What changes would you make at The Market at Sawgrass Grove?
 

There are a lot of complaints about The Market at Sawgrass Grove.

If you owned it and could make any changes, what would you do?

I would sell it and use the proceeds to go scuba diving and golfing : )

That sounds great, however, I was thinking demolish it and start over. Think: better facilities, better food, reasonable pricing, and pay options that serve patrons needs or desires.
I don't expect it will improve with time. If enough people tolerate the prices and practices, even though they don't like it, then the business has no motivation to change.

I would begin by reading the other thread with 131 posts.:read:

Did. Thought this was not about what you think is wrong (the other post), but a different question about what would you do different.

Correct. It is always easy to complain. Much harder to offer helpful suggestions. We will see how many people have useful suggestions.

Serve food and beverages using real dishes, silverware and glasses. Cushions on the chairs. Soundproofing on the ceiling.

It hadn't opened yet when I was there but I saw the Villages promotional video as the place was close to opening. From looking at the video my initial impression was that the place looked like an echo chamber. I didn't see anything that would absorb any sound. I'm fine with noise as long as it doesn't reach the level where you can't hold a conversation. My guess is that if/when that place is full and they add some music it's going to be very loud.

I think the quality/price of the food/drinks is a self correcting problem. Poor operators won't survive.

So doing something about the sound/noise would be my fix.

Interesting question. I would start by suggesting that we don't even know if it's broken. The fact that some people have stated they didn't like it doesn't mean that it won't function eventually just the way the developer envisioned. Nobody will know how successful it will be until at least one snowbird season has come and gone. There may be plenty of people who will patronize it, and support it, just the way it is.

I'm not in the food services business, and I haven't even been to the place yet, but from what I've read on TOTV, I think they have to make a choice between inexpensive fast food delivery, or charging enough to allow them to serve food worth eating, on real plates, with real knives and forks and glasses. It reads to me as if they are charging a premium for the thrill of being in the facility, but not serving food that is worth the premium compared to the food and cost of going to a decent restaurant outside the bubble.
That might work at a sports venue, but I think the "thrill" of being in the Sawgrass facility will wear off very fast if the food and service isn't worth the cost.

Attach a Costco to it.

They are waiting for The 470 developments because they will have no other option. Visited once and have no reason to return

Ain't gonna happen, but
 

Turn the whole damn thing into a pro shop/country club like all the ones north of 44 that are crowded with people from below 44 who have little or nothing in the way of restaurants.

Thanks for the laugh!

Improve the food and the ambiance

I would put it in the new pet free village.

Very funny!

:laugh: That's hilarious! I asked the Morse family the same thing about HHCC..... they had the same reply. :rolleyes:

And then in about 20-25 years they can tear it all down like Hacienda Hills.

Since we’re cross threading, there is one veeeeeery long thread that would suggest the best thing to do would be NOTHING.

Maybe none...I think the mistake was that it opened for business before it was ready. A lot of the complaints seem to be attributable to trying to do too much, too soon.

There’s a lot of wisdom in NOTHING.

Differently?
 

Is that a fair question when The Market at Sawgrass Grove isn’t completely open yet? Do you mean after the complete experience has been taken in?

If I was shortsighted and only had what is there now, I think I would concentrate on discounting drinks more to attract larger crowds. Then I would integrate outside activities coordinated by a marketing group to perpetuate reoccurring interest in the area. Advertising specials in food, drinks and events could go a long way. Bring in a Bubba’s type place like in Leesburg for area fish specials and throw in a Gator Joes/Rusty Bucket (Tarpon Area). Maybe even do a Homosassa type Freezer Tiki Bar?

Keep the theme, but expand the tangents by going with a Floridian theme like a beach or citrus area or something. Wine tasting would certainly be in there with local wineries , cheeses etc. Where the heck does Scottland come into play?

This is what I would suggest of the owners

Lot of truth in that. Pizza place started without knowing how to use a wood fired oven it would appear.

Also reconsider your price points. You do know where your business is located.

