Another bar/restaurant bites the dust

[grodney]

I don't know how much y'all get to the greater Ballantyne area, but there's this shopping center on 521/Johnston about 2.5 miles south of 485......It's got a Wendy's out front....across the street from IHOP/ABC/Goodwill and the new-ish Elevation Compound.

ANYWAY, there's a spot there next to Baskin/Dunkin that used to be a local BBQ place, and that failed and it became a Queen City Q, and that failed and it became La Unica which was pretty exciting for me, but I never got there because that failed and now it's La Autentica.....or maybe it just re-branded I don't know.  I think I'm forgetting 2 or 3 other restaurants that have failed in that space.

It's amazing nothing can survive there.  There's a Chinese place in the same center that's been there forever.  And the Baskin/Dunkin has been, too.  But on the other hand, there used to be a Lowe's Foods which became an HT which then closed and is still empty.  And a few other empty storefronts including one that used to be a yogurt place (Pink Frog or something).

[Temeteron]

43 minutes ago, grodney said:

I don't know how much y'all get to the greater Ballantyne area, but there's this shopping center on 521/Johnston about 2.5 miles south of 485......It's got a Wendy's out front....across the street from IHOP/ABC/Goodwill and the new-ish Elevation Compound.

ANYWAY, there's a spot there next to Baskin/Dunkin that used to be a local BBQ place, and that failed and it became a Queen City Q, and that failed and it became La Unica which was pretty exciting for me, but I never got there because that failed and now it's La Autentica.....or maybe it just re-branded I don't know.  I think I'm forgetting 2 or 3 other restaurants that have failed in that space.

It's amazing nothing can survive there.  There's a Chinese place in the same center that's been there forever.  And the Baskin/Dunkin has been, too.  But on the other hand, there used to be a Lowe's Foods which became an HT which then closed and is still empty.  And a few other empty storefronts including one that used to be a yogurt place (Pink Frog or something).

I actually live close to there and I couldn’t understand for the life of me why sprouts didn’t open In the former HT spot instead of down the street.

[KJHburg]

^^^Usually when a grocery store closes,they through their lease which they may be paying , will prevent another grocery store from going in there.   There are just too many grocery stores in that strip from 485 to 521 with 2 Harris Teeters, a Publix, a Sprouts and Walmart supercenter.   What would work and do well there and help the restaurants in that center would be a TJ Maxx or Marshalls or even another HomeGoods and that would pack them into that shopping center.  Even a Ross could fill up that shopping center with people.  

[wilmore]

On 5/24/2018 at 5:11 PM, kermit said:

I have lived in Dilworth for 18 years and I have only visited something in that row once during that time (I watched the Heels beat Illinois for the 2005 national  championship at Jack Mason's).

Consider going to Rai Lay, it's excellent. Everything else on that row...well, definitely excited to see what will replace the Stache House

[kickazzz2000]

Lumiere bit the dust, effective immediately.  

[CLT2014]

Sad, I hope Tom is doing ok. 

[grodney]

I missed this huge news (sarcasm), but Bravo! italian kitchen at Blakeney closed.   This is an awesome location with patio space right next to the common green area and playground.  There is a construction dumpster outside, so maybe they already have their next tenant....I don't know.  But man I wish it were NoDa Brewing Ballantyne Taproom or somesuch.

 

[InSouthPark]

1 hour ago, grodney said:

I missed this huge news (sarcasm), but Bravo! italian kitchen at Blakeney closed.   This is an awesome location with patio space right next to the common green area and playground.  There is a construction dumpster outside, so maybe they already have their next tenant....I don't know.  But man I wish it were NoDa Brewing Ballantyne Taproom or somesuch.

 

Legion Version 3 would do a killing at that spot.  

[KJHburg]

The Business Journal did a big article on the recent restaurant closings today.  Rising labor costs, rising rents and only the best will survive was the gist of the article.   Subscriber article

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/06/07/boom-times-to-closing-time-how-charlottes.html?ana=e_clt_bn_exclusive&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1528415425&j=82018711

"""Each year, 60,000 new restaurants open across the country, but another 50,000 close their doors. That’s a net increase of roughly 1% annually, says Hudson Riehle, vice president of research for the National Restaurant Association.""" from the article. 

Edited June 7, 2018 by KJHburg

[kermit]

CBJ reports that Savor (on W Morehead) closed. I really liked it, but I have not been in a while...

