Red Osier Landmark Restaurant

Give and it will be given unto you.

“When we took over operations in Thanksgiving of 2015, we had one goal – to give back to the local community,” said Steve Foster who, along with business partner Tim Adams, has successfully tied charitable giving with quality food and service to make the Red Osier® Restaurant in Stafford a premier dining destination of Western New York.

“Genesee County has been forgotten over the years here,” Adams said. “We believe that the more we support local organizations, the more success we will have.”

Foster, an Alexander native, and Adams, who grew up in East Bethany, officially took ownership of the restaurant – known throughout WNY for its prime rib – on April 20 of last year, and have displayed a large measure of generosity to the people of Genesee County through event sponsorships, donations and employee-supported fundraising.

As a result, the Red Osier® Restaurant has been selected as the Special Service Recognition of the Year award from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Foster and Adams, who also own Adams’ Welding & Fabrication in Stafford, will be honored at the 45^th annual Awards Ceremony on March 4 at Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road.

In her nomination letter, Lynette Skelton of Starowitz Farms in Byron praised Foster and Adams for purchasing the restaurant – possibly saving it from closing for good and saving the jobs of around 60 employees.

“The two men decided to take the chance, and the opportunity to save the local landmark and the local jobs in their community,” Skelton wrote.

Foster, a Red Osier® employee since 1998, said he was hesitant about buying the business – “it needed a lot of help,” he said – but finally agreed. Since then, and he and Adams have moved full speed ahead.

The list of the duo’s Genesee County civic contributions over the past 18 months is impressive, to say the least:

-- The Genesee County 4H program. Tim is a former Geneseean of the Year for his service to 4H and Cornell Cooperative Extension, and he is continuing his support by purchasing two pigs (which have been processed for special dishes at the restaurant).

-- GO ART!’s Picnic in the Park. The restaurant was the major sponsor for the July 4^th event last year, coming to the forefront at the last minute to prevent the event from being canceled.

-- Genesee Cancer Assistance. A joint venture between the restaurant and welding shop last Thanksgiving resulted in the presentation of $10,000 to GCA – money derived from proceeds of diners that day and a contribution from the welding shop.

-- Le Roy Food Pantry, Genesee County Animal Shelter, Crossroads House, Michael Napoleone Foundation. The two men contributed to fundraisers supporting these causes.

-- Oatka Festival, American Warrior Event at Frost Ridge, Le Roy Youth Football.  The restaurant signed on as major sponsors for these events, and also has sponsored individuals participating in horse shows, cheerleading contests, and other endeavors.

-- Spirits & Skivvies. An employee-led initiative, more than 600 pairs of socks and underwear were donated to the homeless.

“Our staff is right with us every step of the way,” Foster said. “They are on board with our donation program.”

On the business side, the owners said they have “broken every record” for sales – seeing repeat and new customer and raising the average per capita bill from about $25 to around $45.

“Everything here is made from scratch – the meals, desserts, salad, bread; it’s all fresh,” Foster said.

While prime rib is the main attraction, the menu includes a variety of dishes, and much of the food and some of the spirits and liquors are purchased from local vendors.

The owners also reported that, upon their return from a recent trip to Nashville, they have purchased a custom-built, 24-foot food trailer with a full kitchen “to take our chefs out on the road.”

They said they will be able to cater weddings, parties, graduations and other gatherings, and hope to get that started in May.

“It’s a replica of our kitchen,” Foster said.

The Red Osier® opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, check out its website – www.redosier.com.

Steve Foster and Tim Adams, owners of the Red Osier restaurant, dedicated the month of November to charity for the local community.

The restaurant has always been closed on Thanksgiving, but this year, they opened for business, with many staff members donating their time to work; all the proceeds from meals served that day were donated to local charities.

During the month, the restaurant also raised $7,965 for Genesee Cancer Assistance. Foster and Adams added their own money to the pot and today turned over a $10,000 check.

Red Osier also donated two truckloads of food to the Le Roy Food Pantry.

Above, Red Osier staff members with some of the clothing items, including socks and underwear, collected for local donation.

Submitted photo.

Press release:

The Red Osier has a goal to become as community-orientated as its owners, Steven Foster and Tim Adam. Together with their staff, they have decided to rename November "Lovember" with a month of promotions to give back to the local community.

