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Steakhouse [Forced] To Close, Ending Tradition For Wounded War Vets
D.C. Channel 9 WUSA ^ | 4/14/06 | Doug Buchanan

Posted on 04/14/2006 5:37:45 AM PDT by Coop

Edited on 04/14/2006 5:42:21 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]

A two-year tradition for wounded war vets is about to go by the wayside. A downtown DC steak house that’s catered to injured troops every Friday night is about to close.

Fran O’Brien’s landlord [Hilton] is forcing out the steakhouse of the same name.

“We're not feeling very good about leaving and especially the Friday night dinner,” O’Brien said.

With the restaurant soon to close, so too will go a hang-out spot that troops have been able to call home while healing, if only for a few hours every week.

In a statement from Hilton hotels, a spokesperson writes: "this is a business decision whereby Hilton Hotels is exploring several options to utilize this space."

But the decision impacts more than just the business that's getting the boot.

A Hilton hotel spokesperson say they are -- on some level -- hoping to keep the Friday night alive without Fran O’Brien’s.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: Georgia; US: Maryland; US: New Hampshire; US: Virginia; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: bethesda; capitalhilton; franobriens; hilton; hiltonhotel; onthehomefront; outrage; steakhouse; supportourtroops; veterans; walterreed; wia; wounded
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To: Drango

The attorney is. Believe it or not, there are good, honest, PI attorneys, they just all have a bad rep. My boss has done a lot of pro-bono work, and more often than not gives a fee reduction to increase the settlement to the client.

There are a lot of poor, uneducated people who do not know their rights and are prey for insurance companies that try to make them sign a release for pennies when they have genuine injuries and no means to obtain treatment, if they can even find a provider who will treat them. Many won't.

I felt the same way you do before I started working there.
More often than not, folks who are seriously injured have no recourse due to the fact that the responsible party has no, or minimal, insurance and they do not qualify for the freebies our government offers. I know scores of people whose lives have been turned upside down due to their injuries. Some injuries have no treatment and they have to live their lives in pain. Not to mention the financial problems they face if they have ANY sort of physical employment/obligations, which most people do.


61 posted on 04/14/2006 8:09:35 AM PDT by synbad600
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To: Coop
The actual Hilton where Fran O'Brien's is located:

Brian Kelleher, General Manager

Capital Hilton

1001 16th Street NW

Washington, District of Columbia,

United States 20036 Tel: +1-202-393-1000

Fax: +1-202-639-5784

62 posted on 04/14/2006 8:15:16 AM PDT by pointsal
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To: Coop

Hey Coop,

This is the 2nd day I've sent emails to the links listed on the other thread as others have done. There will be complaints made...whether it does any good remains to be seen.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.


63 posted on 04/14/2006 8:16:17 AM PDT by AprilfromTexas
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To: AprilfromTexas

Thanks, April.


64 posted on 04/14/2006 8:16:43 AM PDT by Coop (Proud founding member of GCA - Gruntled Conservatives of America)
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To: Coop

I may have missed something when I read the full article but I didn't see anything anti-military. It's true the free dinners won't be available to our wounded personnal at that location but I don't see the decision to use the space for something else as anti-military.
It's a business decision with consequences I'm not happy about, but business is too often a cold hearted undertaking run by people without a heart.
The restaurant can continue to offer the same gesture of thanks if it chooses to open in another location.


65 posted on 04/14/2006 8:19:02 AM PDT by em2vn
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To: em2vn
Fran O'Brien's has been renting there no problems and is an established business. For Hilton to just decide to kick them out, as I read, in a short period of time and for no realistic business purpose, is just wrong. They may have the right but it doesn't make it right.

Fran O'Brien's Restaurant is providing a complimentary Steak dinner to wounded Soldiers who were wounded protecting and defending Freedom. It's honorable what they have been doing. If Hilton had any business sense and PR they would have Welcomed this. I'll never be able to stay at a Hilton, Hampton Inn or any of there chains again, since they are that cold and callous.
66 posted on 04/14/2006 8:19:11 AM PDT by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, Past, Present and Future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
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To: em2vn
The property owners are making it very clear by their statement they are discriminating against the disabled- or specifically the military disabled. As if they would be the only ones who could possibly be injured on one of their properties! And guess what? I get to choose whether I will support them with my dollars.

