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Another bar/restaurant bites the dust


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The Amelie’s closure hurts.  I have been really stressing about uptown and going above and beyond to support.  We are there almost every weekend.  We actually moved right before the pandemic from Fourth Ward to Dilworth and the difference between South End and Uptown is drastic currently. South End is fine and bustling.  Of course South End had a lot of momentum before the pandemic. But I still struggle with how the difference can be so stark.  I understand all the empty office towers is an obvious answer but there are still plenty of high rise apartment and condo buildings (we sold our place in the Avenue) uptown.  I don’t know the exact numbers but surely the amount of people living in uptown vs South End can’t be that different especially considering the number of condos / apts in some of the bigger buildings.  So why such a big difference?

I know Uptown will recover but I think it will get worse first before we begin the recovery.  I love uptown so besides the obvious answer of spending money and supporting these businesses, are there any creative solutions to address the current crisis?

 

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17 hours ago, Scoopbth said:

The Amelie’s closure hurts.  I have been really stressing about uptown and going above and beyond to support.  We are there almost every weekend.  We actually moved right before the pandemic from Fourth Ward to Dilworth and the difference between South End and Uptown is drastic currently. South End is fine and bustling.  Of course South End had a lot of momentum before the pandemic. But I still struggle with how the difference can be so stark.  I understand all the empty office towers is an obvious answer but there are still plenty of high rise apartment and condo buildings (we sold our place in the Avenue) uptown.  I don’t know the exact numbers but surely the amount of people living in uptown vs South End can’t be that different especially considering the number of condos / apts in some of the bigger buildings.  So why such a big difference?

I know Uptown will recover but I think it will get worse first before we begin the recovery.  I love uptown so besides the obvious answer of spending money and supporting these businesses, are there any creative solutions to address the current crisis?

 

Different demographic SE to uptown imo. SE caters to a younger demographic that is willing to take more risk in this environment. 

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On 11/6/2020 at 9:43 AM, tozmervo said:

A big gut-punch for Uptown: Amelie's is closing their uptown location. 

The demographics does not support this unfortunately. They belonged in NODA. It's more of a hipster local. The office shutdowns isn't helping. I know many companies that are not going back until Q2 2021 now. I expect uptown to continue to be hollowed out. SouthPark and NODA will still do okay IMO. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
36 minutes ago, reggie4417 said:

All Charlotte locations of B. Good will permanently close, along with the Raleigh and Fayetteville ones.  I did notice the one in Durham was closed when I was there on business a few weeks ago...

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-around-town/c5-development/article243806567.html

Unfortunate that two of the restaurants that occupied the retail conversion of the ground floor of that parking garage on Church Street are now closed. I wonder how long Rhino Market will carry on with their location there. 

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On 11/15/2020 at 1:59 PM, CLT2014 said:

Unfortunate that two of the restaurants that occupied the retail conversion of the ground floor of that parking garage on Church Street are now closed. I wonder how long Rhino Market will carry on with their location there. 

Rhino has been consistently packed. Probably not the same lunch business but still busier than most uptown.

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I recall when they opened in a brick one story building off South Boulevard on Iverson. There was a block that was made up of manufacturer reps, light industrial, storage and sales offices. The block is now Lowes. There was a former gas station on the corner and the building with Nova just off that corner. I drove up South Blvd and saw a sign, parked and went in. It was the Balkan couple themselves, no one else. He said they opened recently because no one in Charlotte was making bread, which was true (AFAIK). I bought a loaf of something and followed them occasionally to their other retail locations over the years.

The sign attracted me because I was working for an organisation at the time called NOVA. I took some copies of their list of bread and pastry products and distributed among my NOVA colleagues at the OTHER NOVA.

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On 11/18/2020 at 3:28 PM, CLT2014 said:

Nova's Bakery in Plaza Midwood is closing permanently December 13th after 26 years: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-around-town/c5-development/article247261119.html

Was that the last Nova's? I couldn't keep track a few years ago between Mint-Hill and Rock Hill, but Google doesn't have any others.

 

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9 minutes ago, grodney said:

The Krispy Kreme in Indian Land (outside the Wal-Mart on the state line) has closed please don't tell KJHburg and ruin his holiday.

why such small print?  we they did open a new Pineville location right by the hospital which I they feel will be a better location.  

speaking of Krispy Kreme have you seen our their new Christmas sweater and yes the sign lights up!

Krispy Kreme "Hot Now" Light Up Sweater - Official Krispy Kreme Shop (shopkrispykreme.com)

 

 

IMG_8389.JPG

Edited by KJHburg
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3 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

why such small print?  we they did open a new Pineville location right by the hospital which I they feel will be a better location.  

speaking of Krispy Kreme have you seen our their new Christmas sweater and yes the sign lights up!

