C.J. Muggs (200 S. Central) in Clayton is under new ownership. After five decades of operation by its founding family, Jay Quezada and Mike Golomb purchased the restaurant from Joe Crall on June 24. During the four weeks following the sale, Crall continued to come in daily to ensure a seamless transition, with Quezada as general manager and Golomb on the business side. The duo plans to keep the same menu, staff, and ambiance.
The Team
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Jack Crall and his wife, Carol Hellman Crall, opened C.J. Muggs as a lunch sandwich shop in 1981. They involved their three sons, Sam, Joe, and Aaron, in the family business and eventually opened two locations, in Clayton and Webster Groves. Last year, when C.J. Muggs’ Webster Groves location closed after more than 30 years in business, owner Sam Crall encouraged St. Louisans to visit his brother Joe Crall in Clayton.
Like the Cralls, Quezada understands the ins and outs of restaurant entrepreneurship. He founded the Crafty Chameleon (1384 Clarkson Clayton Center) in Ellisville 11 years ago and grew it from a beer bar to a restaurant and pub.
Golomb, whose hospitality background is in hotels, also has experience owning a small business. C.J. Muggs is his sixth enterprise. He met Quezada through the Crafty Chameleon, and together they decided to pursue starting a restaurant. When they learned of this opportunity, however, Golomb said it was a better fit. “We both had a passion for successful businesses, and we didn’t want to see something so well established go by the wayside,” Golomb says.
Retaining the current employees was important to the Crall family, Quezada says, and it was important to the new owners to honor their wishes for continuity. “The staff was loyal to them, and they were loyal in return,” he says. “One of the reasons Joe Crall accepted our offer is because we said we didn’t want to change a thing. It’s been working for decades—why would we want to change it?”
The Atmosphere
For generations of St. Louis diners, C.J. Muggs has been a beloved option for weekend brunch, group dinners, casual family outings, business lunches, patio parties, and happy hours. It’s also a popular caterer and boxed-lunch provider.
The staff tends to stick around for years, which makes for a casual environment, where regulars feel at home—and some even have their own commemorative plaques at the bar. “There’s already a passionate base,” Quezada says, “and we have been reassuring them that everything will stay the same.”
The cosmetic changes that the new owners have planned—including replacing the ceilings and some kitchen equipment, redoing the bathrooms, and changing out furniture—are akin to a routine haircut rather than a whole makeover, Golomb says.
While they want to keep their current customer base satisfied, Quezada says they’re also intent on attracting newcomers. “There are more and more people moving to Clayton, which is good news for us,” he says.
The Menu
Alongside a core menu of classic American sandwiches, salads, and pastas, Cajun dishes have been a staple at C.J. Muggs since the beginning. The crowd-pleasing, tried-and-true comfort food is predominantly made in house. Quezada says he was surprised to learn that the restaurant receives four deliveries per week to ensure the freshest ingredients possible. (A small freezer is used mostly for ice cream and a few other items.)
Case in point: the fish tacos, one of Quezada’s favorite menu items. “We order fresh fish every day, and we have a homemade cream sauce with fresh veggies and cilantro,” he says. “They’re amazing.”
Quezada has been slowly sampling his way through the menu, consulting with executive chef Maurice Clark along the way. Decades’ worth of local food reviewers have established the restaurant’s credibility for simple dishes done right, such as breakfast potatoes (a favorite of the late food writers Joe and Ann Pollack), half-pound burgers, and pizzas topped with mozzarella and Provel. “The Cajun pasta is what we’re known for, and I had it five days in a row,” Quezada says with a laugh. “It’s that good.”
The new owners are considering the addition of some hand-made menu items, including a high-quality but affordable steak—something Clark is passionate about. Quezada is looking forward to harnessing the staff’s creativity for that and other new menu possibilities at the affordable price point for which C.J. Muggs is known.
“I like their spirits,” he says, “and I want to give them some freedom.”
