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Restaurant Development in NW Arkansas


mcheiss

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Actually...Bentonville does collect a restaurant tax unless they just stopped recently. Rogers and Springdale don't but Bentonville is closer to Fayetteville's economic level than the other two cities. Rogers and Springdale do collect a motel tax and Springdale just recently raised theirs to the level of the other cities.

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Panera Bread is building a new location next to Krispy Kreme in Bentonville.  I'm not sure if they are closing the other location or not, but my bet is that they have a need for 2 locations.  And this new location will have a drive-thru.  Great news as all these restaurants are popping up everywhere.  I bet we continue to see that happen as the anticipation of Crystal Bridges opens in November.

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There is alot of room for expansion for Panera Bread in NWA.  The Fayetteville location seems to be packed for hours around lunch time and that is with Atlanta Bread Co nearby.  I'm surprised they have not added a location on MLK Blvd or even closer to campus. Another Bentonville or Rogers location would do decent as well.  I don't really know how well they do with dinner service, as I've always thought of it as a lunch place.

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This information is second-hand, but I believe the old Panera location is closing. My friend who goes there every Saturday said the changeover will happen in October, with a few days in between the closing of the old, and the opening of the new.

They are definitely closing the old one and expanding the new location in addition to having the Drive-through.

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  • 2 weeks later...

New Arsaga's is coming to downtown in the former site of Habibi Houkah bar behind the old train station. This is a neat building--went in the other day. Should be a plus.

Interesting. I hadn't really thought of it but yeah sorta surprised they hadn't really ever tried a location around the Dickson St area yet. Granted there's one inside the Fayetteville Public Library that isn't too far away. But I don't think either one is going to take away business from the other though.

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Tavola Trattoria, the sister restaurant to Table Mesa in Bentonville, is fantastic. We had dinner there last night, and were happy to find the same impressive attention to flavor and creativity in their Italian offerings that is found in their Mexican fusion cuisine. I highly recommend the crab ravioli; just be aware the portions aren't huge. The great food, trendy-ish atmosphere and quick service, combined with the First Friday on the Square happenings made for a great evening. I can't believe how Bentonville is evolving.

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  • 3 weeks later...

We went to The Legacy Blues on Saturday night for dinner. Nice idea but lots of problems. Summary: Grubs atmosphere and service with Theor's pricing. Definitely NOT in the Theo's/Bordino's league from a quality of delivery or facility standpoint. Food was very good and very expensive--$28 fish and $35 steaks--but presentation marginal. We arrived to see poorly arranged tables on the patio, each with an overflowing ashtray. There were two hostesses (dunno why). The server had a T-shirt on. The room could be beautiful--high ceilings and interesting walls with a nice terrace--but we immediately noticed vinyl tablecloths and silverware wrapped with a paper napkin. Cardboard boxes in plain view in main dining room. Two-person blues group with old bass player who I was worried about keeling over right there. Food was very good--tho plated oddly. Sides come on tiny dishes instead on plate. Salad was enormous. First the server brought us two saucers to eat it from--the salad could have filled those plates 20 times. Then she came back with one larger plate and two other tiny plates. Odd place--needs some management.

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In the out-of-the-way department - looks like west Bella Vista (the "Gravette" side of BV) is about to get its second non-chain sit-down restaurant after Duffer's on Lancashire. Verde Limon Mexican restaurant is getting ready to open in the Highlands Village complex north of the Lancashire/Forest Hills crossing. I, for one, am looking forward to trying it out.

(UPDATE AS I WENT THERE TONIGHT - THEIR SECOND ONE IN BUSINESS).

(PSSST - Hey, President Obama. You want a "jobs plan"? I've got one for you. Let people open up businesses that have products people are actually clamoring to buy.

Went to Verde Limon in sparsely-restauranted west Bella Vista (Highlands/the "Gravette School District" area). Good grief. This place is like the Bentonville Beef O'Brady's...a nice restaurant that serves booze in an otherwise see-through office building. Actually, the Highlands Crossing, unlike where Beef O'Brady's shares space with only a donut shoppe (if that's still there) actually has some businesses - an Edward Jones office, a dog grooming place, a beauty parlor and a Subway (there may still be the BV Montessori school there in the back).

MAN, was it busy. Where two days ago at 7:00 there would have been emptiness, I saw what had to be 20-40 vehicles. The hostess told me they were lined up at the door when the mexican restaurant opened earlier this evening. The food was nice - I only had salsa and cheese dip and it reminded me of Acambaro, not that there's anything wrong there. The decor? Green, in small-warehouse sized quantities, with ultra-modern-style fixtures including the most unusual sink I've seen in a restaurant bathroom as well as a chandelier whose crystals drape 3/4 of the way to the floor (not joking), plus TVs galore including a 4-view security video monitor at the front desk.

Anyway, long story short, somebody built this, and the customers are coming. I expect that place will be there until The Lord returns - these type restaurants have staying power - and in disposable-cash-flush Bella Vista Highlands people appreciate not having to drive several miles for Mexican food anymore.)

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What happened to Savor? I saw that Mermaid's is taking over their location... Thanks!

Despite seeing all those commercials on tv apparently Savor has closed. Guess the tv ads were a last ditch effort to get people in. I hope Mermaids is able to to well in that spot. But just seems like that spot tends to be a bad spot to locate and few have had much luck there. Although Savor did manage to last there for a while.

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Despite seeing all those commercials on tv apparently Savor has closed. Guess the tv ads were a last ditch effort to get people in. I hope Mermaids is able to to well in that spot. But just seems like that spot tends to be a bad spot to locate and few have had much luck there. Although Savor did manage to last there for a while.

The location is bad--off the road--but Savor was a terrible restaurant. A lot of folks said the location where Sassy's is was cursed, too, after Lulu's Fish Shack and the other place before it went belly up. But Sassy's has a good product and is doing very well there.

Mermaids is fairly mediocre but consistent and they do have a loyal following, particularly at lunch. So they may do OK there.

Mark

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Looks like Bob Evans Country Store and Restaurant is coming to Rogers. They are buying property adjacent to Red Robin on Walnut.

OK I have to admit...I squealed like a little girl when I read this. I grew up in OH, the birthplace of Bob Evans, and have even been to Bob Evans No. 1, a cool retro place in Gallipolis, OH. If this is true, love it. If it is a joke, it's a cruel one.

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I ate at savor a few months ago and we were the only table the waitress had. I asked her about it and she said the place was packed almost every night and the night I was there was just especially slow...so you can imagine my surprise to see it closed.

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OK I have to admit...I squealed like a little girl when I read this. I grew up in OH, the birthplace of Bob Evans, and have even been to Bob Evans No. 1, a cool retro place in Gallipolis, OH. If this is true, love it. If it is a joke, it's a cruel one.

The plumbing permit has been purchased and approved. Done deal...

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  • 4 weeks later...

The restaurant Eleven at Crystal Bridges is in a very prominent space in the museum. It is directly ahead as you walk in the lobby. It has to be in the coolest room of any restaurant I've ever been to. A rolling ceiling and glass on both sides. There are some pics up at http://www.ozarkecho.com/?p=2325 , the third pic is Eleven.

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