Sound absorbing materials would be great

I would open it up instead of having it behind doors and air conditioned. That would make it a nice place to hang out in the shade.

Then I would improve the acoustics so it would not be so noisy.

Correct
 

You are being too pragmatic in a situation where academics were used instead of real world common sense. The idea likely looked good on paper?

>>If you owned it and could make any changes, what would you do?<<

wouldn't this be like trying to pour the milk back in the glass after its spilled on the floor?

The reality of Sawgrass is a big let down for nearly everyone that has gone.
Myself, family, friends & several neighbors included.
A business cannot get that lost initial momentum (customers / rep) back, let alone several combined businesses (many of which were not/could not even open - at the initial opening) in what is a very poorly executed venue, weird biz formats & super edgy practices in a generally 55yr and older community = bad mix!

Starting over may not be a bad thing,! Ditch who ever thought the current platform had any chance of success and fall back to what has clearly worked in other villages/areas.
That might be a good start, but it would require some people acknowledging that there is a problem in the first place, and secondly, its not going to fix itself with time.

I would rebuild the original Katie Belle's but every expert knows there is no money to be made on TVr's who order water. Out of curiosity what is the price of water in the market of Sawgrass ?

I would redo the interior. Make it a large restaurant with comfortable seating. Incorporate the existing pizza/burger/fish kitchens into one. A nice italian place would be a good counterpoint to McGradys. Sorry, the butcher shop and bakery arent going to move enough product to be successful. Leave the coffee place and have it open 6-11. Then open the restaurant 1130 on.

Since the seating area is a shared space (like a food court), who would be responsible for busing the tables, washing the dishes and glasses and restocking the vendors?

I can't comment on the chairs or sound proofing, since I haven't been there since they opened...

I agree with improving the sound issue and upgrading the seating and atmosphere to make the environment more inviting. The bar is ridiculous. Serious drinkers don't want to sit in an uncomfortable seat, in the middle of a walk through area, drinking expensive booze from a plastic cup.

But, the basic problem is that it is a food court like in a regional mall. A mall attracts lots of people who want to shop, but they need to grab something to eat while they are shopping. They don't care about the food court atmosphere, food quality, or the high prices. They are looking for a fast, convenient meal, so they can continue to shop. This is not the place for a food court.

Perhaps they should have run this entire concept with someone with real restaurant experience. Sounds like the owners are a bunch of amateurs

Great ideas they should hire you as a consultant

Since Sawgrass is developer owned, nothing is going to change. Most of sawgrass is open, except for butcher, and one other spot. Haven’t had coffee yet, we go way to late.
The outside venue looks like it will be months. Which doesn’t involve inside, except for the crowds filtering in to buy from their menu.
With all the rain everyday, entertainment has been spotty at best due to lighting.

Since the next venue, square, oval, round, will be in Middleton area, with a plethora of shopping, sawgrass is replacing the CC that is at every championship, except for HH.

That may change when next championship are built, or we may see a repeat of sawgrass
Either way the developer has the last say

When you say developer owned, what do you mean? Does he own McGrady's and the Market? Or does he own the land and the buildings and rent them out to private people? Does the developer own the McDonalds and the Publix at Magnolia?

I would wait to see the finished product.

They were trying something new. When it’s finished, it could be nice

The inside, is loud and bad acoustically, that can be fixed.
I also dont get the Scottish restaurant tied into a florida orange grove themed place. I guess the Scottish theme works with the rec center that’s golf themed, but they only share parking lot. I would have gone with a more florida themed restaurant.

Here is the thing, like him or not he and his people are brilliant businessmen. If this concept does not work he will not continue to lose money but will make changes in order to bring it into profitability.

Does the crystal ball show a tear down and replacement with high rise apartments?

:undecided: Yeah! How did they manage to make BILLION$ without him? :rolleyes:

The Villages runs several restaurants here. McGrady’s is one. Others are Fenney Grill, the bars at Sawgrass and entertainment ( but not the restaurants inside sawgrass, those are leased out) they also run Lazy Mac’s and Tierra Del Sol.