Restaurant Development in NW Arkansas

[JamesE]

We are right in the middle of the Bible Belt so public disapproval of anything that might be seen as risque is a given. Now what goes on when folks aren't in public is another matter. ha

 

A lot of people thought the same thing when Hooters went in, and they did brisk business for years. Plenty of folks to both the left and right will disapprove, but not enough to prevent such a business from being successful.  There's definitely a niche for this type of buisness, especially in/near a college town and near so many corporate HQs.  For every liberal who thinks it's sexist and every Bible Belter who thinks it's wicked, there's two well-off frat guys, an out-of-town businessman and a couple of Fortune 500 managers hanging out with his golf buddies whom are more than willing to pay high prices for mediocre food and bland beer, all for the sake of oglying ample mammaries.  And if the food is actually good, then it will do even better.

[aerotive]

Is that still happening?  I remember thinking it was supposed to open in August. 

 

Supposed to be, was told they are starting to staff up.

[comreguy]

Supposed to be, was told they are starting to staff up.

Under construction now and looks like a late November/ early December opening

A lot of people thought the same thing when Hooters went in, and they did brisk business for years. Plenty of folks to both the left and right will disapprove, but not enough to prevent such a business from being successful.  There's definitely a niche for this type of buisness, especially in/near a college town and near so many corporate HQs.  For every liberal who thinks it's sexist and every Bible Belter who thinks it's wicked, there's two well-off frat guys, an out-of-town businessman and a couple of Fortune 500 managers hanging out with his golf buddies whom are more than willing to pay high prices for mediocre food and bland beer, all for the sake of oglying ample mammaries.  And if the food is actually good, then it will do even better.

 

Agree with this...Good food and good service, and people will come regardless of the concept. Bad food and bad service, and they won't.

[UrbanArkie]

Remember Kirby's. I think that was a religiously managed establishment. Great food, but for some reason didn't last. The crying of Bible Belt sometimes boggles me.

I think that historically, the NWA culture as a whole doesn't seem to socialize much. I do think that culture is changing, but still exists.

And I feel that culture is what poisons many businesses that cant keep open.

Personally, I think Twin Peaks will do Great. Not that I will be a patron, like I am not one at JJ's either. But it will ease congestion there, and probably some of the other restaurants I like to go to on Friday nights.

[JamesE]

Remember Kirby's. I think that was a religiously managed establishment. Great food, but for some reason didn't last. The crying of Bible Belt sometimes boggles me.

I think that historically, the NWA culture as a whole doesn't seem to socialize much. I do think that culture is changing, but still exists.

And I feel that culture is what poisons many businesses that cant keep open.

Personally, I think Twin Peaks will do Great. Not that I will be a patron, like I am not one at JJ's either. But it will ease congestion there, and probably some of the other restaurants I like to go to on Friday nights.

 

Kirby's wound up on the wrong side of the intersection after all the development by the mall went in - nothing has succeeded at that location since.  Marketplace Grill also took away a lot of Kirby's clientele after they opened; the founder of Marketplace started off as a Kirby's employee.  Kirby himself has done very well with Noodles, but of course they do serve beer & wine.  Kirby tried a Marketplace Express-style fast casual restaurant called Bizzy's that served beer over on Mission & Crossover; they did well for a number of years, then tanked during the recession.  Briefly Kirby rebranded itself as Austin's at their original location and they served beer & wine, but they didn't last long.  Marketplace still has a no alchohol policy and they've stayed in business thus far. 

[TRB]

You can't blame it on location, Panera sees plenty of traffic. Shorty Small's closed as the whole chain went through major trouble. The Friday's fought with It's neighbor flowing onto it's parking lot and the fact that I've heard the franchise holder for this area is one of the worst. I am shocked that Chili's hasn't relocated and it seems Colton's is always deserted. Must be a brisk lunch traffic there that I never see. The Texas de Brazil knockoff seemed to suffer from no one seeing it the most but Red Robin seems to do well. I remember when Noodles first opened and my wife and I were convinced they were knocking Zio's all the way down to the wait staff writing their names on brown paper but it's elvolved into something different at the newer location.

[UrbanArkie]

The only thing I really miss about the old Noodles was the lower prices. Same with Napoli's in Rogers.

 

There are some other sites that have never done well that I know of in Rogers besides where Coltons is now.

Where Chutney's is now has been thru a lot of businesses. The old Pizza Hut on 8th by the high school. Where Number 1 Buffett used to be. Personally I don't think location can be held as blame, but those sites compete with my opinion.

[comreguy]

Dixie Café in Fayetteville has closed their doors for good...

[TRB]

Shocked that didn't happen years ago. You can't blame location either with Red Lobster next door.

[zman9810]

I agree it isn't a surprise- they were never busy unless a group made a stop. It was good for a comfort food fix though. So where is a good place to go for a chicken fried steak and veggies now? Oh yeah- got to have sweet tea, also.

[JamesE]

I agree it isn't a surprise- they were never busy unless a group made a stop. It was good for a comfort food fix though. So where is a good place to go for a chicken fried steak and veggies now? Oh yeah- got to have sweet tea, also.

 

Try Neil's for chicken fried steak. It's practically the only reason for a Fayettevillian to ever venture north to Chickendale.

