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The founding owners of the popular G’s Texas Southern Flare in downtown Haverhill are moving on because after seven years the restaurant continues to lose money.
“We tried everything we could think of to make a go of it, but we got to the point where we couldn’t continue what we were doing,” said Matthew Gaiero, who started G’s with his wife, Denise. “We emptied our savings account and we took out loans, but we were struggling.”
The 35 Washington St., doors would be closing for good were it not for an offer from two friends who own other restaurants, the Gaieros said. The Gaieros are choosing not to name them until after the formal transfer, though they are both experienced restaurant entrepreneurs with Haverhill roots.
“We are very happy especially for our staff that G’s will remain open in downtown Haverhill,” Matthew Gaiero said. “We didn’t want to sell and we don’t want to leave, but the prices of our ingredients have skyrocketed and our rent was going up. It’s not like we sold and are making a huge killing. We are not even breaking even.”
The Gaieros met and fell in love when they were both working as bartenders at the old Krueger Flatbread in Haverhill. After marrying in 2008, they opened their own restaurant in March of 2019 giving it a Texas theme in honor of Denise’s Lone Star roots. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“While I can’t blame the pandemic for all our financial problems, our numbers never bounced back to where they were prior to COVID,” Matthew Gaiero said. “We kept hoping things would get better but they haven’t.”
The pair said the new owners have several ideas for turning G’s around. Longer hours and menu tweaks are among them.
“For the sake of our staff and loyal customers, we are hoping they will succeed where we didn’t,” Denise Gaiero said.
The Gaieros said they haven’t decided on their own next chapter. “Right now, we don’t have jobs but we’re confidence we’ll find something,” Matthew Gaiero said, adding the couple has no plans to move out of Haverhill. “We just want to get past the transfer which should happen in the next two weeks. What was most important to us was making sure our staff was taken care of.”
Denise Gaiero said they have been heartened by the outpouring of support from customers who have heard they are leaving. “Our original goal was to make G’s a community center that featured local artists, live music, good food and good friends,” she said. “From that perspective it is mission accomplished.”