Krispy Kreme "Hot Now" Light Up Sweater - Official Krispy Kreme Shop (shopkrispykreme.com)

Pretty sure I need to plan ahead & get one size larger than I am now

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Just now, tozmervo said:

Pretty sure I need to plan ahead & get one size larger than I am now

they are sold up to 2XL fyi. 

I finally found a Christmas sweater this year and bought it in Texas and now no parties to wear it to but alas I might wear it around town so be on the look out. 

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14 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

why such small print?  we they did open a new Pineville location right by the hospital which I they feel will be a better location.  

speaking of Krispy Kreme have you seen our their new Christmas sweater and yes the sign lights up!

Krispy Kreme "Hot Now" Light Up Sweater - Official Krispy Kreme Shop (shopkrispykreme.com)

 

 

 

I LOVE IT!!!  But not for $50.  If they sold this at Kohl's and I could use a 30% coupon and then Kohl's cash - maybe.....

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Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Some generic thoughts, not about a particular bar/restaurant which is closing or may do so soon, but about the challenges faced in general by bars and restaurants...

New behavior, once learned, can be difficult to un-learn.  Most of us have, for quite a few months, been doing a much higher percentage of our eating (and, for those who indulge, drinking) at home, as opposed to bars and restaurants.  I trust there will come a time, hopefully soon, when the virus is defeated, everyone has been vaccinated, the riots have stopped, and damaged/destroyed establishments repaired.  So, once we return to what passes for normal, will we return to our favorite bars and restaurants (or new bars and restaurants if our favorites didn't survive) in the same numbers as before?

I don't think so.  At least, I'm pretty sure my bar business won't return to pre-crisis levels, because I've learned that drinking at home is a pretty good deal.  i can make a damn fine martini at home for a buck and a half.  Say I have two, at a cost of $3.  What would the same cost at my favorite bar?  At $12 per drink, plus 7.25% sales tax, plus a tip, about $30 for two.  So, a 10x premium for the privilege of having a bartender make it for you.  The premium for wine or beer is considerably less, but still significant.  And at home, I have my TV set on what I want to see, or my sound system playing what I want to hear.  Car expenses (gas, tires, oil) might be another buck or two.  And let's not forget, I'm creating some danger to myself and others by driving after two martinis.  I dare not have a third, unless I want to call an Uber and retrieve my car the next day -- another $20, perhaps?

Of course, it's no new discovery that drinking at home is cheaper than drinking in a bar.  But I suspect the difference will be driven home to a lot of folks once they've changed their habits for a few months.

The same applies to food, but to a lesser extent.  While making a drink, or grabbing a beer, or pouring a glass of wine at home is as easy as ordering the same at a bar, it takes much more effort to cook a ribeye or salmon or whatever, plus a salad and sides, even if you have all ingredients at hand, than ordering at a restaurant.   And the cost differential is surely less for food than it is for martinis.

The bottom line is I'm not optimistic about the return of bar and restaurant business to pre-Covid and pre-riot levels.  Some won't be comfortable (perceiving danger even after it's gone); some won't be able to afford it (having lost their jobs); and some will focus on the bar vs. home cost differential.  It's a tough business even in the best of times.  It's going to get tougher. 

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^ I think things will grow again eventually. The restaurant and bar industry contracts during recessionary periods and expands in growth periods. People don't necessarily dine out or go to bars with a comparison against cooking / drinking at home. It is more about the experience and "something to do." A place to go with friends and family and not have all the pressure of being the host or being a gracious guest to your friend who cooks poorly.  A place to go on your anniversary away from the kids and house. A place to watch sports with friends without having 15 people pack into a house without enough seats.

After the recession, people were saying dining out would permanently contract, but around 2014 things started to turn a corner and a large restaurant boom had a good run until COVID hit. It may take time, but I believe the restaurant industry will expand again in due time. 

Edited by CLT2014
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On 11/25/2020 at 10:10 AM, KJHburg said:

why such small print?  we they did open a new Pineville location right by the hospital which I they feel will be a better location.  

speaking of Krispy Kreme have you seen our their new Christmas sweater and yes the sign lights up!

Krispy Kreme "Hot Now" Light Up Sweater - Official Krispy Kreme Shop (shopkrispykreme.com)

 

 

IMG_8389.JPG

 

 

MAN DOWN!

 

 

Man Down.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...
20 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Biz Journal did a slideshow of restaurants and bars that have closed this year mostly due to Covid but not all of course.  Really sad.

Covid pandemic plays part in local restaurant, bar and brewery closures in 2020 - Charlotte Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

So sad.  I’ll never quite get over Carpe Diem.  It was my favorite in town.  And they list just “The Epicentre”.

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