Finding Joy in Brails

“When you cook something for somebody you got to put a love into it … my mom always said that, so I always tell my cooks same thing,” said Sang Joo Knudtson. Knudtson has owned Brails Restaurant for the past 14 years, and she is known in the community as Joy.

 

Joy works 56 hours a week and during all of them she is on her feet. She buzzes through the restaurant giving

orders, cooking, and greeting people. At 57-years-old she claims to move faster than her far younger employees: college and high school age students.

 

Brails has been in Joy’s family for 21 years. Prior to owning Brails Joy managed a brunch restaurant in Vancouver, Brails has been in Joy’s family for 21 years. Prior to owning Brails Joy managed a brunch restaurant in Vancouver, Washington for 8 years. Her previous restaurant experience made her a perfect candidate to take over after her sister fell ill.

 

“When I was 48 I figured it out, things happen in your life no matter what you want it or not. What you got to do? Deal with it,” said Joy.

 

Joy acknowledges that there are struggles to owning Brails. In the past year, two of Joy’s cooks quit at the same time and left her to fill 90 percent of the ticket orders. “After I cook I just come here and break down, I cry so many times a month and a half ago.”

 

Even in times of high stress Joy doesn’t lose sight of what is important: her customers. She recognizes that the relationships she makes with her customers, and her hard work, are the real reasons why her business has never struggled.

 

“She makes you feel at home which is, I think, really hard to do, and I think people can kind of relate and feel a little more close with her,” said her son, Brian Sung, who owns and manages Brails Espresso. Everyone feels like a regular at Brails even if you are a first time customer. “I can make everybody happy, I guess that is my talent,” Joy admitted.

 

“She’s just the sweetest person. Like, she’ll hug you when you come in, and even if she doesn’t know you that well. She’s always on her game,” said Delancey Foster, a faithful customer. Ms. Foster also keeps coming back because the food is, “really good.”

 

For the past ten years Brails has been voted the best hangover breakfast by Eugene Weekly, “I don’t think I want a competition with other restaurant … but if I have to I will,” said Joy. She is humble about her achievements but she also has pride in what she does. “Whatever I do I want to do best. I want to do well, you know, I don’t want to hear anything about what I did. That’s me,” said Joy.

 

“You see someone who really cares about what they are doing and who loves the community, and who has been in the community for a really long time, so I think that is part of the success of the place is her characterizing it,” said Ms. Foster. Joy does it all and then some.

 

“There was this one time though that this homeless man came wandering in… we all kind of looked at each other, like what are we supposed to do with this? But Joy kind of swooped out of no where, she’s always doing that, and sits him down, gives him a huge plate of hash-browns and eggs, and just kind of talks to him for a long time. Then they’re both laughing, and it was so funny to see. Here you’ve got this restaurant owner sitting down with a homeless person to eat,” said Anna Alvarado a server at Brails.

 

Through out the years, Joy raised two children while also owning Brails. Her son, Mr. sung, who is 29 years old and her daughter, who is 15 years old, both grew up around the restaurant. Despite Joy’s busy schedule she never misses a home game, and supports her children in all of their aspirations.

 

“I feel very privileged to have the mother that I have. I wouldn’t say that me and my little sister were spoiled or anything but my mom, she tried very hard to keep us happy and in a comfortable situation, she worked very hard for it,” said Mr. Sung.

 

When asked if Mr. Sung would ever want to own Brails he says, ”It’s up to my mom whenever she’s done, and if she wants me to take it over or if she wants to either sell it or I don’t know… I’ll do whatever is needed I would love to carry on the tradition.”

 

There is no telling how far Joy’s legacy has extended, but during the height of football season, when all of the alumni return, Joy is ecstatic for a different reason. “They come here and, ‘We got to see Joy when we’re in Eugene,’ you know … it makes me so happy,” said Joy. The connection that people establish with Joy is timeless.