A piece of history is gone
 

The first resturant Harold Swartz opened is closing. The Orange Blossom Country club was operated by Chip Rice for the last ten years, and they decided not to renew his lease. I know its the old side, (historic side) but that is where all the down to earth people live without attitudes. We have been going there for the last 10 years and even when the Villages owned it prior to that. It was great food, with good service and very fair prices. It seems like the Villages is worried about Lake Sumter, and Brownwood. Its all about home sales, thats why you see below average acts in the square on Spanish Springs. Watch what acts you see out in Wildwood at Brownwood. It shouldnt matter if you paid 59,000.00 for a single wide at Orange Blossom Gardens (the original name), or 800,000.00 for a home in Lake Sumter. All residents, and business owners should be treated fair. Chip ran a great resturant for years and now they said (The Villages) we dont want you here anymore. Now you see these franchise resturants moving in (because demographics show how many new home owners there are), and you see poorly operated resturants, with kids as servers. I guess thats the new genaration of The Villages management team taking over.

i can't tell you how much that news hurts! where will we down-to-earth people go now? even the furniture was down-to-earth! so much so that when i sat in a padded chair i was ever so much closer to the earth! ;) sometimes change is not a good thing - and this is one of those times.

If this is true, this is just wrong for so many reasons.
We all need a little tradition and historical reference in our lives.

Not renewing a lease doesn't necessarily mean the place will be shut down and torn down. Maybe somebody new is coming in to operate it in similar fashion, but better.

That's my hope as well. I can't imagine that there won't be a restaurant there.

I live on the historic side and hope with all of my heart that someone else takes over the restaurant. If they just close it and don't allow someone else to operate, I will have to get a refund and a discount on my Priority Pool membership.

We knew something was going on, but we didn't know exactly what was happening. The place needs to be cleaned up and rehabbed. It is a real shame the shape they have let the interior of the restaurant evolve into. I won't miss Chip, but I would certainly miss the restaurant.

better? never saw anything wrong with the operation that existed - except maybe the chairs! ;) can't recall any unhappy faces on the diners and folks at the bar! we all put up with the down-to-earth furniture and decor because to redecorate meant less bang for our buck. i learned many times over that new is not always better.

Yes, "better"....as in tidier and cleaner. Good grief. The place needed a good scrubbing, and the broom, long-handle dustpan, and an overflowing wastebasket were right out front and at the feet of customers at the hostess stand when we've been there. There's no excuse for that kind of sloppiness and dirt.

my table, chair, plate, silverware and glass were always clean and i never planned to eat off the floor - so i didn't mind that martha stewart was not running the place.

Wow the ". Down to earth" people? Down to earth "side"? Down to earth club?
I am not sure what message or prejudice is being stated.

Anyway, I would question the "excuse" offered, "TV" not renewing....sounds like the place may have been "milked" and the current tenant as well as TV know it needs updating.

I suspect a valuable location like that will not sit idle long.
Worst case is the developer levels it and puts in some not so down to earth homes to be inhabited by not so down to earth residents......just making fun about it.

I would place my money on the developer........now that is an ambiguous statement is it not.

We all know it will not be a boarded up building.

btk

So it's not just the Sumter county folks who hate Villagers. The old=timey villagers who live in old-timey houses hate the newcomers too. I can just hear it - "We got roots! them upstarts ain't from here"

This morning paper states that Chip "just couldn't make it financially anymore". It will be remodeled and hopefully reopened with a new owner/manager/chef.

so sad

You hit the nail on the head saying TV cares only about the newer sections and restaurants. It's like the historical side is a "before and after" picture for them. It doesn't surprise me that they are allowing OB to close.

That's the same thing they said years ago about the Silver Lake restaurant, the Chula Vista restaurant, and the Santiago restaurants. Instead they put pool tables in these facilities and call them recreation centers.

Now wait. The villages owns the BUILDINGS. The restaurant enterprise is owned by an individual. If the individual feels at the end of the lease that he/she no longer is making enough money to sustain the business or they no longer want to continue than they will choose to close. The Villages will then probably renovate the building and try to lease it to another restaurant or chain.

I would ask the person who previously owned the business why they are closing.

When I lived on the historic side, I frequently went to the Orange Blossom Hills restaurant for lunch or Sunday brunch buffet. I'd liken it to the Golden Corral on 466, in price, food quality, ambience and cleanliness.

If you want an inexpensive and filling meal, either restaurant will do, but let's not kid ourselves that either is a gourmet experience. The furniture and decorations at OBH were 20 years past their expiration date and everything felt just a little sticky, including the carpet.