[strmchsr77]

That leaves at least 4 decent restaurant buildings within walking distance of each other (Dixie, Buck Crossing/Ryans, Sumo/Fudruckers, and the Brazilian Steak place).  I would have to say that the Sumo or Dixie Café buildings have the best access.  Hopefully a decent restaurant will pick one of these locations up soon...I don't even care if its a chain.

[TRB]

The road that dead ends at Red Robin is one day suppose to cross over the creek and meet the service road that Dixie and Red Lobster are on. I could see a hotel going in there by combining those two lots. Another thing to consider in that area is one day it bet Vantage will be extended and tie into the flyover.

[comreguy]

The road that dead ends at Red Robin is one day suppose to cross over the creek and meet the service road that Dixie and Red Lobster are on. I could see a hotel going in there by combining those two lots. Another thing to consider in that area is one day it bet Vantage will be extended and tie into the flyover.

 

The city should have put money into this road connection years ago. Restaurants are a huge generator of sales tax dollars and having this many "dead" buildings does not look good. Their biggest challenges are access. The flyover will help.

 

When extra money was available for road improvement projects, the city had a few options they were considering to fast track. They decided a beautification of a stretch of College Avenue (near Sassy's) was better than adding a bridge to connect the Red Robin area to the Red Lobster area. They chose College Ave. Which do you think would spur more activity and sales tax dollars?

[JamesE]

The city should have put money into this road connection years ago. Restaurants are a huge generator of sales tax dollars and having this many "dead" buildings does not look good. Their biggest challenges are access. The flyover will help.

 

When extra money was available for road improvement projects, the city had a few options they were considering to fast track. They decided a beautification of a stretch of College Avenue (near Sassy's) was better than adding a bridge to connect the Red Robin area to the Red Lobster area. They chose College Ave. Which do you think would spur more activity and sales tax dollars?

 

I'm sure ward politics had something to do with the decision; a lot of road improvement money has been spent in recent years in the north part of town with other areas coming up short.

 

I think a lot of the problem with these dead restraurant locations is that we simply have too many restraurants in too small of a space with many of them selling the same type of food; uptown isn't very convenient for lots of people on the west, south, central and east sides.  I think an enterprising owner could make a killing on the southside where there's practically nothing to compete against, aside from the half-dozen or so fast food chicken places in a row on MLK.

[wmr]

I think an enterprising owner could make a killing on the southside where there's practically nothing to compete against, aside from the half-dozen or so fast food chicken places in a row on MLK.

 

I agree with this and have thought this for years. A Buffalo Wild Wings or something along MLK would do very well.  The demographics down there are much more favorable than they were even five years ago.

[TRB]

I agree, I think Ruby Tuesday would have nealry doubled its business by locating on the east side of the exchange. A Cheddars would kill.

[strmchsr77]

So from the 6th street thread, it appears that Whataburger will be making it's way into the Metro.  One location on 6th (MLK) sounds like it's a go.  A friend mentioned that they are also looking to redo the NE corner of College and Joyce.  Chipotle and Whataburger are looking to put locations there as well, I have not heard any confirmation on this but it would be a pretty good spot for redevelopment.

On another note, I'd love to see a Pei Wei go in somewhere in Uptown Fayetteville.

[wmr]

The NE corner of College & Joyce is a highly visible spot, but man, its a pain to get in and out of.  I'd like to see it redeveloped, though.  

[TRB]

The NE corner of College & Joyce is a highly visible spot, but man, its a pain to get in and out of.  I'd like to see it redeveloped, though.  

 

 

Could you see another development like Nelson's Crossing if the redevelopment included the old IBM building. What's the occupancy rate of that building? It seems empty and has been for a while.

[comreguy]

Could you see another development like Nelson's Crossing if the redevelopment included the old IBM building. What's the occupancy rate of that building? It seems empty and has been for a while.

 

That building was recently remodeled, so not likely that it is going anywhere.

[zman9810]

It's encouraging to hear that some of the food trailers in Fayetteville are moving on to brick and mortar locations. It seemed as though the food trailers were simply an attempt to gain an advantage on more conventional means of being in the food service sector but maybe there is a place for them. Hopefully the City will keep a close eye out for those food vendors who are only out to make a quick buck without being a full contributing member of the local food service industry.

[TRB]

It's encouraging to hear that some of the food trailers in Fayetteville are moving on to brick and mortar locations. It seemed as though the food trailers were simply an attempt to gain an advantage on more conventional means of being in the food service sector but maybe there is a place for them. Hopefully the City will keep a close eye out for those food vendors who are only out to make a quick buck without being a full contributing member of the local food service industry.

cough "shaved Ice" cough

[zman9810]

Oh yeah, good point. Shaved ice are one of seasonal venues that always work.

[TRB]

Oh yeah, good point. Shaved ice are one of seasonal venues that always work.

 

 

I actually agree with Tracy Hoskins argument about them competing with brick and mortar like his Maggie Moo's. I don't want them outlawed but I think he makes very valid arguments considering they pop up at the same locations every year like a semi permanent business without the property tax issues and such. I like the idea of the place there on College where the group of airstreams are but the property owner should put in permanent things like restrooms, I consider those trailers different from food trucks that drive home every day and the goal of those should always be to evolve into brick and mortar.