[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Babbs1957

People out of jobs. This wouldn't happen if they stopped inspecting food service locations.

This is why we should defund the food inspectors.

It wouldn’t happen if the staff wasn’t lazy not cleaning and preparing properly. No one knows what going on behind closed doors expect pop in inspection. Most even days notices don’t make difference in outcome.

[shut the front door]

Originally Posted by Babbs1957

People out of jobs. This wouldn't happen if they stopped inspecting food service locations.

This is why we should defund the food inspectors.

Just wanted to chime in and tell you that I totally got your analogy. The many who didn't missed out.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Minoletti

yes fenney grill is closed now.
I also see pauies on the oaks in continental has closed.
Read they are departing due to a raised rent cost.
Paulies was nicer with higher end food.
would be nice if paulies moved to the fenney location and did a slightly lower cost menu.

You heard wrong (at least about Paulie's)...

They closed do to a conflict with the CC Members who wanted more of a "Social Club" than a restaurant. Paulie couldn't make a living with that business model (his words, not mine)...

[RobertScott]

Ok, ty for the 411 on Paulie's.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

Any known reason?
maintenance?
patrons' strike?

The restaurant business is absolutely brutal, highest failure rate of any business. Relentlessly long hours, difficulty finding and retaining reliable and trustworthy labor, ever escalating costs (food, labor, electricity and natural gas, insurance, rent, taxes, etc…), difficulty passing along higher costs to customers, regulatory pressures such as meals taxes and nitpicking health inspectors, seasonality, extremely critical negative reviews on social media, etc….

[elle123]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

Any known reason?
maintenance?
patrons' strike?

The Fenney Grill (3210 Fenney Way) permanently closed its doors on Sunday, July 19th, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The abrupt shutdown of the Wildwood restaurant follows the recent closures of other local establishments in the area, such as Tierra Del Sol. Because this location operates as part of the community's dining rotation, the developer might takeover the space, or bring in a new operator.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

The restaurant business is absolutely brutal, highest failure rate of any business. Relentlessly long hours, difficulty finding and retaining reliable and trustworthy labor, ever escalating costs (food, labor, electricity and natural gas, insurance, rent, taxes, etc…), difficulty passing along higher costs to customers, regulatory pressures such as meals taxes and nitpicking health inspectors, seasonality, extremely critical negative reviews on social media, etc….

Was wondering if seasonality was an issue or the landlord raised rent substantially, or the mgmt just went through a poor hiring period. The location is atypical, near a pool, rec center and golf, but the area is more built up than in the past. . . and it always seemed busy when we drove by. .

Food service workers are notoriously independent, like interior migrant workers. Like different personalities of high school classes, every year or so, the hiring population quality changes as does the competing job opportunities. Wondering if one of the other major villages food service operators had better job openings. . especially in the cooking area.

[derkster]

Originally Posted by asianthree

We would stop there after playing the foxes. In the beginning (developer owned) menu and food was good. This last owner go around, food has been hit or miss, as was the service.

Last two visits four of us sent back our food over easy eggs hard, pancakes not set in the middle.
Our last visit, coffee was very weak, over easy eggs still hard. Bacon burned and yet not cooked in places. Server delivered food never returned. Without asking Manager happened by our table of uneaten food, apologies, no bill. Two cooks called out as did waitstaff. We traveled north to different restaurant, for breakfast.

We need Rashad Jones to open a Big Lees BBQ at this location. I know you may ask what am I smoking, but I would like to eat BBQ ribs, burnt ends etc. I know it is not convenient to manage a spot in The Villages from Ocala, but we can always count our ribs before falling to sleep each night.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Domino's misses quarterly sales, profit estimates on weak demand, competition,

hmmm, could be a slow operating environment, where size can manage through weaker periods and summer months.

[ROCKETMAN]

The villages will not take over running Fenney. They do not want to be in the restaurant business. I know people don’t like to here it but FMK or Suelman have a better chance of making it go,

[Stu from NYC]

I have heard several very concerning reasons from several sources why it closed but until I get confirmation will not post what I heard.

Nothing above is what we have heard.

[Hape2Bhr]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

I have heard several very concerning reasons from several sources why it closed but until I get confirmation will not post what I heard.

Nothing above is what we have heard.

Are you happy with your haircut?

[Birdrm]

Originally Posted by DonH57

One less place in that region to go before or after golf. At least this finishes the last restaurant operation by the villages so it's no surprise. The villages did state they were getting out of the food business. Excellent idea.

The Villages had already sold to a private buyer, unfortunately that is when things started to go down hill.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by derkster

We need Rashad Jones to open a Big Lees BBQ at this location. I know you may ask what am I smoking, but I would like to eat BBQ ribs, burnt ends etc. I know it is not convenient to manage a spot in The Villages from Ocala, but we can always count our ribs before falling to sleep each night.

Got go to Gainesville next week I’ll be stopping by Big lee’s BBQ on way back… yum!

[dlspiess]

I heard they told the staff they couldn’t pay and they all quit. No fact check though