by Christina Barrueta
It all began in a picturesque Arizona mining town, where a hamburger joint captured the hearts of locals and tourists alike. When Michelle and Eric Jurisin sunk their savings into a restaurant perched on Cleopatra Hill in Jerome, little did they know it would spark almost three decades of hospitality entrepreneurship. Today, their Haunted Group boasts six restaurants and two boutique hotels in Southwestern wine country.
The Haunted Hamburger opened in 1994 and was instantly popular. “From day one we had lines; it was amazing,” remembers Michelle, who explains that hospitality is in her blood. “Because of my family, I’ve had a love of food since I was a little girl,” the Rhode Island native asserts. “My father had a delicatessen, and I grew up with Italian grandmothers and Sunday dinners with 30 or 40 people.”
By 1999, the Jurisins had opened a second spot, Jerome Brewery—but over time, its focus shifted from beer to wine, and it was rechristened as Grapes Restaurant & Bar. In 2000, when the family relocated to nearby Cottonwood, their desire for an upscale Italian chophouse resulted in their third venture, Nic’s Italian Steak & Crab House. “My husband likes a side of pasta with his steak or his fish,” says Michelle. “Back East, it was common, but 20 years ago, you couldn’t find an Italian steakhouse here.” Predictably, they had another hit on their hands; to alleviate the hour-long waits, they transformed a historic theater across the street into The Tavern Grille.
In the ensuing years, the Jurisins would open Pizzeria Bocce Patio Bar, featuring wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas; Crema Craft Kitchen, serving breakfast and lunch; STRADA @ Bocce, offering Italian street food in an industrial venue constructed from eight shipping containers; and The Tavern Hotel “to import our customers,” says Michelle with a laugh. Along the way, they turned The Haunted Group into a family affair: Daughter Nicole is the managing partner of The Tavern Hotel and has a hand in many restaurant operations, including the beverage programs, while son Eric is the chef at The Clinkscale Restaurant, located in boutique hotel The Clinkscale, which the Jurisins opened in Jerome in 2021.
Through it all, they have played a part in the renaissance of Cottonwood, now known as “the heart of Arizona wine country.” As Michelle notes, “After we opened Nic’s, tasting rooms started to open and Cottonwood became a stop on the Verde Valley Wine Trail.” In fact, hotel guests can now admire vineyard views: In October, noted musician and winemaker Maynard James Keenan’s Merkin Vineyards Hilltop Winery debuted next door to much fanfare.
Celebrating food, community, and the adopted hometown they love, the family ensures that their hospitality shines through in every Haunted Group establishment. “If I’m going to spend my life living in a small town,” says Michelle, “I’m going to make it the best and something that people will enjoy.”
