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Grand Rapids Restaurant Rumor Mill


dbrok

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The management was incredibly, absurdly, incompetent...

Are you saying the rich son of a rich west michigan man was incompotent, and said son had zero business acumen, experience, or talent, and was only there because of who his dad was... :dontknow:

Yeah, nice idea - lets have a $2,000/person VIP section, so me and my other trust fund friends can have an area to look down on the common people, and then lets charge $8 cover, and have overpriced drinks.

Yes, the management was terrible, but so is the idea of a loud "trance" club.

Edited by NorthEnder
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Yeah, nice idea - lets have a $2,000/person VIP section, so me and my other trust fund friends can have an area to look down on the common people, and then lets charge $8 cover, and have overpriced drinks.

Have you been to any of the popular New York and/or Chicago bars lately? It isn't uncommon for them to require you to spend thousands of dollars in booze before you can reserve a table and most of them are all above the common floor area and in my opinion all have over priced drinks. To me it just sounds like it is becoming the growing standard in larger cities. Grand Rapids, might not be large enough yet, but don't kid yourself that this doesn't happen in other cities around the world

Yes, the management was terrible, but so is the idea of a loud "trance" club.

What is wrong with "trance" clubs? If it isn't your type of music you don't have to frequent the establishment. I may not be a fan of country music but I wouldn't say that there couldn't be one in downtown. <_<

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Have you been to any of the popular New York and/or Chicago bars lately? It isn't uncommon for them to require you to spend thousands of dollars in booze before you can reserve a table and most of them are all above the common floor area and in my opinion all have over priced drinks. To me it just sounds like it is becoming the growing standard in larger cities. Grand Rapids, might not be large enough yet, but don't kid yourself that this doesn't happen in other cities around the world

Right right, but this is Grand Rapids we're talking about.

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That sounds like a perfect location for a such a club. Wonder why it failed.

That place has been like four different clubs since the conversion of that warehouse. It has nice ambiance though. But trying to capture the exclusivity niche market in Grand Rapids would be better centered downtown, if there even is an exclusive niche market at all.

I believe it's just the nature of the GR bar scene, and truthfully the industry in general. It's not uncommon for night clubs to change names, ownership, and themes on a cyclical basis. There are a few spots that have lasted everything else rotates. (Anyone else remember the "bucking beaver, and the eight different things it was before and until the place burnt to the ground?) Same goes for McFaddens, used to be Tiki's before that it was something else. Monti's opens and closes alot. Just the nature, i'm sure you'll see the clubs opening and closing more in the future.

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That place has been like four different clubs since the conversion of that warehouse. It has nice ambiance though. But trying to capture the exclusivity niche market in Grand Rapids would be better centered downtown, if there even is an exclusive niche market at all.

I believe it's just the nature of the GR bar scene, and truthfully the industry in general. It's not uncommon for night clubs to change names, ownership, and themes on a cyclical basis. There are a few spots that have lasted everything else rotates. (Anyone else remember the "bucking beaver, and the eight different things it was before and until the place burnt to the ground?) Same goes for McFaddens, used to be Tiki's before that it was something else. Monti's opens and closes alot. Just the nature, i'm sure you'll see the clubs opening and closing more in the future.

You are very right, It's not uncommon for places to change names/themes every 3-6 years to keep the "excitment". It happens a lot, not just here in Grand Rapids. A place may "appear" to change owners but in reality the same holding company still controls it.

As for the Trance/House bar idea flopping, I disagree. Any time there's a house show at the Intersection it's packed, Crush has also had a pretty good run with similar music. Did the Stack close? Yes, but you have to realize something. The place is HUGE. In order to make it look busy, you have to have a LOT of people through the door consistantly. That's hard to do. I think on a smaller scale such as the property in question (especially if it's 1/2 of the floor space) would work fine. If your capacity is 50-150 people it's easy to keep it "busy" and the place to be. People don't want to hang out someplace that looks empty.

I also would guess it may not be ear drum ringingly loud, but more of a "chill" place. Ultra Lounge style. Just my thoughts.

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That place has been like four different clubs since the conversion of that warehouse. It has nice ambiance though. But trying to capture the exclusivity niche market in Grand Rapids would be better centered downtown, if there even is an exclusive niche market at all.

