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Little Rock restaurateur Mark Abernathy is retiring and selling his businesses, Red Door and Loca Luna, to Fidel & Co. Coffee Roasters and Sterling Market owner Fidel Samour’s Remolinos Group LLC.
In an interview with Arkansas Business, Abernathy, 75, said that after more than five decades in the industry, including some “really hard” pandemic years, it was time to “let the young guys take over.”
“These are wonderful buyers because they’re young, they’re smart, they’re well-financed, and you know, I just feel like that the future is bright for all the people that work for me, and that means a lot,” he said.
Abernathy declined to reveal the sale price for the restaurants, but did discuss the process and some of the terms. Remolinos Group agreed to keep all of Abernathy’s managerial staff, some of whom have worked for Abernathy for more than 25 years — an exceptionally long time in an industry known for high turnover.
“I wouldn’t have felt right walking off with the check knowing that they all were out of a job,” he said.
Abernathy said he turned down some “really lucrative” offers before meeting with Remolinos Group, which gave him a “nice, fair” price for the restaurants and showed more interest in the staff than other suitors.
“When I met with the with the principal buyer, one of the first things that he asked me was, ‘If we do this, what do I need to know about your employees and what are their benefits?’ I mean, he was concerned about treating the employees right from the get-go, and that was that really impressed me,” Abernathy said.
It also helped that Abernathy’s employees told him they were fans of Samour’s businesses. Fidel & Co. Coffee Roasters opened in Little Rock’s East Village in 2020. A second location opened in 2022 inside Stoko, a Remolinos Group-owned coworking space in the River Market. Samour opened food hall Sterling Market in the East Village in 2023.
The sale of Red Door and Loca Luna becomes official on Sept. 1. Abernathy has agreed to stick around for the next three months to help with the transition.
In a news release, Remolinos Group said it plans to introduce some changes but maintain the spirit of the restaurants.
“Our vision is to merge the rich history and tradition of these beloved restaurants with fresh, innovative ideas that will elevate the dining experience,” Samour said in the release. “We are committed to supporting the amazing teams and continuing to build on the legacy that has been so passionately established.”
Abernathy opened Loca Luna in 1996. Red Door followed 10 years later. He has also been the creator, owner or executive chef of award-winning restaurants that include Abernathy’s, The Bijou, Juanita’s, Blue Mesa Grill and Bene Vita.
“It’s just been a great ride,” he said. “I’ve just had so much fun. I don’t know that I would do it any differently, and now I’m just so happy and excited about the future for all my folks that I’ve worked with.”
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