[Marmaduke]

Originally Posted by asianthree

We were at KB’s hay day in 2007. Patrons spent money, for good food, great bar, and tables packed for entertainment dinner and dancing. Long waitlist.

Fast forward to 2010, menus downsizing, less bar drink choice, food mediocre at best. 60% or more sat at tables listening to free music, drinking water with lemon, occupying table for hours spending a few dollars.

Next step, time and dollar amount limit on tables, tickets for good entertainment. Angry old people, not going to spend money on what they are entitled to for free.

KB’s moved upstairs, Reno downstairs for retail, hoping to boost a failing business. Didn’t work. KB’s closed. If one has only been here 3 years, KB’ s was long gone.

I have never met an investor that would continue a business, lose money, and want to keep it open. Maybe newer residents just didn’t want to spend $50 on an iconic business.

So do I miss KB’s no, I was over it when you couldn’t get a table, because too many people were ordering water, and putting in their own flavors from home.

Clientele killed KB’s, not the developers

I never quite understood what happened there, even though I was reading about it from time to time, from our of state, as it was occurring.
TV was on our radar with a few visits under our belt, but we never went to KB's. It's demise was before our time, so thank you so much for that explaination!

It clarified a lot about the villagers beloved Katie Belles and it's history.

2010 was a very bad era with failures of epic proportions. I guess this was another that "Stimulus" money never reached. Or, perhaps it did reach the architecture re-do.

Great recap tho, Thank you!

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Norge

All you people are nothing but negative remarks!get a life

Seems negative.

[Justputt]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

. Welcome to "Old People's Internet."

LOL, I want that shirt!! It has me written all over it!

[ROCKETMAN]

The villages does what every big business does. Looks at businesses that lose money and gets rid of them. Katie Bells perfect example that you can’t pay a band $1500 a night and not charge admission and let people sit at bar nursing a $3 dollar beer. Movie theaters another example, can’t support 3 of them.

[rustyp]

Originally Posted by ROCKETMAN

The villages does what every big business does. Looks at businesses that lose money and gets rid of them. Katie Bells perfect example that you can’t pay a band $1500 a night and not charge admission and let people sit at bar nursing a $3 dollar beer. Movie theaters another example, can’t support 3 of them.

One would think after not getting it right a few times a business would put more effort into upfront research / business pan. No sympathy here on my part for the developer. The clientele in TV is a well known commodity from every demographic right down to the finite size. Stop blaming the water sippers - the residents possess the same traits for the last 30 years or perhaps the percentage of resident water sippers has increased over the years ? There - it was the newbies south of 466a fault.

[Whitley]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

With a smattering of "Dog Poop" for good measure...

We now have a war of posters on our block. Seems someone walking their dog bagged his feces after it went and threw it out in someone elses garbage can they were passing along the walk. The homeowner of the can was told by a neighbor what happened. They came home, checked their ring doorbell and the war is on. Funniest was a large banner of the lady (her dog was not in the photo) throwing a bag into the garbage can with the text "Why would I want your sh95 in my can". I found this funny on a couple of levels. To those unfamiliar with the story it appears as if someone is accusing the lady of throwing HER xxxx in the can, andsomething about XXXX in my can just seems amusing (When I hit 50 I started regressing to a younger age each year.).

[Whitley]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

. Welcome to "Old People's Internet."

I may be delusional but do not see myself as old. All of my friends, yes they are old. Not me though. I assume you are from NJ (or have a weird way of picking a user name) What exit? Seriously what part?

[margaretmattson]

Originally Posted by rustyp

One would think after not getting it right a few times a business would put more effort into upfront research / business pan. No sympathy here on my part for the developer. The clientele in TV is a well known commodity from every demographic right down to the finite size. Stop blaming the water sippers - the residents possess the same traits for the last 30 years or perhaps the percentage of resident water sippers has increased over the years ?