It's apparent to me the Hilton hotel chain is not up to the task of properly serving disabled persons, either in facilties or in common courtesy. Therefore I will be no longer be patronizing them, and I suspect many of the people I forwarded this outrageous story to will feel exactly the same way.

67 posted on 04/14/2006 8:19:34 AM PDT by Sisku Hanne (Embrace Freedom....Hug a Vet!)
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To: Coop

I agree that this is a bit of nastiness by Hilton, in the very least by not giving them any adequate warning of the intent not to renew. Hopefully they'll be able to relocate successfully if Hilton remains unmoved.

I wonder if there's another culprit to be considered here: Sarbanes-Oxley.

SOX is all about mitigating *any and all* risk factors. It could very well be that this has been a recurring problem for Hilton (likely at other sites too) in their SOX audits, and they're being forced to reduce certain risks that come from whatever tenants they have hither and yon around the world. This one, with the extra attraction for various disabled persons, would sort close to the top of these kinds of lists.

Just a thought. SOX is evil, and easily evil enough to be responsible for this kind of decision-making. Especially since the excuse remains something written by an attorney and not a business manager.


68 posted on 04/14/2006 8:27:11 AM PDT by Ramius (Buy blades for war fighters: freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net --> 1100 knives and counting!)
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To: Sisku Hanne

From what statement did you draw you conclusion?


69 posted on 04/14/2006 8:27:56 AM PDT by em2vn
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To: GodBlessUSA
Excellent post GBUSA.

I emailed them ,that I wouldn't stay at any of there hotels or affiliates anymore and that it is a bad move on their part to not renew the lease of an established business on their property.
70 posted on 04/14/2006 8:36:45 AM PDT by Mrs.Nooseman (Proud supporter of our Troops and President GW!!!)
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To: em2vn
Information from the article. Link above.

It reads: In a statement from Hilton hotels, a spokesperson writes: "this is a business decision whereby Hilton Hotels is exploring several options to utilize this space."

They haven't even established a reason to take the space. There was also information, a thread yesterday, regarding the short time frame kicking them out and lack of reason.

71 posted on 04/14/2006 8:37:23 AM PDT by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, Past, Present and Future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
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To: Coop
From Hilton to Heelton.
72 posted on 04/14/2006 8:39:06 AM PDT by F.J. Mitchell (The only thing more violent than a dogfight, is a peaceful day among the Islamites.)
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To: F.J. Mitchell

Let 'em hear about it, please.


73 posted on 04/14/2006 8:39:28 AM PDT by Coop (Proud founding member of GCA - Gruntled Conservatives of America)
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To: Coop

I thought the family that owned Hilton Corporation were religious. Mormons IIRC. However, PC has taken hold of the corporation, no doubt from someone above that allowed PC libs access to decision-making process.

Someone needs to contact the top muckety-muck as well as the PR departments. Make this thing look ugly in the media. They'll change ASAP.


74 posted on 04/14/2006 8:39:31 AM PDT by sully777 (wWBBD: What would Brian Boitano do?)
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To: sully777

That's what we're trying to do. Please help.


75 posted on 04/14/2006 8:40:03 AM PDT by Coop (Proud founding member of GCA - Gruntled Conservatives of America)
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To: Mrs.Nooseman

Thanks Mrs. N! Me too :)


76 posted on 04/14/2006 8:40:16 AM PDT by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, Past, Present and Future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
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To: Coop

Morning Coop.

I did let them know how upset I am about this.


77 posted on 04/14/2006 8:40:25 AM PDT by Mrs.Nooseman (Proud supporter of our Troops and President GW!!!)
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To: RockinRight

Yup - it was on the news last night.

Actually, I recruited some of my coworkers to call/lobby. Even the libs were ticked...


78 posted on 04/14/2006 8:40:52 AM PDT by Hoodlum91 (Tour guide goddess)
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To: GodBlessUSA

You are welcome.:)


79 posted on 04/14/2006 8:41:34 AM PDT by Mrs.Nooseman (Proud supporter of our Troops and President GW!!!)
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To: GodBlessUSA

The short time frame is what ticks me off.

It's not completely unusual to relocate a restaurant, but to say they have to completely vacate in two weeks?


80 posted on 04/14/2006 8:42:44 AM PDT by Hoodlum91 (Tour guide goddess)
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