Dying Restaurants

[bahmo]

I think that I can confirm the Mill's status as a chain. There was one in Gainesville in the early 90's (don't remember when it closed, nor do I know how long it was there before 1991) that was a lot like what is being described here.

CPA . . . brings back memories of when I first moved here in 97. I went there once but wasn't impressed. I guess I should have gone on one of the gay days, as I am sure that the music would have been better.

[south park county]

I read today in the Democrat that the Italian Pies closed because the owner had health issues.

[Florida]

Oh my. That's unfortunate.

[poonther]

That kind of decision is strange though, to consider that being closed would lose you less money than being open? Rent has to be a pretty high cost at that location.

That is exactly what I find odd too T-man. They had a write up about Cool Grindz in the Business Matters newspaper in this issue (TJ are you getting that paper yet?) and there they stated the downtown location will be closed for the summer and that they want to put as many as five locations in Tally.

I still think there's more to the Italian Pie story than personal or health issues. Looks like if the stores were profitable, the chain would have stepped in to run them and find new owners instead of closing them????

On another dying restaurant note, the Taco Bell on North Monroe has closed. Not that I ever ate there, but I believe this was the first location of Taco Hell in Tally and it's the only one in town (to my knowledge) that was in the old style adobe bldgs. I liked them much better than the new style generic bldgs.

[Glenn]

That is exactly what I find odd too T-man. They had a write up about Cool Grindz in the Business Matters newspaper in this issue (TJ are you getting that paper yet?) and there they stated the downtown location will be closed for the summer and that they want to put as many as five locations in Tally.

I still think there's more to the Italian Pie story than personal or health issues. Looks like if the stores were profitable, the chain would have stepped in to run them and find new owners instead of closing them????

On another dying restaurant note, the Taco Bell on North Monroe has closed. Not that I ever ate there, but I believe this was the first location of Taco Hell in Tally and it's the only one in town (to my knowledge) that was in the old style adobe bldgs. I liked them much better than the new style generic bldgs.

Cool Grindz shuttering their DT location for the Summer....very strange way to run a business!

Italian Pie...I feel the same as you Poonther. if they were doing that well then the corporate office, or else another franchisee, would have stepped in & kept them open. Also very strange!

Taco Bell....I too liked the old adobe style architecture of that North Monroe store but I hated that the bathrooms were out back & you had to go outside to get to them...weird! On another note, the owners of that property & the franchisee lives down in Palm Beach & also owns all the Bruegger's Bagels in town. I'll have to inquire as to why they closed the North Monroe store. I've never felt that any of their investments up here were very well run or managed as they try to do it all from down there so it doesn't surprise if it has closed & others may follow. Again, if they are really profitable then why doesn't corporate (Pepsico) or another franchisee step in & take them over????

[Florida]

I think you've pointed out a major reason why alot of local business don't last, and that being the owners/operators have no local ties, and therefore no genuine interest in seeing the company succeed. They don't make the investment in manpower or asthetics to warrant Tallahassee's support. Matter of fact, I'm starting to wonder who owns Gutherie's, because there is no way I would tollerate the way customer's are treated at the Tennessee Street store.

[AlaninTally]

Well I agree TJ...I do notice that a Tally version of a chain restaurant here usually differs drastically in service quality. I don't know if its due to the transitory nature of our service work force or what...

[SkyDave]

The Taco Bell most likely closed due to its close proximity to the newer location off North Monroe and I-10. The Taco Bell chain is owned and franchised by Yum Brands Inc. and not Pepsico. YUM Brands owns and franchises Pizza Hut, KFC, Long John Silvers, A&W, and Taco Bell. I am a shareholder Great stock!!!

[Florida]

Now that we know SkyDave is rich, we can hit him up for all of our sponsorship needs!

[thetoolman]

More dying restaurants reported in the Democrat today -

Gandolfo's New York Deli on West Tennessee and Ocala is closing and being replaced by Super Perros and Buffalo's American Grille in Market Street is closing, both because of low sales. Buffalo's is working on coming back to a new location soon.

Corner goes from Deli to Colombian

[BHCav]

More dying restaurants reported in the Democrat today -

Gandolfo's New York Deli on West Tennessee and Ocala is closing and being replaced by Super Perros and Buffalo's American Grille in Market Street is closing, both because of low sales. Buffalo's is working on coming back to a new location soon.

Corner goes from Deli to Colombian

I haven't been living in Tally that long (this is my third time though) and I have never heard of either of these restaurants before. A little advertising goes a long ways.

[Go Gators]

The one and only time I went to Buffalo's, I had bad service and even worse food. Never went back.

[DaiDreamer5]

I haven't been living in Tally that long (this is my third time though) and I have never heard of either of these restaurants before. A little advertising goes a long ways.

The location is awful. It is difficult to get in and out of and there are alot of more recognizable chains in the area.

If they want to put something there, they need to get rid of the building and re do the entrances so that it is easier to get to.

[insituphoto]

I still think there's more to the Italian Pie story than personal or health issues. Looks like if the stores were profitable, the chain would have stepped in to run them and find new owners instead of closing them????

Italian Pie corporate HQ was in New Orleans and most of their locations were in LA. I think Katrina may have a lot to do with the company's financial health as a whole.