In November, bring in a bag of nonperishable goods or new clothing and you will receive a $10 gift voucher toward your next dinner visit. All food will be donated to the Le Roy Food Pantry, while the clothing will be donated to the local homeless community.

Bring in a package of new undergarments and socks during November, receive a complementary chef dessert. All items will be donated to restaurant employee Wendy Cappoli-Frongetta's grassroots organization "Spirits and Skivvies" that donates underwear and garments to local less fortunate throughout the community. Her goal is to restore dignity and comfort to the fellow human one pair of underwear at a time. There is an auction of donated items this Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. at the Byron Fire Hall where all proceeds will support "Spirits and Skivvies."

On Thanksgiving, the restaurant will be open 12 to 5 p.m. This is the first year in the history of the restaurant that it has been open on this holiday. All -- 100 percent -- of the sales proceeds from the day will be split between Genesee Cancer Assistance and The Stafford Monument Committee, which is erecting a monument at the Stafford Four Corners to honor the past and present military personnel from Stafford. Throughout the month, we will have our annual buy a $50 gift certificate and receive a complementary $20 gift certificate as well.

It is extremely important to get our local businesses and their staffs involved in the holiday spirit. If we can make a small difference one can of vegetables or a package of underwear at a time, that's what we will do. We hope that our spirit of "Lovember" will resonate to other businesses within our area.

Press release:

After 36 successful years in business, Bob and Noreen Moore, owners of the Red Osier Landmark Restaurant in Stafford, N.Y., will retire and are seeking a buyer for the restaurant. The Moores are looking to sell their business to an experienced restaurant operator who will uphold their hard-earned reputation and continue employment for their qualified and dedicated staff. During the transition, The Red Osier Landmark Restaurant will remain open and will continue the wonderful quality service the restaurant is known for. 

The Moores purchased the Red Osier Landmark Restaurant in 1979 in an effort to refocus their priorities and start a family business. Their sons, Robert and Michael, were 13 and 3 years-old, respectively.

“We moved from a four-bedroom home with an in-ground pool in Greece to a two-room apartment over the restaurant in the country,” Bob Moore said.  “We opened the Red Osier Landmark Restaurant and served 18 dinners the first Sunday we were in business. Today, we see 1,500 dinners through the kitchen doors each week, Tuesday through Sunday and one ton of beef each week.”

The Red Osier Landmark Restaurant quickly became famous for prime rib dinners, hand-carved tableside, and served to any temperature of the customer’s choice. The restaurant is also known for its Caesar salad, lobster/crab bisque, and banana foster flambé, each presented and prepared tableside. Today, it is the only restaurant in the Greater Rochester Area to offer this dining experience.

The Moore brothers became engrained in the family business early on, with Michael bussing tables by age 10 and serving as general manager as an adult. The eldest, Robert, also immersed himself in the business and successfully owns and operates Red Osier kiosks and concession stands as well as Red Osier Ridge Road Catering.

Red Osier kiosks and concession stands including The Greater Rochester International Airport, Total Sports Experience, Frontier Field and Red Osier Ridge Road Catering are not for sale and will continue their operations. 

For years the Red Osier Landmark Restaurant has hosted a popular annual “Christmas in November” promotion, selling gift certificates as “buy $50 and get $20.” In light of the transition, the Moores will temporarily suspend the promotion this year as well as the sale of all gift certificates.

The Moores' retirement and the sale of the business is bittersweet for a family who has spent nearly four decades serving the Greater Rochester area, but according to Bob Moore, it is time.

“We are incredibly grateful to our employees, many of whom we consider our extended family, our loyal customers and the community for their support, friendship and patronage over the years,” he said. “But after 36 years in business and 52 years of a happy marriage, it is time for Noreen and me to enjoy our retirement with our family.”

The Moores look forward to another busy fall season ahead. With the exception of gift certificate sales, the Moores' intend to continue with business as usual until an experienced restaurant operator expresses interest in buying the business.

The price of the business is not being made public. Those interested in pursuing details about the sale of the restaurant, please contact Mike Kelly at Transworld Business Advisors, 716-201-0552.