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skirby

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I was wondering if this was going to end up happening. However, by the time Park Avenue is completed, the recession will likely be over so I wouldn't worry unless Fall 2009 gets here and we are still in a recession. In my opinion, other than Coach and DSW, most of what LR is lacking is in the restaurant industry. LR doesn't have a lot of upscale chain restaurants. We have upscale restaurants but most of them are locally owned. Some would say thats not necissarily a bad thing, although I think we need more of a variety. There are not so upscale ones too that I would like to see. Among my wishlist are Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Panera Bread, Abuelos/Cantina Loredo, Carabbas, and Joes Crab Shack. How do you think the recession will effect our ability to land restaurants?

I've been hosting work travelers from Boston, Chicago and Denver since June. We have yet to eat at a chain. They don't want to. They prefer the local flavor. I just booked 3 nights at the Capital Hotel for my visitor from Boston. All he wants to talk about is going to Whole Hog Cafe.

I really think we should be more concerned about nurturing our local restaurants. Every penny my traveling friends and I spend in a local restaurant stays local. Get to know the local restaurant owners tell them what you like. Oh, if you're significant other ever craves turtle cheese cake at 1 a.m., the Capital Hotel is your ticket (at least it was prior to the renovation).

My thing is to tell all the doctor's offices I visit to implement wireless access for guest, so I can work while in the waiting room. I'm 2 for 2 so far. Anyone who takes their kids to Central Medical Group. You can email me a 'thank you' if you boot-up the next time you take your little one in for a visit.

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I agree on the chain versus local. I'd rather see more locally-owned restaurants and even regional chains with solid longevity in our market.

The things I want to see aren't another chain's version of the same food, I pine for more Meditarranean resulting in menus that go beyond hummus and gyros, inventive vegetarian restaurants, mexican-mexican, thai, korean barbecue, an additional dim sum venue, North African cuisine, causal bistro dining, accessible French, tapas and mezzes (we had Tapas, once upon a time), and real neighborhood ice cream joints of the stroll-on-in (as opposed to the park-over-there) variety. Oh, and a few more places that serve breakfast on the weekends. Choices there seem limited to the chains, hotels, Cafe 42, and the Satellite Cafe.

The corollary is that I'm might grateful for how the Little Rock dining scene broadened and transformed in the 10 or 15 years I didn't live here. I have fairly sophisticated eaters as out-of-town guests, and like turboturtle says, they are always more enthusiastic about local barbecue than any chain. And are consistently impressed with what we do have to offer.

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I agree on the chain versus local. I'd rather see more locally-owned restaurants and even regional chains with solid longevity in our market.

The things I want to see aren't another chain's version of the same food, I pine for more Meditarranean resulting in menus that go beyond hummus and gyros, inventive vegetarian restaurants, mexican-mexican, thai, korean barbecue, an additional dim sum venue, North African cuisine, causal bistro dining, accessible French, tapas and mezzes (we had Tapas, once upon a time), and real neighborhood ice cream joints of the stroll-on-in (as opposed to the park-over-there) variety. Oh, and a few more places that serve breakfast on the weekends. Choices there seem limited to the chains, hotels, Cafe 42, and the Satellite Cafe.

The corollary is that I'm might grateful for how the Little Rock dining scene broadened and transformed in the 10 or 15 years I didn't live here. I have fairly sophisticated eaters as out-of-town guests, and like turboturtle says, they are always more enthusiastic about local barbecue than any chain. And are consistently impressed with what we do have to offer.

AMEN!! Local is almost always better! Why do I want to spend my money on the same stuff I can go get anywhere else? I want something I can only get here! Now that's real culture! I'll be hosting quite a few out of towners this summer and I plan on taking them only to local or the small regional chain places. They don't want to come to LR for the weekend and go someplace they can eat at in their own city.

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I agree on the chain versus local. I'd rather see more locally-owned restaurants and even regional chains with solid longevity in our market.

The things I want to see aren't another chain's version of the same food, I pine for more Meditarranean resulting in menus that go beyond hummus and gyros, inventive vegetarian restaurants, mexican-mexican, thai, korean barbecue, an additional dim sum venue, North African cuisine, causal bistro dining, accessible French, tapas and mezzes (we had Tapas, once upon a time), and real neighborhood ice cream joints of the stroll-on-in (as opposed to the park-over-there) variety. Oh, and a few more places that serve breakfast on the weekends. Choices there seem limited to the chains, hotels, Cafe 42, and the Satellite Cafe.

The corollary is that I'm might grateful for how the Little Rock dining scene broadened and transformed in the 10 or 15 years I didn't live here. I have fairly sophisticated eaters as out-of-town guests, and like turboturtle says, they are always more enthusiastic about local barbecue than any chain. And are consistently impressed with what we do have to offer.

There are chain restaurants I like. Bonefish was a nice addition. I am a Cheesecake Factory fan and I would eat there often if we had one. I wouldn't mind having a Ruth's Chris, either.

However, part of the desirability of a community is its local restaurant flavor. It's part of why I think a lot of LR natives don't like the restaurant scene in NWA, it feels lacking in local flavor. With Cajun's, Vieux Carre and Faded Rose, why would I ever go to Joe's Crab Shack? Places like Ferneau and Arthur's are top quality, exceeding any chain that would stoop below the top 15 markets.

