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Restaurant Development in NW Arkansas


mcheiss

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I thought they said that after announcing the Fayetteville location they had intentions on a Benton County location.

According to a Morning News article from 2005:

TGIF

Fayetteville diners will have another reason to go to Steele Crossing for a meal after a franchiser opens a TGIFriday's.

Stephen Bell, president of Tricorp Management Company, said Tricorp has a contract to buy two acres of land in Steele Crossing. The TGIFriday's site is adjacent to Logan's Roadhouse and across from the Olive Garden.

Bell said TGIFriday's plans are working through city channels and Tricorp has applied for a liquor permit from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

Tricorp operates four other TGIFriday's within easy driving distance of Northwest Arkansas. They include two locations in Tulsa, one in Springfield, Mo. and one in Fort Smith.

The Fayetteville location will be Tricorp's 12th TGIFriday's, Bell said.

He has not yet bid the restaurant and was reluctant to divulge construction and land costs.

However, Bell estimated the TGIFriday's will open with 100 employees and whittle from there once restaurant managers gauge the flow of normal dining traffic.

"We usually end up with a staff of 60 to 70," Bell said, with about 20 to 25 full-time employees and the rest part-time.

"We think the demographics and the area suits our concept, so we are looking forward to opening in Fayetteville," Bell said.

Exploding population and the draw of customers from the entire two-county area of Northwest Arkansas convinced Tricorp to open a TGIFriday's in Fayetteville, Bell said.

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I keep hearing bad things about Powerhouse having problems. I've heard some of their checks have started bouncing. The weird thing is that there really isn't any new chains that would be cutting into their business. Red Lobster is the only chain seafood place I know of and it's certainly not new.

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Are there any more seafood restaurants in Downtown Fayetteville?

I seem to remember hearing about how Powerhouse was having tax problems as well.

Not that I really recall. I guess that's one of the reasons I'm a bit surprised to hear it's having problems, I just don't see much competition. There's Mermaids but it's really not very close. Of course there are restaurants that serve seafood but don't focus on it, unless some of those types of restaurants are drawing people away or something.

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Hey Masonsdad, do you know where these new Sizzlers are going?

Not at all. What you must realize is that this article has nothing to do with Northwest Arkansas, yet out of all the possible places that could have been mentioned for new Sizzlers the first one that was mentioned is Northwest Arkansas.

Ken Cole, Sizzler's president and chief executive, said new domestic growth will aim not only to backfill Sizzler's primary markets in California but also to break into new territories east of the Rocky Mountains. For example, one agreement, with new franchisee Mitchell Family Properties LLC, includes three Sizzler restaurants planned for Northwest Arkansas.

It's intersting that of all the locations east of the Rocky Mountains, Northwest Arkansas was the first they would mention... not Dallas, Tulsa, Springfield or Little Rock!

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Not at all. What you must realize is that this article has nothing to do with Northwest Arkansas, yet out of all the possible places that could have been mentioned for new Sizzlers the first one that was mentioned is Northwest Arkansas.

It's intersting that of all the locations east of the Rocky Mountains, Northwest Arkansas was the first they would mention... not Dallas, Tulsa, Springfield or Little Rock!

Maybe we're finally getting more attention and getting noticed. I know we've been on the map for a little while but it still hasn't necessarily helped in getting some businesses and such to open anything here.

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Maybe we're finally getting more attention and getting noticed. I know we've been on the map for a little while but it still hasn't necessarily helped in getting some businesses and such to open anything here.

Has anyone heard of any locally owned restaurants going in north of 412. It's wonderful that the area has reached a population that can support 3 Sizzlers. Yet, besides in Fayetteville, you never really hear of local restaurants filling up the space in all those wonderful new commercial developments up north. Somebody please tell me that they are not all national chain restaurants!

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Hey Masonsdad, do you know where these new Sizzlers are going?

I had a chance meeting last week with a member of the family that is putting in the Sizzler restaurants in NWA. I had a rather long conversation with this person as I was not familiar with Sizzler's before that point. I was told that the first Sizzler is all ready well under construction on 412 W in Springdale and should be ready by late spring/early summer (they did mention the exact location, but I don't recall what it was--seems like they said somewhere around the Neighborhood Market). They also said the other 2 Sizzlers would go in Fayetteville and Rogers/Bentonville. They told me they had all ready secured prime Benton County property for the 2nd Sizzler. I will see this person again next week and inquire as to the exact locations.

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Has anyone heard of any locally owned restaurants going in north of 412. It's wonderful that the area has reached a population that can support 3 Sizzlers. Yet, besides in Fayetteville, you never really hear of local restaurants filling up the space in all those wonderful new commercial developments up north. Somebody please tell me that they are not all national chain restaurants!

There are a lot of locally owned restaurants in Benton County that are not national chains. The newest being, off the top of my head, The Sanctuary and The Plaza in Bentonville. I believe they're locally owned. There are also locally owned Chinese and Thai restaurants opening in Rogers and Bentonville... I can't think of the names off the top of my head.