It'd be nice if a new owner would take over the lease, but if Chip wasn't able to make a go of it financially, it doesn't look good. There are so many other country clubs and restaurant choices in TV it's a hard slog, and the restaurant business is difficult even under optimal conditions.

Heck, I still miss El Santiago!

When I was looking to buy here in 2009, my sales rep didn't even want to show me the "historic" area. I had to drive around there by myself and got lost

Same with us! She "gladly" showed us LS homes but when we showed interest in one or two over in OB, she printed out a fact sheet and sent us out on our own.

Been there many many times. Chip is a great guy. The restaurant has had better days. The place needs a complete overhaul. From the kitchen equipment showing behind the bar, the chairs and tables and a new paint job. The bartender needed an update, quite cranky. Good luck Chip, you will be missed. Let's hope someone runs the new restaurant as well.

I have been to Orange Blossom on many occasions and I live south of 466 in the new high priced homes. I put my pants on just like the down to earth people north of 441 and I have many friends that live there...actually most of my friends live there. We have a group of girlfriends that go out to eat every couple of weeks and we change restaurants. We are about 10 of us give or take a few and I recommended that we go to Orange Blossom since it seems that we are always on the south side and the 4 girls that live in the down to earth neighborhood told me that they would not go there as it is very dirty. I agree that it is not updated but I have dined in some very old and outdated restaurants up north and never thought of them as being dirty but being charming. So here is my opinion that outdated does not mean dirty but I guess the down to earth people seem to think like that...just saying !!!

According to this morning's Sun, the restaurant hasn't been profitable enough for the business owner (he was quoted) and The Villages will refurbish the building, which is long overdue. Sounds like a sound business decision by both the restaurant owner and TV.

IMHO Orange Blossom has the best pool area in The Villages - they should have an equally awesome restaurant to go with it.

It hurts my heart to hear that anyone thinks that folks are looking down on anyone here. I suppose there are those people who are uppity and think where they live is better than where "they" live but they are WRONG. There was a thread last week where someone failed to show up at a home on the historic side to look at an item for sale. The poster said that a car went slowly down the street and turned around in his driveway and he was absolutely certain it was because his house didn't "measure up" somehow. That would be one of the last things I would think ever, because I feel that I am just like most people who see things like size of houses as not important AT ALL.

I hope that the complaints heard here that the developer is to blame are wrong. I am fairly sure that I learned from someone that the historic side has been "turned over" to it's residents to run now that it is past twenty years old.

I can well understand anyone being sensitive about criticism of the place that they choose to live and love. None of us have a right to think any of us are superior for any reason at all. It is simply wrong. Who cares whose house is bigger? Big DEAL! We are all on this earth at this stage of our lives with a much shorter span in front of us than behind us and I see clearly that our job is to look out for each other and calm other and help each other and try to make this part of our lives as positive and good as we can.

Help me down from this pulpit please.

Let us not have issues arise over this very not worthy thing. It is simply not right.

Well, we can't be 100% sure that it won't be boarded up. Remember the empty building that used to be El Santiago? Although I agree, odds are heavily in favor of someone else fixing it up and taking over. I sure hope so. Finally, people are people, The Villages is like a cruise ship, no one knows or cares if you live on the historic side or down south, like no one cares (or shouldn't) if you are in the Penthouse on a ship or the lowest inner cabin.

OB will be remodeled, spruced up and refurnished. I'm sure those living on THE OLD side have done the same to their own homes and yards. I'm sure when it reopens the interior will be quite nice. As for the exterior something tells me that will stay the same . Maybe some replacemt trim or windows but the rest will remain the same. Look at everything else that's be refurbished around TV. As for the pool and TIKI bar I wish we had more great looking areas like that, I've visited OB several times and when I bring guests over to THE OLD SIDE they can't believe how well kept and how nice it looks. So let's wait and see what the refurbished interior looks like. JMO

Jblum315 I take offense at the comments of old-time villagers in their old-time homes on the historic side. There are quite a few of us young villagers on the historic side who have chosen to be a part of the Villages history and have taken the old-time homes as you called them and renovated them to be the beautiful homes they are today. And no, we don't hate the new Villagers who have chosen to live in the new areas. Both the old-timers and young-timers on the historic side LOVE living here. And YES, we will miss OBG and hope the promises made to renovate and reopen will indeed happen.

Again....I have to agree with Gracie on this one. Schmitty from Wisconsin also makes some good sense as well. My gosh folks who are commenting negatively on this thread---please don't jump to conclusions!!! The economy definitely affects the restaurant business...even in T.V. I would ascertain. Attacking the developer at every chance is getting a bit old!

