YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HEROES: Silent investor saves restaurant and jobs | Features

BLUE ASH, OH (FOX19) - In July 2009, Attorney Howard Zuefle opened a bar and restaurant called Incahoots in Blue Ash with a small group of investors. This was a reincarnation of a previous restaurant of the same name in the Clifton area.  No one knew at the time, but one of the silent investors was about to move center stage. About six months after opening in Blue Ash, a tragic accident would reshape the Incahoots family. Howard was killed in a head on crash in Athens, Tennessee along with his 20 month old daughter Harper.

Employees at Incahoots were devastated and worried about the future of Howard's dream.

"There are about 25 of us... servers, hosts, bar tenders, cooks, dishwashers." says long time Incahoots employee Tracey Schoenborger.

One of the original silent investors Don Brown stepped up to put up money to keep the business open. Brown eventually bought out the others investors to become the sole owner of Incahoots in October 2010. When asked if layoffs were possible, Brown says

"Yes, definitely." But, no one lost their job and Brown dove head first into the restaurant business with a background in real estate and home health care.

Employees at Incahoots are grateful and more than willing to give Don Brown sole credit for saving the restaurant and their jobs, but modest Brown gives the credit right back.

"It's thanks to a lot of people that Howard put in place. There are a lot of people that Howard hired here that are still here. The core group of people are still here. I think that's very important for the restaurant business."

Incahoots recently celebrated their two year anniversary on July 25. Incahoots will also be represented for the third year in a row at the Taste of Blue Ash, August 26-28.

Copyright 2011 FOX19. All Rights Reserved.