Fitzpatrick changes hands; no major shakeup in store
By KIP BURKE news editor

Guillaume and Sokun Slama, whose Lafayette Manor Inn has changed the face of Washington's bed and breakfast scene, will now apply their touch to the Fitzpatrick Hotel.

And yes, the popular Sunday buffet is safe.

The hotel had been for sale for some time when Fitzpatrick owners Mike and Christy Todd approached the Slamas, Guillaume said. "Mike and Christy have done such a wonderful job restoring and running the hotel, but they've seen you have to be here full time for it to work best, and commuting from Athens is so hard on their whole family." After much study and consultation, a deal was struck.

The Slamas are purchasing the hotel business and the restaurant business in the hotel, but not the hotel structure itself, he said. "We take possession August 1." They will continue to operate their bed and breakfast inn, unique in that it also serves as a small restaurant that offers finedining that has earned the AAA 3-Diamond rating, and Sophie's, the new coffee and sandwich shop on The Square.

But don't expect major changes from the new owners. "We're going to slowly revamp a few things," he said. "We're keeping all the current staff - no one's leaving."

Majlinda Garrison, who runs Sophie's for the couple, will serve as general manager and do marketing for the hotel.

The restaurant will become Down Under Seafood-Steakhouse, serving lunch and dinner daily. The name, Guillaume said, comes from the location of the restaurant. "I heard myself describe the location of the restaurant as 'down under the Fitzpatrick Hotel,' and it struck me."

But the menu will indeed resemble that of the popular Outback restaurants, he said, featuring seafood and steaks, and will be open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday evening.

"We've really listened to the people in this town want," Guillaume, "and we love Washington, and we're going to give people what they want. We'll have fresh seafood and a nicer range of steaks up to about $26."

John Carey of Augusta will manage the kitchen, and the Slamas will keep the restaurant's present cooking staff.

Guillaume says he anticipates that the restaurant will be open by next Friday, August 3. "We won't be able to change the décor right away all at once, so each time you come in it will be a little different."

But what about the Sunday brunch buffet that's so popular? Guillaume says he knows it's a finetradition, and wishes only to continue it. "For a hundred years, people have been coming to the Fitzpatrick for their buffets and their parties, and they loved the ball room, because that's where it all happened. We're going to put the buffet back in the ball room, and we're going to recreate the atmosphere they had a hundred years ago."

Special events like weddings, parties, meetings, and conferences will continue to be held in the ballroom and upstairs rooms, too.

The Slamas will market the Fitzpatrick Hotel in conjunction with the popularity of their finedining at the Inn. "The restaurant has really taken off. Our AAA triple diamond rating is as good as anything in Athens or Augusta, and it's an incredible feat - you have to earn it. So now we have people flyin from out of state for our Murder Mystery Weekends, for instance, and we want to bundle that success with what we will offer at the Fitzpatrick."

For a destination wedding, the bride and groom could stay at the inn, and the wedding party could fillthe hotel, he said. "It can create a synergy."

But the restaurant will be their first focus of effort. It will be open more days, and will feature a few new things. The success of their sandwich and coffee shop, Sophie's, has shown the Slamas the tremendous possibilities in downtown Washington.

"We have found out that this place could do a tremendous amount of business after 5 p.m. with people from out of town," he said. "On weekends, Sophie's is open until 9 p.m. and tourists love to have a sandwich or ice cream. We want to cater to Washington people, certainly, but we need to be here for the tourist trade to make it here. We love Washington, and we've invested a lot of money here, which is proof that we love and believe in this city. And we also want to see it grow. It's going to be a lot of fun."

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