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Debbie's Kitchen LLC

 

 

"Debbie Sells the Kitchen"

SOURCE: Original story written by All Over Albany, January 18, 2010

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It's official. After 25 years, Debbie Klauber is selling Debbie's Kitchen. The deal is expected to be closed on Wednesday.

 

No, Debbie's isn't closing. But will it be the same without Debbie?

 

Really, how could anything be the same without Debbie.

 

And, what about the food?

 

Klauber says a lot of things will stay the same. The new owner is a guy named Tom Reiner. "He's a young guy," she says, "but he's very nice and really enthusiastic." She says Reiner plans to keep the name, menu and decor -- even the magic eight balls on the counter. "It's going to be a turnkey operation. I'm even leaving the art on the walls. I really love the people that come in here, and I wanted to leave them with some sense of continuity."

 

Debbie's has been on the market for a few years now. What did it go for? "No where near what you'd think," says Klauber. "But the time and the offer were right." Debbie's was listed for $299,000.

 

Klauber came to the Capital Region from Queens in the 80's. She opened Debbie's Kitchen on Lark Street in 1985 and moved over to its current Madison Avenue location about ten years ago. Debbie Klauber has since become as famous for her vibrant personality as she has for her creative sandwiches, soups and desserts. "I've fed thousands of people in the Capital District. I love it here because the people just accepted me for being the crazy freak that I am. I can make something with sauteed bananas and somebody will order it!"

 

So why sell now?

 

"You know, I'm in my mid 50's," she says, "and I get it. It's time to do something else. I want to get back inside my own creativity. I've been wanting to do this for a long time. I think part of the reason I've hung on so long is that I didn't want to disappoint other people. They'd say 'but what are we going to do without you?' and I wouldn't want to disappoint them, you know. But it's time for me to do something new."

 

Klauber plans to stay in the Capital Region. She's working on writing "The No Recipe Cookbook," a collection of favorite dishes and fun stories from her years in the restaurant and catering business. She's also looking into teaching and possibly doing some media or cooking shows. "In a way, I've been teaching for free for years with the young people who work in the kitchen."

 

Her advice to Tom, or "Mr. Debbie," as he recently introduced himself to a customer, "I just wish the guy luck. Make frickin' love to your food and then sell it. Be kind to people and have a little fun. Figure it out. I did."

 

(Thanks, Kim!)

 

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To see the original story in it's entirety online, along with other readers’ comments, CLICK HERE.