I moved here in 2002. Katie Belles was never a big thing. I remember visitors and outsiders going there more than the residents. Eventually, some Villagers squawked that they could never get a table and they made it residents only. I went a few times and it was not busy. The Rialto, church, bakery, fresh vegetable store and many restaurants also failed to attract residents. It was the first square and the family kept experimenting. When they built the Sharon Morse Center, things started to turn around. For awhile, Katie Belles was busy during the winter months but in the summer it was empty.

[rickaslin]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

The management/owners could have/should have made changes to allow themselves to make a profit.

From what I have heard the owners tried to "allow themselves to make a profit" and the old guard did not except having to pay .

[Lukim]

I loved the architecture and ambiance of Katie Belles. I miss the beauty.

[rochellepfaff]

You haven't been here long enough to remember the original Katie Bell's. It was downstairs in the same building. It was a saloon with a dance floor, and only for Villages residents and their guests. They had entertainment in the afternoon. And a really good Sunday buffet brunch. We used to go for lunch and dancing. We loved it. Upstairs was The Cattle Baron restaurant - a more upscale steak house. You could look over the balcony railing and see the entertainment and people dancing downstairs. It was very disappointing when they moved Katie Bell's upstairs and changed the design and menu. The saloon had so much more charm and great entertainment in the evenings. We always took our out-of-town visitors there. We never took them to the remodeled one upstairs. It had no charm at all. And the food was ordinary.

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by npwalters

If you have been in TV 3 or more years you probably remember Katie Belles fondly. A few years ago it was allowed to wither on the vine in an effort to turn the space into apartments.

The building was very pleasing to the eye with large, floor to ceiling, arched windows and stained glass in the interior. The photo shows the result of "progress". Now it is just exactly what the business model said it should be. I get the business decision but it is still very sad to me.

Been here for over 3 years and never heard of this place before reading blogs about it and we live 1/2 mile from SS. Judging by former comments, this appeared to be an old business model(large nightclub/dance clubs.

[margaretmattson]

Originally Posted by rochellepfaff

You haven't been here long enough to remember the original Katie Bell's. It was downstairs in the same building. It was a saloon with a dance floor, and only for Villages residents and their guests. They had entertainment in the afternoon. And a really good Sunday buffet brunch. We used to go for lunch and dancing. We loved it. Upstairs was The Cattle Baron restaurant - a more upscale steak house. You could look over the balcony railing and see the entertainment and people dancing downstairs. It was very disappointing when they moved Katie Bell's upstairs and changed the design and menu. The saloon had so much more charm and great entertainment in the evenings. We always took our out-of-town visitors there. We never took them to the remodeled one upstairs. It had no charm at all. And the food was ordinary.

I remember Katie Belles just as you described. For some time it was residents only, then they allowed everyone, then they switched back to residents only. I remember the polo teams went there every night, some still dressed in uniform. I don't remember it being busy. When you looked up to the balcony from the square, very few, if any, were dining at the steak house. It closed because there was no interest.

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by Whitley

We now have a war of posters on our block. Seems someone walking their dog bagged his feces after it went and threw it out in someone elses garbage can they were passing along the walk. The homeowner of the can was told by a neighbor what happened. They came home, checked their ring doorbell and the war is on. Funniest was a large banner of the lady (her dog was not in the photo) throwing a bag into the garbage can with the text "Why would I want your sh95 in my can". I found this funny on a couple of levels. To those unfamiliar with the story it appears as if someone is accusing the lady of throwing HER xxxx in the can, andsomething about XXXX in my can just seems amusing (When I hit 50 I started regressing to a younger age each year.).

Where do you live that you have trash cans? We are south of 44 and can only put plastic trash bags at the curb for trash pickup, not cans. If you put out a can the trash collectors with throw the can into the trash truck. I guess I assumed (incorrectly?) that it was like this throughout all of The Villages.

[tophcfa]

We went there a few times for dinner and dancing or dinner with a comedy show. The food was decent and the entertainment during dinner was fun and unique. Wish it was still open, but can’t expect anyone to keep a business open that isn’t making a reasonable profit. The architectural features of the building were unique and attractive, it’s a shame it will be gutted and turned into apartments. Oh well, what are ya gonna do?