Alfalfa restaurant looking for new owners, leaving its future uncertain

After less than a year under new owners, Alfalfa is for sale again.

Owners Cameron and Kevin Heathcoat on Sunday told employees that they will keep the iconic downtown restaurant open for now.

But that can’t last indefinitely, Cameron Heathcoat said.

Last May, she bought the restaurant, which started as a “hippie” eatery 45 years ago, from Jim Happ and Betsy Moses. At the time, Salvador Sanchez, owner of Cup of Common Wealth coffee shop and Chocolate Holler, planned to partner with her. But that fell through and her husband, Kevin Heathcoat, stepped in.

Kevin Heathcoat is co-owner of Bourbon ‘n’ Toulouse on Euclid and also is a partner in the Chevy Chase Inn next door.

On Sunday, the Heathcoats said that running two restaurants and a bar was too much, for now.

“It'll stay open while we're searching for a buyer,” Cameron Heathcoat said in an email. “We will try as hard as we can to find a suitable buyer as we truly want to see Alfalfa stay open. Our family loves Alfalfa and would hate to see it close. It has meant so much to me over my lifetime. When I was a kid we would drive from Cynthiana for brunch quite often and I've been a customer ever since. There will ultimately be a time when we would have to give up our search, but we do not have a deadline in mind yet. The restaurant has a very favorable lease and an incredible foundation for someone to continue the growth that has taken place over the past eleven months.”

The Heathcoats praised the restaurant staff, two of whom have been there for more than 30 years.

“In 2016 Alfalfa lost $56,000, but we had it breaking even within a few months of our 2017 purchase,” Cameron Heathcoat said. “Now, the restaurant is turning a nice profit with incredible potential for future growth. When we took on this project, we decided we would give ourselves one year to see if we (1) could turn the restaurant around but also to see if we (2) could manage a third business in our family without losing time with our two children, ages four and six. Although we are extremely proud of how well Alfalfa has rebounded, the restaurant is taking too much time away from our time as a family. The amazing and dedicated staff is one of the major reasons for Alfalfa's quick turn in the last eleven months. We sincerely hope that we can find the right person(s) to take over this Lexington institution so it can stay open for another 45 years.”

This story was originally published April 22, 2018 at 8:15 PM with the headline "Alfalfa restaurant looking for new owners, leaving its future uncertain."