I believe it's just the nature of the GR bar scene, and truthfully the industry in general. It's not uncommon for night clubs to change names, ownership, and themes on a cyclical basis. There are a few spots that have lasted everything else rotates. (Anyone else remember the "bucking beaver, and the eight different things it was before and until the place burnt to the ground?) Same goes for McFaddens, used to be Tiki's before that it was something else. Monti's opens and closes alot. Just the nature, i'm sure you'll see the clubs opening and closing more in the future.

The "warehouse" was the boiler buildiing for the American Seating Co complex. One of the problems with both the Stack & Level was you needed a map to find the place & the front door :whistling: It''s one the the better hidden places in town. Signage was and is attrociuous. The parking lot has almost no lighting :wacko: , not very inviting at all.

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Drink prices are impressive, too. $1.50 PBR and Moosehead, wines starting at $3.00, $2.50 wells, $3.25 "mid shelf" and $3.75 premium mixed drinks. These are the prices ALL the time. They put up a ton of new TVs, they have PlayStations and XBoxes for people to rent, a jukebox, and he said they'll be having live music on the weekend.

So my wife and I went to OT for drinks last night. I immediately asked which drafts were $1.00 (per their website) and was told that happy hour ends at 7pm. That's fine, I figured Moosehead and PBR would be $1.50. When I got the bill they were $3.25 each, just like the Bud Light my wife was drinking. What gives???

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So my wife and I went to OT for drinks last night. I immediately asked which drafts were $1.00 (per their website) and was told that happy hour ends at 7pm. That's fine, I figured Moosehead and PBR would be $1.50. When I got the bill they were $3.25 each, just like the Bud Light my wife was drinking. What gives???

What in the world! I made sure to ask the guy (more than once, actually) if the prices he said were the prices ALL the time, and he assured me they were.

The ONLY thing I can think of is that Ottawa Tavern hasn't 100% officially "launched" yet. Those times/prices sound exactly like Bite's routine. I think they were shooting to go live on Tuesday night, but maybe they've delayed it a day or two.

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Wow, thats good news. I love San Chez, and it will be nice to get some of the traditional San Chez fare when at Mezze. That is rocking. Eagle... you know if that's happening within the month? Or further out then that?

I thought they said it would be this week already.

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I thought they said it would be this week already.

When I ate at San Chez Sunday evening, the server asked us to be patient, since it was their first day with the new combined menu (had the Moroccan spiced Swordfish -- delicious!)

Edited by destijl
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That place has been like four different clubs since the conversion of that warehouse. It has nice ambiance though. But trying to capture the exclusivity niche market in Grand Rapids would be better centered downtown, if there even is an exclusive niche market at all.

My favorite was the period when they had it a sports bar....until 9 p.m. then it became a dance club. WHAT THE HELL? So you're going to have people watching games, then halfway through the game....sorry! Time to turn the game off and blast the hip-hop!

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BLOOM opens March 1st in a very nicely renovated space at 962 Cherry, previously occupied by Rap&Roll (previousy previously Sons and Daughters bookstore). Check it out when you're out walking.

(No menu in sight yet).

I walked by there this weekend on my way to the Gaia and checked it out/picked up a menu. The place seemed pretty cool--very modern decor and interesting menu. The guy behind the counter called it "progressive American" (at least I think that's what he said). If anybody tries this place out, please let me know how it was. I'm going to try to grab some dinner there this weekend.

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I think Level is now called Red Star. I think that's bar number 4 or 5 for that location since I turned 21.. (I'm only 25).

Have you seen the billboard on i-196W between market and the 1st grandville exit, that is just of a red-star. I wonder if it's related.

Says nothing, just has a red star.

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I walked by there this weekend on my way to the Gaia and checked it out/picked up a menu. The place seemed pretty cool--very modern decor and interesting menu. The guy behind the counter called it "progressive American" (at least I think that's what he said). If anybody tries this place out, please let me know how it was. I'm going to try to grab some dinner there this weekend.

We had dinner at Bloom this past Saturday and were impressed. Good standards artfully prepared. I'm excited to have them within walking distance of the new place. We had a very good time.

No liquor license (see other thread) but they're working on it.

Bloom is a good new venture that deserves our support.

Everybody go!

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Have you seen the billboard on i-196W between market and the 1st grandville exit, that is just of a red-star. I wonder if it's related.

Says nothing, just has a red star.

Wouldn't suprise me, I think I saw another one too, just can't remember where (or maybe it was the same thing) and thought the same thing (maybe it was on a Level employees T-shirt).

I do know they started Demo work on Level on Sunday.

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