[aln]

A restaurant with quality food and service EVEN in a bad location will survive.
On the other hand, I don't care if you're the only place in town, I'm not eating bad food even if you give it away.

I'm not trying to insult anyone here but I ate at Main Street Bistro. The service was slow to rude and the food was just short of cheap tv-dinners.

Bourbon Street did seem to try hard, especially with the service but I could never wrap myself around the food. About the only thing I enjoyed there was their version of the French bagettes. And, even that was not a very good copy of the New Orleans version

Amigo's: the couple of times I was there they seemed disorganized . . not well ran and that surprises me since they run other places but TV is a little special giving the age and habits of the population.


Don't blame the developer. . . he wants success not failure.

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by emilyjean

This always works, we villagers need to gather at the Lake Sumter area and walk with signs in front of the sales office, those signs stating :Enough with the Creed" as its the high rents enforced by the Morse family along with demanding a % of their sales to line their pockets, and this is exactly why none can remain in business here, its called CREED, so until we do something to force the issue, then don't expect any changes, if possible buyers coming to the sale office saw this, I assure you they would think twice and you would get some results from the creedy Morse family quickly Anybody game!!!!

I for one would love to see the proof to back up this statement on high rent.

[ConeyIsBabe]

As some have already said..... it bears repeating.... when it comes to restaurants, location is not the main issue.

EXCELLENT food ~ good service ~ at a fair price will have people waiting in line, regardless of the location !

[musicman]

Originally Posted by Hancle704

I guess the question might be answered by visiting Toojay's and Panera's in SS. They seem to be doing just fine and have been since they opened. They seem to know what folks want and are willing to pay.

The places you mention are chains. They have the advantage of having many locations that can help offset some of the slow times. The independent owners don't have this advantage. Deeper pockets, more support, it all adds up. I can't think of any chains that have failed.

[katezbox]

Musicman,

Some of the chains are doing poorly as well.... Up the Creek is up the creek and Johnny Rocket's is hanging by a thread. But I agree, while each chain location may be a franchise, they have the power of the corporate advertising to help out.

As a NE girl, I really don't care for the food at most chains. It all tastes the same and comes out of plastic bags. Have you ever noticed how thirsty you are after a meal at a chain restaurant? All those sodium-based preservatives - yuck!

[BogeyBoy]

Originally Posted by musicman

The places you mention are chains. They have the advantage of having many locations that can help offset some of the slow times. The independent owners don't have this advantage. Deeper pockets, more support, it all adds up. I can't think of any chains that have failed.

Don't forget short-lived Whiskey Creek. (Don't open a restaurant with "Creek" in the name.)

[Bonny]

I'm one of those people who wants everyone to do well. I been here over 9 years. I don't cook. We eat out every night & I love the choices. Some more than others. We have several wonderful places.
But, I'm sorry. If you look at the restaurants that have closed, everyone of them had bad or inconsistent food and/or service. Some get their act together, others don't.
When you open something in The Villages, you better open with your "A" game. There are too many choices here.
At least with chains, you know what you're going to get. They have to answer to corporate.
I've seen some of the stores close. I remember years ago we had a Christmas store in Spanish Springs. DUH, what did we need that for ?
Everyone talks about the rent, but the majority of us don't have a clue. There is choice to open or not. Rent's too high, don't open here or make it a great place.
Sorry this is so long.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Bonny

I'm one of those people who wants everyone to do well. I been here over 9 years. I don't cook. We eat out every night & I love the choices. Some more than others. We have several wonderful places.
But, I'm sorry. If you look at the restaurants that have closed, everyone of them had bad or inconsistent food and/or service. Some get their act together, others don't.
When you open something in The Villages, you better open with your "A" game. There are too many choices here.
At least with chains, you know what you're going to get. They have to answer to corporate.
I've seen some of the stores close. I remember years ago we had a Christmas store in Spanish Springs. DUH, what did we need that for ?
Everyone talks about the rent, but the majority of us don't have a clue. There is choice to open or not. Rent's too high, don't open here or make it a great place.
Sorry this is so long.

Makes sense to me.

[golf2140]

I spoke to a manager a Whiskey Creek when it has started to pick-up. It was a corporate decision to close. He also told me that they rushed the opening. Hired anyone that could carry food to a table. It was a total mess since opening and the folks in The Villages have a long memory about poor service.

[BBQMan]

IMHO, parking is one of the major causes of the high rate of restaurant failure in Spanish Springs town square. While not immediately apparent, people who are limited in the distance they can walk, make up a significant part of the population of TV. There are those who need to use a wheel-chair or walker. We can easily see them. (BTW, my wife now needs a walker) What is not so apparent, are the much larger number of people who are limited by COPD, heart disease, arthritis, etc.

