonburg people made the owner an offer she couldn’t refuse and she took the chance to get out. Restaurant work is grinding and thankless, and there’s not a ton of money in it ( in a place like that). Lets just be happy there isn’t an empty storefront in town.
Mmmmmm Beeeeer and burgers. Always a winning combo IMO
Just what Roanoke needs, another beer and burger joint. Tell me, please, Blues Five with 40 some beer choices, Beamers25 with 25 beer choices, this joint with 100 beer choices, does anyone have the money or liver to try them all. I say go with Colorado and Washington and legalize weed and give us a real choice; a cannabis coffee house!
It was almost like a song, but its much to sad to write. I will miss Ernie’s greatly, the entire staff, Chef Ronnie, Aimee, etc., and all of my friends, i.e., classmates from Jefferson High & National, AK Phi, business associates and aquaintances from all over. Aimee and I sang the 12 Days of Christmas on local TV several years ago and she also came to see me as Col. Pickcering, My Fair Lady, Attic Prod Fincastle. I ate lunches of soup, beans, salads, cheese burgers, etc. and then walked it off around Roanoke doing company errands. I wish you all the best of everything, health, happiness and wealth and for now, so long, see ya around. Jack’s is A OK, my wife and I go to Massanutten frequently and visit their burger stands at the foot of the mountain and downtown Harrisonburg which we enjoy very much when we are up in the valley. Jack I probably wont eat burgers or drink beer for lunch, but after work, we will come down to market events and join you. Good luck. Linnie Gregory
Jack Browns should be a good fit for that location, now what to do about
breakfast selection? Has anyone been to Thelmas?
Chris, if Ernie’s was so “horrible for the last few years”, why keep going back? And FYI, we live in one of the few countries where eggs are mandated by health code to be refrigerated.
Wow…burger joint,how original.Give it 6 months before the fickle people in this town turn on it.Time will tell.
I love you Lenny!!!
Perhaps the critics need to work in a fast paced small restaurant for a month making $3 per hour and then doing books, ordering food, and picking up supplies for a good 14 hour day for $25 per day–that is on a really good day.
Try laughing and smiling at the insulting jokes that many males provide thinking they are cute and people who walk out over a 5 cent increase. Eggs out for an hour, what about the times that eggs weren’t refrigerated. Grandma and kids didn’t get sick. Insulted by the hanging Cavalier, you are right, but Aimee took that down 4 years ago after buying the place. Yes, I hate to seeing Ernie’s close and maybe if we customers had paid 20 percent more without gripping, they’d still be open and maybe Tutors too. I welcome Jack Brown’s. We’ll love you. Change is good for the soul.
I love Ernie’s and am very sorry to see it go. Nothing better than breakfast at Ernie’s on Saturday mornings then shop the farmer’s market. It was always crowded; we had to wait in line for a table every time we went there. There are burger n beer joints on every corner; but there was only one Ernie’s. A true Roanoke landmark.
will not miss grease smell own my clothes all afternoon. so the new place will have sour smell own the clothes as well of rank beer.
Charles, your post was spot on. Thank you from those of us who work in the restaurant industry.
Does anyone remember when that storefront was B R Guest restaurant?
I remember Eric Eanes running BR Guest. Great sandwiches, loved the Polish Dog. I’m not sure I ever went there after it became Ernie’s.
The economy overall, with its rising food costs, and costs of hiring good help, has taken its toll on many small businesses, Ernie’s is no exception. None-the-less Aimee and her entire staff ALWAYS did their very best to make this local feel like one of the family…providing a belly full of good old home cooked food, a caring ear when times were tough and a comfortable place to meet clients…all at a reasonable reasonable price. I will miss them all…wishing them nothing but the very best. This may be the end of Ernie’s but I truly hope that it’s a springboard for an even brighter future for all of them. Aimee…thank you!
You can get ernies Potatoe Cake at the Dogwood Restaurant in Vinton. The Dogwood is open for Breakfest 7 days week.
For everyone posting rude comments, it is quite obvious you’ve never had the chance to visit Jack Brown’s in Harrisonburg. Coming from a JMU alum, this is one of the BEST things that could happen to Roanoke. I have made trips up to the burg solely for a Jack Brown’s lunch date. It’s more than just a “beer joint” or “another hamburger place.” These burgers are specialty burgers – nothing like you’ve ever tried before. Mac and cheese and fritos on a burger? A bacon egg and cheese burger on a doughnut? How about fried Oreos? Yes, please!! And did I mention that my meal usually costs me no more than around $7-8? Before you criticize Jack Brown’s, make sure to give it a shot. You’ll be swallowing your words in no time!
There’s nothing on their menu for me to eat (would it kill burger joints to offer a turkey burger?), but maybe I’ll stop in for a beer sometime. Best of luck to them!