Rudy’s, long-time Medina diner, honored by Chamber as Small Business of the Year

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 October 2024 at 5:03 pm

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Brody Hoffmeister and his wife Jenna Pangrazio stand behind the counter in Rudy’s Soda Bar and Cafe. The business will be honored by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as the Small Business of the Year.

MEDINA – When Brody Hoffmeister and his wife Jenna Pangrazio took over his family’s business in 2020, they knew they would have big shoes to fill, but didn’t realize what a challenge they faced.

Now, with Rudy’s Soda Bar and Café being recognized by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as their Small Business of the Year, Hoffmeister hopes things are looking up.

Rudy’s was first started in 1988 by Hoffmeister’s grandparents, Joseph and Debra Russo. Then his mother Kelly Duffield stepped in and ran it until she died of cancer in October 2019, and Hoffmeister was thrust into running the establishment much sooner than he expected.

As if that wasn’t enough, soon after he took over, Covid hit and the restaurant was forced to close in March 2020. When they did reopen, it was for take-out only, and unfortunately, they lost employees and customers, many of whom have not come back.

The couple, however, is determine to turn the restaurant around from surviving to thriving.

“Winning the Chamber award was a surprise and humbling, and a much-needed boost,” Hoffmeister said. “We want to do what people want. I’ve spent a lot of time making sure this place survives.”

Earlier in the year Hoffmeister was on a path to change. Personally, he has lost 100 pounds. On the business side, he thought a change in the menu and décor might be welcome and he teamed up with a branding and graphic design firm to implement a change, a decision that didn’t pay off.

At their suggestion, he revamped the menu and began renovations to create a 1950s diner look.

He soon discovered, however, the new menu was not catching on.

“Sometimes you have to look through the forest to see the trees,” Hoffmeister said. “Our customers weren’t coming back. So we are going back to our old menu. Daily specials and homemade soups. Turkey dinners on Thursdays and fish on Fridays. And real mashed potatoes.”

He said his focus will continue to be quality over quantity and he invites customers to come back and check it out.

Overall, he said Rudy’s is a generational thing.

“It’s forging of bonds and the commitment of building something together that ultimately is bigger than everyone involved,” Hoffmeister said.

Of his menu he said, “If we are going to do specials, they are going to be good.”

Rudy’s, 118 West Center St., is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.