When he was 14 years old, Kevin Joyce lied about his age to get a job as a busboy at a country club restaurant, his first toe-dip into an industry that he’d work in for the rest of his life.
He toiled in restaurants through and after college at the University of Pittsburgh, and in 1984 at age 30 became the general manager of the new Carlton restaurant, opened by Chicago’s Levy Restaurants on the first floor of the gleaming new One Mellon Bank Center. Ten years later, he bought the place and continued to steward it as a top Downtown dining destination for both Grant Street power brokers, wine aficionados and those headed to hockey games and concerts.
On Wednesday morning, Mr. Joyce, now 67, stood on the steps outside the building — now the BNY Mellon Center — flanked by two dozen employees to announce with a crack in his voice that The Carlton is closing for good. It has been shuttered since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic’s arrival in Allegheny County in March 2020.
“We’re holding this event to first of all thank the city of Pittsburgh,” he said. “[We’ve] been so proud to operate a quality restaurant in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh and be so well received by the city of Pittsburgh from generation to generation.
“We’ve got probably the best employees that anyone could ever ask for and it’s really hard to say goodbye,” he said. “After a lot of soul searching, we’ve come to the conclusion that we have to close our doors. ... I really hoped to find a way to make it through this pandemic and get our doors open again so we could start serving folks as Downtown repopulated, but it’s just not in the cards.”
Mr. Joyce said his lease expires at month’s end and he’s not going to renew it. He estimated that the business has lost $500,000 since the pandemic began.
“Frankly, Downtown is deserted — it just wasn’t feasible,” he said. “Bottom line is, it was the right decision.”
But not one that came with any ease. He said he had only arrived at the decision in the past seven days after having it hang over his head like the steak knife of Damocles for the past 14 months.
“I cried a lot the last week. I’m not going to lie to you, it’s been a very emotional decision. You put your life into this. We were successful because of those people behind me — and there’s a lot more — who just did the job and made us a place that people wanted to come to celebrate the moments of life.”
On May 27, the restaurant will host “The Final Pour,” to liquidate its massive wine inventory — “thousands of bottles” Mr. Joyce said — at deep discount, and the restaurant artwork, while offering guests and longtime servers an opportunity to say goodbye. Tickets are available in advance and at the door for $99 per person and will include wine and hors d’oeuvres.
In 2005, then-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette dining critic Elizabeth Downer wrote: “Kevin Joyce and his Carlton Restaurant have become a Pittsburgh institution worthy of a Historic Landmark designation” for their consistent high levels of fine dining service, an oenophile’s dream of a wine list that was honored by Wine Spectator for 21 straight years, and well-executed menu of steaks, chops and seafood.
Taking a page from Sardi’s, The Carlton had caricatures made of famous guests — Art Rooney Sr., Fred Rogers, Willie Stargell — but also its longtime regular customers, the real stars of the place, along with the employees.
“So many of our workers have been here 30-plus years — you don’t see that too often in our industry — dedicated to our success and dedicated to customer service,” Mr. Joyce said.
Bobby Calvert — known among his co-workers as “The Legend” — has worked at The Carlton for 21 years waiting tables, bartending and for the past 15 as a manager.
“I worked at four of the greatest restaurants in the history of the city of Pittsburgh — The Park Schenley, Christopher’s, Top of the Triangle and this — this was the greatest,” he said. “Working for this guy,” he said of Mr. Joyce, “was really special.”
Mr. Calvert, 63, isn’t planning on retirement just yet. “I love what I do. I love making people happy.”
Mr. Joyce said most of the staff — he employed 66 before the pandemic — have found other jobs or left the hospitality industry.
The Carlton’s executive chef, Simon DeJohn, will continue to serve customer favorites and executive pastry chef Jeff Julin will continue to provide cakes, pies and pastries at Eadie’s Market, in the same building and also owned by Mr. Joyce. The group will also launch The Carlton Catering Co., for parties, weddings, showers, wakes, meetings and corporate events.
“It’s been a great ride … but it hasn’t always been easy,” Mr. Joyce said.
“I’ve tried to be involved in the industry and make it a better industry,” noting that he’s on the board of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association. “I’ve tried to be involved in the city and make it a better city. I’m proud of what we’ve done.”
Dan Gigler: dgigler@post-gazette.com.
First Published: May 19, 2021, 2:00 p.m.
