A new restaurant will be coming to downtown after the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation approved an agreement last Tuesday, February 14.
Ricardo Santillan, owner of REFZ Sports Bar & Grill of Guymon, Okla., says he plans to open a second location in the former Clarendon Steakhouse building at US 287 and Kearney Street by this October.
“I’m excited to bring REFZ to Clarendon, to become part of the community, and to bring new jobs to the community,” Santillan said.
The new business plans to create 25 to 30 new jobs, and Santillan says he looks forward to working with the school and other organizations with donations and activities.
REFZ will provide a fun atmosphere with great food and great service, lots of TVs, and good music, Santillan said. The Guymon location is known for its wings, appetizers, fajitas, and steaks, and he said he plans to bring the same varied menu to Clarendon.
Santillan is from Guymon originally and has operated REFZ there for 5½ years. He started in the restaurant business washing dishes at age 14 and first tried his own restaurant at 18. He later opened another restaurant and sold it after four years before starting REFZ.
Last year, he purchased rental properties in Clarendon; and while working on those properties, he realized that eating options were limited.
“I figured since I’m already invested here, let’s open a restaurant and give people a good time and another place to eat,” he said. “I have people who already work for me who will run it, and I’ll be here a while also.”
The CEDC agreement with Santillan is expected to receive final approval from the city council February 22. After that, the new owner has months of work ahead of him before REFZ will be ready to open.
“We’re going to gut out the back end, enlarge the restrooms, and build an office,” he said. “The kitchen will take a lot of work. We’ll also have to build the bar and get licensed.”
Once the restaurant is open, Santillan says the business will be open on Sundays and will also be available for catering. He is grateful to the CEDC for the opportunity to come to Clarendon.
“The CEDC has made this possible for us, and I’m grateful for them trusting us to make this happen,” he said. “It feels good that they have let me be a part of this, and you can tell they want what is best for the community. They’ve worked with me on everything for the last seven or eight months.”
CEDC President Brandon Frausto said a downtown restaurant has been an economic development goal for a long time.
“This is something we’ve been working toward and has been a priority for our board,” Frausto said. “It’s a great opportunity for Ricardo and for the community of Clarendon. It’s a win-win that will have a positive impact. People have longed for this.”
CEDC Vice President Taylor Shelton shared Frausto’s enthusiasm.
“The CEDC has made this a high priority because we felt like a restaurant would be beneficial to other businesses downtown and a great addition to our community,” Shelton said. “We look forward to a long and successful relationship with Ricardo’s team.”
The Clarendon EDC first purchased the old steakhouse building in 2015 after it was heavily damaged by an automobile and has made significant investments in the building since that time to make it attractive as a potential restaurant.
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