I do like variety, though. We could always have more variety.

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There are chain restaurants I like. Bonefish was a nice addition. I am a Cheesecake Factory fan and I would eat there often if we had one. I wouldn't mind having a Ruth's Chris, either.

However, part of the desirability of a community is its local restaurant flavor. It's part of why I think a lot of LR natives don't like the restaurant scene in NWA, it feels lacking in local flavor. With Cajun's, Vieux Carre and Faded Rose, why would I ever go to Joe's Crab Shack? Places like Ferneau and Arthur's are top quality, exceeding any chain that would stoop below the top 15 markets.

I do like variety, though. We could always have more variety.

Agreed. NWA feels so cookie-cutter; that's just the culture up there.

One of my friends at Fayetteville told me that a Chik-fil-a just opened up there, and people were camping out (literally, tents and all) to get the first chicken. Now that's just ridiculous.

Although I very rarely frequent chains, I do have a soft spot for Chipotle and wish we had one here.

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Agreed. NWA feels so cookie-cutter; that's just the culture up there.

One of my friends at Fayetteville told me that a Chik-fil-a just opened up there, and people were camping out (literally, tents and all) to get the first chicken. Now that's just ridiculous.

Although I very rarely frequent chains, I do have a soft spot for Chipotle and wish we had one here.

They have Qdoba in Fayetteville which is the same thing as Chipotle. I think local restaurants are good too, many times surpassing the chains. I do however think we could use a just a few more chains that are not currently in the market, preferrably in Midtown or west Little Rock or on McCain in NLR. I prefer to keep the chains out of downtown or Hillcrest/Heights. And you're right that the really decent chains would never open in a market this small. I really wish we had a Cafe Express in LR but it will never happen. Anybody who knows what Cafe Express is (you will Apork), is there a place in LR that is comparable?

And thats something else about people camping out for Chik-fil-a. I never thought they were that good.

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And thats something else about people camping out for Chik-fil-a. I never thought they were that good.

If I'm not mistaken, they camp out there because the first 100 people (or something similar) to patronize a new location get free chicken for a year...something along those lines.

I'll have to say, the location (relatively dense urban area) and style/decor of the new Chik-fil-a across from Park Plaza is nice. Very busy...just adds to the vibrancy of the area...even though it is a chain.

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Sorry about the Chik-fil-a thing, people. I was just recounting what a friend saw.

Also, Chipotle is nowhere near the same as Qdoba. I went to that one in Fayeteville; not the same.

Never been to Qdoba but Chipotle IS good. I'd still give my preference to Flying Burrito unless they've gone into the crapper.

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Chik-Fil-A also has a Bryant location, in addition to the Little Rock and Conway locations. Glad to read about Jacksonville getting one, too.

Also, Flying Burrito Co. in Little Rock appears to be doing fair, if quiet in relation to much of the River Market. It's a good bargain, both on food and drinks. They get creative, too

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Agreed. NWA feels so cookie-cutter; that's just the culture up there.

One of my friends at Fayetteville told me that a Chik-fil-a just opened up there, and people were camping out (literally, tents and all) to get the first chicken. Now that's just ridiculous.

Although I very rarely frequent chains, I do have a soft spot for Chipotle and wish we had one here.

That's really, really funny. I was in Fayettville over break, and I was invited (somewhat joshingly) to camp out for the new Chik-fil-A. They give out, I think, a year's worth of free chik-fil-a food to the first 5 in line. Or is it a life-time supply? I forget.

edit// whoops, guess architect said that already.

There's a Chik-Fil-A location coming to Cornerstone in Hot Springs, where Fazoli's used to be.

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That's really, really funny. I was in Fayettville over break, and I was invited (somewhat joshingly) to camp out for the new Chik-fil-A. They give out, I think, a year's worth of free chik-fil-a food to the first 5 in line. Or is it a life-time supply? I forget.

edit// whoops, guess architect said that already.

There's a Chik-Fil-A location coming to Cornerstone in Hot Springs, where Fazoli's used to be.

Did all the Fazoli's close? The one on Chenal closed. Fast food italian has to be decent, and I didn't think it was all that great, except for the bread sticks (though our boys really like it).

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Did all the Fazoli's close? The one on Chenal closed. Fast food italian has to be decent, and I didn't think it was all that great, except for the bread sticks (though our boys really like it).

Yeah, I was sad to see that. The food was average but when you have kids, it's nice to have a change from typical fast food.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I thought those two towers were seperate from University Mall. When I drove by last night they didn't look abandoned.

Yeah, I'm pretty positive that the property bordering Markham wasn't a part of the deal. Furthermore, if the high-rise was purchased, I'd hate to see it torn down...renovated, yes. That type of structure (along with many others) is what gives that portion of University Avenue the most urban, high-density character in the state short of downtown Little Rock.

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Arkansas Business is reporting that 'Four Panera Bread Locations Headed for LR.'

"Specific sites have not been selected yet," said company spokesman Andrew Carlson.

I am assuming Park Avenue would get one of these.

Very, very good. Those are nice restaurants, and will be a nice break from the typical quick-stop/fast-food choices we currently have. I've been curious why they haven't appeared before now since they've been in NWA for quite some time. The most similar venue currently in the market is San Francisco Bread Company.

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