[SouthEndCLT811]

That's a bummer, I liked Savor as well.  I thought they were closing temporarily for renovations, sucks it became permanent.

[Bikeguy]

On 7/17/2018 at 4:53 PM, SouthEndCLT811 said:

That's a bummer, I liked Savor as well.  I thought they were closing temporarily for renovations, sucks it became permanent.

Although their Banana Pudding always got top billing, Lori would sometimes have the  Dark Chocolate Banana Pudding available.   Good God Almighty, it was indeed something to savor ( no pun intended..). 

[Crown]

the liberty has closed in blakeney 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/08/13/restaurant-group-shutters-third-charlotte.html

 

 

[Temeteron]

4 hours ago, Crown said:

the liberty has closed in blakeney 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/08/13/restaurant-group-shutters-third-charlotte.html

 

 

Didn’t they just open, like 3 months ago? Wow

[Guest]

Just now, Temeteron said:

Didn’t they just open, like 3 months ago? Wow

I mean... when your executive chef commits suicide... I'm sure its tough to stay in business.

[Temeteron]

7 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

I mean... when your executive chef commits suicide... I'm sure its tough to stay in business.

Sad...whoever takes over that spot will be lucky. Place is ready to go

[CTiger]

Babalu in Dilworth is closing and reopening in Waverly next year per Charlotte Agenda.  

[InSouthPark]

11 minutes ago, CTiger said:

Babalu in Dilworth is closing and reopening in Waverly next year per Charlotte Agenda.  

Would that place even exist w/o all the CA hype?  Have never heard a good thing about it besides too expensive.   I can't imagine closing a second location and thinking the 3rd will be the charm

[Temeteron]

On 8/14/2018 at 8:48 AM, Crown said:

the liberty has closed in blakeney 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/08/13/restaurant-group-shutters-third-charlotte.html

 

 

Didn’t they just open, like 3 months ago? Wow

8 minutes ago, InSouthPark said:

Would that place even exist w/o all the CA hype?  Have never heard a good thing about it besides too expensive.   I can't imagine closing a second location and thinking the 3rd will be the charm

I never liked Babalu.  Their food was awful and extremely overpriced.  They are basically following Chui’s Footsteps. Closing a southpark/Dilworth location to go to suburbs. Who knows maybe they’ll survive down there since people in South Charlotte have no clue what authentic Mexican or Tex-Mex is.

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, InSouthPark said:

Would that place even exist w/o all the CA hype?  Have never heard a good thing about it besides too expensive.   I can't imagine closing a second location and thinking the 3rd will be the charm

CA hype may work for a few weeks, but reality will always win. There are certainly examples of crazy hype where the restaurant is legitimately good, too. (Kid Cashew, for example)

[CLTProductions]

I’m super bummed about the Rogue closing. Really liked it. They deleted all social media. That usually signals drama. 

[wilmore]

4 hours ago, Jayvee said:

I’m super bummed about the Rogue closing. Really liked it. They deleted all social media. That usually signals drama. 

Reviews on this one seemed to be good, does seem like drama may have been the case...didn't last long. 

Can't imagine Babalu will be terribly missed, however

[CTiger]

20 hours ago, Jayvee said:

I’m super bummed about the Rogue closing. Really liked it. They deleted all social media. That usually signals drama. 

Yeah, the Rogue was a gut-punch to me.  I really liked this spot, and the people who worked there were always super helpful and nice.  I will miss this one for sure.

[deleted]

I lived in San Diego for 18 years, went to Mexico regularly for food.  I love Babalu and go there regularly for lunch.  Not necessarily "authentic" but their tuna tacos are excellent.  I hate Azteca and am not a fan of Cabo (though I like the vibe of the latter).  I think 1900 is good (fish tacos in particular) and El Vallarta is reliable.  The best Mexican food I eat comes out of my kitchen or off my grill.  Carne asada, fish tacos, rolled tacos (SD style), tamales, etc.  

BTW, saying people in South Charlotte don't recognize authentic Mexican is pretty silly...where's the line of demarcation exactly?  People in SoCal say people in the South can't recognize authentic Mexican.  That's a more accurate (but still ignorant) statement.

Edited September 20, 2018 by JBS

[videtur quam contuor]

Perhaps an inverse to this thread is long time restaurants that continue to perform well. 

My contribution: 300 East. Same owner for 30 years and her daughter is the acclaimed pastry chef. Never a bad surprise, a few interesting new experiences and some regular menu items that continue to be popular and never change.