There are two major successes on the square - Katie Belles and Too Jays. Katie Belles draws from the same group of people who enjoy evenings and line dancing on the square - few physical problems there. Too Jays is far and away the most successful Deli chain in FL and probably the nation. They dominate the FL Gold coast from Miami up to Jupiter. They then moved into Central Florida and later, TV. Too Jays has a remarkable combination of product offerings, quality and service. They also occupy the location on the square with the best access to parking. All the other storefronts have failed. Cody's is going into the site where Amigos, the most successful Mexican chain in FL, failed. The steakhouse that preceded Amigos failed. Parking is very poor and handicap access is non-existent.

The outlook for Cody's is dim. One of the most important, if not the most important, consideration in restaurant location is demographics. Until you take the time to understand it, virtually any location in The Villages should be a success. Once your realize the importance of easy access to parking, the success of Paneras, Chili's, Applebee's, etc becomes easy to understand as does the failure of Amigos, Firehouse subs, and the other failures on the square. Just my thoughts.

[Bonny]

Originally Posted by BBQMan

IMHO, parking is one of the major causes of the high rate of restaurant failure in Spanish Springs town square. While not immediately apparent, people who are limited in the distance they can walk, make up a significant part of the population of TV. There are those who need to use a wheel-chair or walker. We can easily see them. (BTW, my wife now needs a walker) What is not so apparent, are the much larger number of people who are limited by COPD, heart disease, arthritis, etc.

There are two major successes on the square - Katie Belles and Too Jays. Katie Belles draws from the same group of people who enjoy evenings and line dancing on the square - few physical problems there. Too Jays is far and away the most successful Deli chain in FL and probably the nation. They dominate the FL Gold coast from Miami up to Jupiter. They then moved into Central Florida and later, TV. Too Jays has a remarkable combination of product offerings, quality and service. They also occupy the location on the square with the best access to parking. All the other storefronts have failed. Cody's is going into the site where Amigos, the most successful Mexican chain in FL, failed. The steakhouse that preceded Amigos failed. Parking is very poor and handicap access is non-existent.

The outlook for Cody's is dim. One of the most important, if not the most important, consideration in restaurant location is demographics. Until you take the time to understand it, virtually any location in The Villages should be a success. Once your realize the importance of easy access to parking, the success of Paneras, Chili's, Applebee's, etc becomes easy to understand as does the failure of Amigos, Firehouse subs, and the other failures on the square. Just my thoughts.

Obviously you haven't been around much recently. You say "all" the other storefronts failed. Which ones are you talking about ?
Gator's Dockside, not Codys, is in the spot where Amigos was in & is doing fabulous. We've been there about 10 times.The restaurants that failed there were known to have bad food, bad service. That's why they failed, not parking. McCalls, Ruby Tuesdays, Panera, Margarita Republic are all well from what I see. As far as Firehouse subs, again I doubt it was the parking if Katie Belles & Too Jays are doing so well. They were in between them. My guess is there isn't a big need for a sub place.
Codys will be where Up The Creek was & should do wonderful. They have a great menu & are service oriented. We have eaten at Codys before & like the food & they have good prices.

[cashman]

Restaurant owners fail when they think because they were successful at some other profession they also will be successful selling meals and booze.
When they are that dumb they will surely fail. Running a restaurant takes a real professional with years of experience.

[otherbruddaDarrell]

I think one thing that hurts them is that whenever they have any special event like market night or the car shows, etc. it is roped off and very little parking.
I think the car shows are great but can't they have them in a designated parking lot close to the square and leave the square open to traffic/parking?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by otherbruddaDarrell

I think one thing that hurts them is that whenever they have any special event like market night or the car shows, etc. it is roped off and very little parking.
I think the car shows are great but can't they have them in a designated parking lot close to the square and leave the square open to traffic/parking?

There is a lot of parking just off both squares....the walk will do us a some good.

[thistrucksforyou]

You are correct...The first time I came to Spanish Springs I was pleasantly surprised of the unique restaraunts and shops....Over the years it has all but dissapeard...Augustines and the brewery was the best...The only big draw in Spanish Springs now is the Town Square and the music...I think the government of TV has let SS down by consentrating on the newer sides and the planning of more develepment and your money is going there and not in your side of Floridas freindlest Home Town...

Just my opinion..

Originally Posted by dillywho

I think Spanish Springs will continue on a downhill slide if more and more shops are added. I think enough chain stuff has already come in there and it has cost SS its original flavor. When we first came here (and that was before LSL), there was Bichara Bakery (awesome) now Starbucks, Cafe Ole, Augustine's and the Brewery, just to name a few. Why not keep TV unique instead of making it like any other place? Those were some of the things that drew us here in the first place....it was unlike any place we had ever been.