As for the "historic side"----I have said many times "don't judge a book by it's cover!" Perhaps the folks you are looking down your noses at, are by any stretch of the imagination, a multi-millionaire. People with a large portfolio do NOT have to live in a big, fancy new house. I hate how folks have to have "status"!!! We ALL put our pants on one leg at a time...no one is any better than anyone else!!!

Hang on and just wait....perhaps OBH will come back prettier and better than it's been. My best wishes to Chip in whatever endeavors he seeks beyond here!!!

It appears to me that Uncle Tom has an attitude!!!!!!!!!

Also, many restaurants draw patrons from the local population outside The Villages, which I doubt Orange Blossom does. It's gotta be a tough go.

The historic district is managed by their VCCD the same way other villages are.

Since when does cleaning and refurbishing equate to the demise of "a piece of history"????

Is national history "lost" because the White House no longer has soot and ash on the walls from burning wood or coal; or because indoor toilets replaced the out-houses and electric lights replaced the kerosene lamps that got the walls sooty; or because the carriage house needing horse dung shoveled out of it was replaced by garages for automobile limousines????

Geez.....It's a country club and it is part of The Villages and our priority golf membership. The pool area is one of the best in all of TV, and the restaurant should MATCH that!!

1800s (At the White House)

In 1801, Thomas Jefferson gave orders for the demolition of the outdoor wooden privy and had two water closets installed upstairs, one on each end of the house. He also had a wine cellar built just west of the house and called it an "ice house." Jefferson made changes to many of the fireplaces, including equipping the kitchen with its first iron range fitted to the existing firebox and adding hob-grates for coal to several others. A call bell system was installed for summoning servants, and artificial light came in part from "patent" oil lamps that featured innovative Argand burners. On the outside of the building, lead and wood gutters were replaced with iron ones. The White House's first heating system, the gravity-based Pettibone furnace, was installed when James Madison took office in 1809....."
White House History | Timelines

the op could very well be baiting.

When all gets said and done TV is TV regardless of the address.

And yes like in any group there will always be the attitude, the prejudicial and classification commentors.

Take comfort in the fact there is less than 10% who unfortunately get way to much attention.

The old and new cultures/locations/attitudes/prejudices just have a very narrow perspective (among other things)......and it is their right to do so.....let's just not behave as though they are representative of TV residents because they certainly are NOT.

btk

Great post Gracie! I keep reading signs when I come to TV friendliest and then I read some of these post and wonder. I agree the short time most of us have left on this earth should be enjoyed by all each minute of each day.

When we first came down here we looked at couple of homes over on the Orange Blossom side. When we mentioned it to a couple of my wife's parents friends who live "on the other side" their reaction was why would you want to buy & live in the "ghetto"? It almost made us march right over there and buy a house!

It's a shame that a news item about a place closing becomes turned and twisted and comments abound about old sides/new sides. Whooey. It's just sad that a business has closed and put people out of work. I really dislike to see doors close on small business people.....and that's what this news article meant to me. That said, here's hoping that the building does get cleaned up and a new restaurant comes in and puts folks back to work.

From today's article in the Daily Sun, I certainly did not get the impression that TV was not renewing the lease but it was the current operators decision to close up.

where does a golfer go to quench their thirst after a round - or get something to eat? what will folks at the pool do for same? will the tiki bar be open? will folks be able to bring a cooler with them? this closing leaves residents/guests without a food and drink facility within the confines of the historic side. so many unknowns!

njbchbum, not to worry, by the time you get back, there will probably be another restauranteur frying and stewing and serving cold drinks in that building.

It appears that this person decided to quit, that he wasn't evicted or thrown out on his ear. I see no reason why someone else with a golden frying pan wouldn't want that lovely location and make a go of it.

Right there on that lovely hill, with that beautiful pool right next to it, and a ready made bunch of folks eager to take a little ride from the southernmost parts of TV to see the sights and have a nice meal.

You hide and watch. There will be another restaurant to take it's place.

Your friend,

Gracie.

An article in today's Daily Sun said the closure will be very short and a new manager is taking over operations of the restaurant. They are closing for renovations.

We were at the pool tonight (Friday) and I asked the man checking IDs about the pool closing while the restaurant is being renovated. He said he was told that the Tiki Bar and the restaurant would close Sunday night (the newspaper article didn't mention the Tiki Bar, only the restaurant closing) and that the pool would remain open during renovations.

The Tiki Bar was rocking. LOL Karaoke tonight.

We found it old and outdated, but as previously stated, not dirty. I will miss the Sunday morning brunch. The ventilation in there was not adequate, but I didn't mind leaving smelling of the best omelet in the Villages, and maybe the best I've had anywhere except home. Good luck Chip!