[AlaninTally]

I am sure the Katrina factor played a role, but on the whole Italian Pie was not very successful in Tally tecause the quality of the food slid and the service was horrendous. It was particularly telling that when the Italian Pie opened its N Monroe location, you never got the sense the management was taking much of an active role in training. On one visit, the cook had walked out on the restaurant and it took the server over 45 minutes to clue us in to why the food was taking so long.

Here is what I think makes restaurants work in Tally:

1) Lunch - Tally workers love going out for lunch. If you open a restaurant in Tally, you better have a great lunch menu.

2) Reasonable prices - Tally hasn't embraced the cache of high end dining, but the restaurants we do have that serve quality higher end food(or at least the appearance of) like Food Glorious Food and Cypress serve it at a fairly decent price. The exception for me is Chez Pierre, which is vastly overrated.

3) Fast & Casual - our college population demands it

4) Beer & Sports - the hybrid sports bar/restaurant really works here. BW-3, Smokey Bonez, & Miller's Ale House

What's not making restaurants work in Tally:

1) Service - our servers don't earn their living being waiters. If they did, we would see more exceptional service

2) Atmosphere - More attention to detail and music

3) Follow-Thru - If you promise a unique dining experience, you better maintain that past the first two weeks of being open.

Anyone want to add?

[insituphoto]

3) Follow-Thru - If you promise a unique dining experience, you better maintain that past the first two weeks of being open.

Definitely. I've noticed that the first two or three weeks of a restaurant opening will make or break it. This town loves to see new restaurants open and try them out as soon as they do. Likewise, this town talks... word of mouth gets around like wildfire. A bad restaurant opening will get out fast and doom you forever.

Take for example, Southern Fixin's on Apalachee Parkway. They struggled their first few weeks and it didn't take but a day for word to get around my office. Couple that with a scathing review by Ashby Stiff in the Democrat, and it's no surprise the place is like a ghost town.

Nevertheless, my wife and I took the attitude of "don't mock it until you try it." We decided to give them a shot of our own last week and see for ourselves. Clearly they learned their lesson, because our experience was nothing short of amazing. The food was awesome, the service was impecable, they did a GREAT job.

Sadly though, people have probably already made up their own minds and it's a real uphill battle to get this good word out. I hope they succeed.

It's a lot harder for local, small restaurants to get their foot off the ground. Larger regional and national chains have the advantage of bringing in additional trainers and staff from other locations. As was the case when Miller's Ale House opened. The first few weeks the staff to customer ratio was almost 1-to-1. Most of them were experienced trainers, servers, and bartenders from other Ale House's in Central Florida. The advatange here is that the local hires can learn from the "pros." The "pros" keep the ship afloat during its most critical time. The most important, the "culture" of the restaurant is passed on to the new location. AS such, one can expect the same "feel" and service from the staff regardless if you are in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Orlando, or Tampa.

[gatoremt]

Hey whats up with the old Tia's Tex Mex building? What is going in there?

[poonther]

Hey whats up with the old Tia's Tex Mex building? What is going in there?

They List Us as Coming Soon.

[Florida]

^Famous Daves! LOL!

Its hard to tell from the website but it looks like we'll be their first Florida Location.

I take that back... there's a location under construction in Ft. Meyers and Clearwater. The Ft. Meyer's location already has a phone number so it may be first to open.

[gatoremt]

Another Bar-b-que place. I am sure it will be packed for the first few weeks it opens. I have never heard of them.

[Florida]

I'd never heard of FAMOUS Dave's either.

[AlaninTally]

I hadn't heard of Famous Dave's either but I am certainly glad that this old location is going to be used again. I hate seeing those unused parcels gathering dust

[insituphoto]

I hadn't heard of Famous Dave's either but I am certainly glad that this old location is going to be used again. I hate seeing those unused parcels gathering dust

Like the old Buckhead Brewery? Every time I go past, I see one lone pickup truck and one lone guy inside working on stuff... I heard a rumor that it was supposed to be some "Farmer's Market" restaurant from Thomasville? At this rate... they might be open in 3 - 5 years! Aren't they losing money each day the place isn't open? Leasing a building like that can't be cheap.

[AlaninTally]

Like the old Buckhead Brewery? Every time I go past, I see one lone pickup truck and one lone guy inside working on stuff... I heard a rumor that it was supposed to be some "Farmer's Market" restaurant from Thomasville? At this rate... they might be open in 3 - 5 years! Aren't they losing money each day the place isn't open? Leasing a building like that can't be cheap.

Yeah, the old Buckhead Brewery is supposed to be a Farmer's Market restaurant. The original restaurant is in Thomasville and I guess the owner wanted to start an expanded version in Tally. I get my hair cut in the strip mall next door and I usually ask my barber whats up with the restaurant status. She usually just rolls her eyes and expresses your sentiments, insituphoto. It has taken WAY TOO LONG!

[Florida]

Supossedly DeVoe Moore used to own this place and sold it to the woman from Thomasville right? Not sure why she's taking her time. I wish she would change her mind about the farmer's market idea and instead bring us an expanded version of Thomasville's CrawDaddies.