Rally for Bankrupt Buck’s A&W Expected Saturday
Community members have been stopping by Buck’s A&W all day to find out if what it says on the reader board is really true, “Buck’s is closing Sunday. Your prayers are appreciated.”
Sadly, said owner Rick Gehring, it is true.
Legal challenges stemming from a lawsuit settled in 2007 are forcing Buck’s of Port Orchard Inc. to file bankruptcy.
The business, which was opened in 1959 by Rick’s parents, Buck and Glennys Gehring, is known for its long-standing support of local youth sports.
The dining room walls are decorated with jerseys, team pictures and winning game balls from the scores of teams sponsored by the restaurant over the years.
Gehring, a 1974 South Kitsap High School grad, has managed Buck’s for 30 years, taking over from his father, who died in 1981.
The Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce honored Rick Gehring for his community service in 1996, naming him Man of the Year.
In July, Gehring received the Healthy Tomorrow award from the Kitsap Sun and Kitsap Credit Union. The award honors those whose contributions significantly improve the community’s quality of life and promote a healthy, vibrant future.
All of which Gehring now finds, “Ironic … It’s sad, it’s sour-sweet.”
The restaurant will close just shy of its 50th anniversary.
Staff members have heard that the community is planning a rally for Buck’s Saturday at the restaurant, but they didn’t have details on the time.
Waiting the counter at Buck’s has been a first job for many a South Kitsap teen over the years. The family invites anyone who’s worked at Buck’s or anyone else to share their memories below.
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December 9th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I saw the sign yesterday and felt such sadness. You can’t begin to express how much they have supported youth sports in the community.
My first thought was, can we help. Is there anything that can be done to help? While no one should turn a blind eye to sexual harassment and management apparently did, this is beyond fair.
I didn’t have time to cover the rally, but thanks, Chris, for getting the word out.
December 9th, 2008 at 11:24 am
I’ve grown up watching and playing against Buck’s A&W teams. To think that one man started this is bad enough. Hold him accountable and move on. To know that greedy attorneys are the cause of a local business that has sponsored hundreds of teams and helped thousands of local players continue to live their dreams is sickening. What have these attorneys done for the community? The slime ball attorneys that have inflated their bill to $750,000 for this should be held to public ridicule, tarred and feathered like the old days.
December 9th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
This is such sad news! We have been going to Buck’s for years. Just this past weekend, we went to the drive-through for our traditional Candy Cane shakes–the kick-off to our Christmas traditions. This will leave a big void in our community.
Thank you for all that you have done through the years!
December 9th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
I remember washing cars raising money for our charity, I imagine many of you too got your hands wet or had your vehicle “cleaned”. Dipping warm curly fries in a chocolate shake – ahhh. After-soccer floats or burgers with the kids. Good music and hot cars.
Good memories, but I’ll remember more fondly the Gehring’s; Rick,Karin, and there two kids (not kids anymore) made Buck’s what it is. There are other “burger” places in town, but which of them has had as big an impact on us, the community.
God bless, and thank you.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
WHAT ! ! No more Wednesday evening cruise-ins in the summer??
All because of one criminal and one #$@%& lawyer .No wonder it’s called THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ! Justice for the criminal and money for the lawyer.
Expect the car clubs will all show up Saturday .
December 10th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
This is a letter I posted to our Club after I heard about this loss.
Hi All, As you may already know due to financial costs arising from litigation from a civil suit resulting from former employees and their attorneys, Bucks has been forced to close per a settlement awarded as a reuslt. In my opinion he is not at fault and lacks the funds to appeal this award. Buck’s has been a HUGE supporter of not only the Kitsap Mustang Club but the community as a whole. He was the local vestige of what is good and right in a community culture.
In support of this, I ask all members to meet early at A&W on Saturday to help fund(If Possible)and show our support for this Icon of American Heritage. I’m not sure of a time but there will be a rally there that is posted in the local papers. We should go as a group, say meet about 10 a.m.?
Thank’s, Ken Jones
President Kitsap Mustang Club
December 12th, 2008 at 12:05 am
Here you go, some valuable information. The name of the law firm is Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell out of Tacoma. Their contact information is:
Tacoma Office
Wells Fargo Plaza
1201 Pacific Avenue, Suite 2100
Tacoma, Washington 98402
Telephone: 253.620.6500
Toll Free: 800.240.5051
Fax: 253.620.6565
It’s possible that the principals don’t know the extent of the negative PR this story can generate….
Just be clean in your comments, in order to help the Gehrings, not hurt them.
December 12th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Copy of;
Letter to the Editor
Kitsap Sun
Bremerton, WA
RE: A&W Port Orchard, WA
The Port Orchard A & W will be greatly missed. It was a destination stop for hundreds of locals as well as vacation travelers during the summer months.
Many owners of classic and vintage automobiles gathered there to enjoy Wednesday evenings during the summer. This was also an opportunity to do some serious show-and-tell mentoring when high school and college students would start asking questions about the “Good Old Days.”
Buck’s A&W is definitely part of our “American Heritage” and should be preserved.
Not only will there be an additional 20+ unemployed individuals in Port Orchard, but all the businesses in the area will lose out on the revenue generated by those visiting the Port Orchard A&W.
These are hard times for most people and it appears that the legal system has mede it even worse.
I wish the Gehring family and their dedicated employees the best.
Russell J. Lombard, Chair of the Board
American Road Foundation
also
President / CEO of the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Assn.