Mary Beth Ringgold Sells Copper Grill to Former Employee

Mary Beth Ringgold: “We have had a lot of great years here. I can assure you, we will never forget them. Cajun’s has made an impact on so many lives over the years.”

Mary Beth Ringgold is selling her downtown Little Rock restaurant Copper Grill to Dan Kovach, longtime general manager of the now-closed Cajun’s Wharf, which was also owned by Ringgold, and his business partner Lelan Stice.

The change in ownership will be effective Friday, Nov. 1. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ringgold’s ownership group will continue to operate Capers restaurant at 14502 Cantrell Road in Little Rock and the Market at Capers, which sits behind the restaurant.

“As a star of Cajun’s Wharf for nearly two decades, I know Dan is the perfect fit to take over Copper Grill,” Ringgold said in a news release announcing the sale. “I wish him and Lelan the best of luck as they revamp Copper Grill and position it for even more success.”

Copper Grill, in the 300 Third Tower on the corner of Third and Cumberland streets, opened in 2007.

“While we don’t plan to make any significant changes to Copper Grill, we do hope to roll out a new menu by late November,” Kovach said in the news release. “We also look forward to offering nightly fresh seafood specials and signature Cajun’s Wharf offerings such as the Boston Casserole, Oysters Bienville, Crab Au Gratin and the Play-De-Do,” Cajun’s signature cocktail.

Ringgold closed Cajun’s Wharf, which had opened in 1975, at the end of May. She and her business partners had owned and operated it since 1999.

Kovach had worked at Cajun’s for the last 20 years, the majority of that time as general manager. In an interview with Arkansas Business, Kovach said of Ringgold: “She’s been my mentor since day one.”

And though he doesn’t plan any drastic changes at Copper Grill, he is excited about working with the Fulton Fish Market of New York to fly in the freshest seafood possible, calling the business “the Amazon of fresh fish.”

“Their program’s fantastic,” Kovach said. “You order today and you get stuff the very next day, by noon, 1 o’clock at the latest. And they focus on day boat fishing, where the boats go out very late at night and come back early in the morning. You’re getting stuff that’s only been out of the water sometimes 16, 20 hours, sometimes less than that.”