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I had a chance meeting last week with a member of the family that is putting in the Sizzler restaurants in NWA. I had a rather long conversation with this person as I was not familiar with Sizzler's before that point. I was told that the first Sizzler is all ready well under construction on 412 W in Springdale and should be ready by late spring/early summer (they did mention the exact location, but I don't recall what it was--seems like they said somewhere around the Neighborhood Market). They also said the other 2 Sizzlers would go in Fayetteville and Rogers/Bentonville. They told me they had all ready secured prime Benton County property for the 2nd Sizzler. I will see this person again next week and inquire as to the exact locations.

Thanks for the insider info OnDickson! I've eaten at Sizzler in California and they're similar to Western Sizzlin... being a buffet-style restaurant that specializes in steak and baked potatoes. My wife and I eat at Western Sizzlin in Springdale quite often and the idea of a nicer Sizzler coming to Benton County is wonderful. From what I understand the new Sizzlers will be a new format with less emphasis on the buffet and more emphasis on seafood specials and a more "upscale" look.

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Has anyone heard of any locally owned restaurants going in north of 412. It's wonderful that the area has reached a population that can support 3 Sizzlers. Yet, besides in Fayetteville, you never really hear of local restaurants filling up the space in all those wonderful new commercial developments up north. Somebody please tell me that they are not all national chain restaurants!

Yeah I know what you mean. Masons_dad1 mentioned a couple that I was going to mention and there are some more but I don't recall them offhand either. But Benton County isn't quite like Fayetteville and doesn't seem to have as many local restaurants. But I guess in some ways it makes sense, it probably takes a while for someone local to get a restaurant going. It's a lot faster and easier for a chain to come in and put something in. Then of course someone local then has to worry about competing against a restaurant with a well established name and so on. I've mentioned this before but I still get a bit worried about Fayetteville in this aspect. Sure we have a nice amount of local restaurants but I wonder how they're faring against all the chain opening up here as well.

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Another thing to consider is some of the local restaurants in Fayetteville will be packing up and moving to Benton County sooner or later. It's all about the money and the money is in Benton County. I'm sorry if this sounds mean but companies are already moving from Fayetteville to Rogers and Bentonville so it only makes sense that when more shopping centers are completed up here more will move.

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I had a chance meeting last week with a member of the family that is putting in the Sizzler restaurants in NWA. I had a rather long conversation with this person as I was not familiar with Sizzler's before that point. I was told that the first Sizzler is all ready well under construction on 412 W in Springdale and should be ready by late spring/early summer (they did mention the exact location, but I don't recall what it was--seems like they said somewhere around the Neighborhood Market). They also said the other 2 Sizzlers would go in Fayetteville and Rogers/Bentonville. They told me they had all ready secured prime Benton County property for the 2nd Sizzler. I will see this person again next week and inquire as to the exact locations.

Thanks OnDickson.

I kind of figured they would go in this way, but I wasn't sure. If I had to guess, I think the Sizzler going in Benton County will more than likely go in Bentonville. Just a Hunch.

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Another thing to consider is some of the local restaurants in Fayetteville will be packing up and moving to Benton County sooner or later. It's all about the money and the money is in Benton County. I'm sorry if this sounds mean but companies are already moving from Fayetteville to Rogers and Bentonville so it only makes sense that when more shopping centers are completed up here more will move.

Yeah some businesses have moved although I think the way the area is growing soon we can start having locations in both counties for most places.

I heard a sushi place up in Benton County is closed for the time being because of a salmonella outbreak. Anyone heard anything about this?

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Yeah some businesses have moved although I think the way the area is growing soon we can start having locations in both counties for most places.

I heard a sushi place up in Benton County is closed for the time being because of a salmonella outbreak. Anyone heard anything about this?

Yeah, a guy I work with got salmonella as well as his family. He's not suing the restaurant, but he and his family are 4 of the confirmed salmonella cases. It's called Sushi King.

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I haven't been yet but I've been hearing good things about a local Italian place near Dickson St. There was even an article in today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette about Teatro Scarpino. They've been having a jazz night once a week and sounds like they kight be trying to expand on that. Aside from an occasional performance at the Walton Arts Center I can't think of any other place that offers jazz performances on a regular basis. Sounds like a great place to watch and listen to some live jazz including some local performers.

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I also forgot to mention a couple of things. First there was also a mention in the paper about Cafe Rue Orleans here in Fayetteville celebrated it's 5 year anniversary just the other month. Nice to see a local place here that long. I didn't realize it had been here quite so long, maybe I've lost track of time.

And back on the issue of of chains and local restaurants I think eventually there will be more growth in the local restaurants. But for now it's a bit hard. With so many people moving into the area, in particular in Benton County most of these people are more lilely to go to the chains I think because they know what to expect from them. It usually takes more time for the local places to get to them by word of mouth. But as these newer residents are here for a while and get used to the area I think they'll also start supporting more local places as well.

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