• Hit western food eatery Botak Jones will be making a comeback at Depot Lane under a new name, The Original Botak Jones
• Founder Bernard Utchenik first opened Botak Jones in Tuas in 2003, but sold off his shares in 2013 and started Big Bern’s American Grill.
• The last two Big Bern’s outlets at Timbre+ and Gluttons Bay closed down in April and May this year
• He hopes that the new Botak Jones outlet will fulfil the expectations of people who grew up with it during the noughties

SINGAPORE — When Mr Bernard Utchenik, founder of Botak Jones, announced on Facebook earlier this month that the western food eatery would be making a comeback, he was shocked to learn that many people had missed the stall.

“A lot of comments were of people saying which items they wanted to see again… and talking about their good memories. That was really heartening,” the 69-year-old told TODAY.

Fans of Botak Jones — which had previously shuttered all its outlets islandwide — will be able to look forward to its signature cajun chicken and fish and chips, among other dishes, available for delivery and self-collection from Monday (June 14).

The new stall will be located at Yue Hua Eating House at 118 Depot Lane and rebranded as The Original Botak Jones.

This, Mr Utchenik said, is to let people know that the recipes they liked from Botak Jones “a long time ago” still remained despite the changes the business has gone through over the years.

Mr Utchenik, an American-turned-Singaporean, opened his first Botak Jones stall in Tuas in 2003. He said that he coined the name Botak Jones because he is “botak”, the Malay word for bald, and Jones is a “very western name”.

“I was trying to give the idea that Botak Jones is western but it’s here (in Singapore),” Mr Utchenik said.

LEAVING THE BUSINESS

During its heyday, Botak Jones had 13 outlets spread islandwide. However, Mr Utchenik decided to sell off his shares in the business in 2013 after investors wanted to make certain changes.

“It was frustrating and I thought that rather than be a pebble in their shoes, it would be better if I just separated myself from them,” he said.

Mr Utchenik and his wife, Ms Faudziah Mohd Ali, bought over the Balestier Road Botak Jones Stall and opened a new restaurant, BJ’s American Diner and Grill, which was later renamed Big Bern’s American Grill.

After this outlet as well as another at the Mapletree Industrial Estate food court at Toa Payoh North closed down, the couple then opened branches at Timbre+ in 2016 and at Gluttons Bay last year.

These two outlets, however, were shuttered in April and May this year due to financial difficulties brought about by the pandemic. Mr Utchenik said that business at the Timbre+ outlet decreased by 70 to 90 per cent after the pandemic started.

“We never made any money and it was a very difficult situation,” he added.

The couple had started the Gluttons Bay outlet in October last year in the hope that “things would get better”.

“But that never came about… and (the) Gluttons Bay (outlet) was never a moneymaker for us. The day-to-day running costs were just too much for us,” said Mr Utchenik.

BRINGING BACK BOTAK JONES

Following the closure of the Big Bern’s Timbre+ outlet in April this year, Mr Utchenik said that he and his current business partners — who are funding this latest endeavour — “had the same idea” of bringing back Botak Jones.

To do that, they then engaged lawyers and had conversations with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore.

Since the Botak Jones business had been struck off from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority’s registry, “there was no legal entity owning the trademark any longer” and they could go ahead with reviving the business, Mr Utchenik said.

Starting the upcoming Botak Jones stall will be a chance to reclaim his original ideas. “Hopefully the legacy that I was hoping to achieve lasts further than a lifetime,” Mr Utchenik said.

“A lot of people grew up with Botak Jones and whether we can fulfil their expectations is still a question mark. But we are going to try very hard.”

Mr Utchenik said that he was grateful for the funding from his business partners that enabled them to open the restaurant, acknowledging that other people “may not be able to do (this) now”.

After all, the pandemic has decimated the food-and-beverage industry, he said, adding that the market has become a lot more vulnerable with deliveries becoming a greater part of people’s lives.

Mr Utchenik said that he felt sad seeing more hawkers having to close down during this period.

“But that’s how these places are run… that’s how we were run. There isn’t anything left when the cash flow dries up," he said.

“It’s not like these are big businesses that put away savings and earmark things for a later date. This is making enough money to keep us and our families alive. Anything more than that, you’re lucky.”