Legacy With a Side of Creamed Spinach
"It all started in 1953, when Bern and Gert Laxer, founders of Bern’s Steak House, bought a small café called The Gator Juice Bar. After months of serving breakfast, the couple decided to purchase the Beer Haven Bar, where they salvaged letters from the existing sign, found an additional “s”, and created Bern’s. The “Steak House” came later when the couple discovered that the phone company doesn’t allow single name listings. Decades on and Bern’s still follows its founder’s philosophy of “We do things differently,” except instead of cold breakfast and juices, the Tampa staple is home to mouth-watering cuts of dry-aged prime steaks, and one of the country's largest (and privately owned) wine selections. One way Bern's "does things differently", is through incremental changes, such as servers only stepping into service after a year of training, and organic brand extensions including retail (Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits) and a sister restaurant in the form of Haven. “Bern’s grew from my parents passion, their curiosity, and their firm belief in customer service,” says David Laxer, son of Bern and Gert Laxer, and the current president/owner. “And it’s up to me to guide it through time and keep it relevant to each generation of diner.” And while the new additions to the Bern's have certainly helped the restaurant “evolve comfortably” and attract new customers, as David put it, that's not the full story." - Kevin Chau
