33 replies to this topic

[osmich]

Here is a place where you can list the establishments soon to die or will die from day one.

What is it that prompts some people to get in the business? Who do some people think they are trying to run a food and beverage establishment?

[VicHockeyFan]

Here is a place where you can list the establishments soon to die or will die from day one.

What is it that prompts some people to get in the business? Who do some people think they are trying to run a food and beverage establishment?

Familiarity, and seeming simplicity.

Familiarty in that EVERYONE has been to a restaurant and undertands what the basic premise is. And looking at every facet of the business, it appears that almost anyone could do any task involved in the enterprise. You can't say that about a computer software company, or construction co. or factory. So folks with money think, hey, here is a business I could do. then they soon find out that margins are quite thin, esp. in "middle-of-the-road" restaurants. That's the reason that even successful national chains, are very, very often franchises. They still require the dedicated day-to-day oversight of managers (operators, owners) with a vested financial interest in the business success.

[VicHockeyFan]

Dead as of about 2 weeks ago.

[Holden West]

What is it that prompts some people to get in the business? Who do some people think they are trying to run a food and beverage establishment?

Anthony Bourdain discusses this very topic in his hilariously excellent book "[url=http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Confidential-Adventures-Culinary-Underbelly/dp/0060934913:c8f9f]Kitchen Confidential[/url:c8f9f]". Basically, the gullible guy believes it when his friends say, "You have a natural talent for food and entertaining--you should open a restaurant!!" Little does he know that running a restaurant bears no resemblance to hosting large dinner parties at his fancy home.

Or like they say, if you want to make a small fortune running a restaurant, start with a large fortune.

[osmich]

It sounds like many things were "free" at the Prime Time Sports Pub! And $5 brunches? Yikes, what did you get for $5? It is no wonder they went under.

[VicHockeyFan]

I like the "FREE Pool table's". I'm not sure what belonged to the tables, pool I suppose.

[aastra]

Any relation between Texas Holdem and Holden West?

[Holden West]

Yes, Texas Holdem is my smart-ass cohort from the Lone Star state.

[Mike K.]

You mean Neil Young?

[Savannah]

Bad grammar killed Prime Time.

That's catastrophic apostrophe abuse.

[Holden West]

You know a place is floundering when the best slogan they can come up with is "It's NOT the Ingy anymore".

Isn't that what happened with The Waddling Dog Inn? They tried to change the name to Quality or whatever big chain bought it but people wouldn't stop calling it by the old name, so the old name stuck?

[VicHockeyFan]

I guess someone ought to put Guru in this thread.

[osmich]

I guess someone ought to put Guru in this thread.

I think you just did.

[Holden West]

I see that the upstairs area of Guru was being used for [url=http://www.playwithyourfood.ca/Newweb/Venue.htm:86fc5]Dinner Theatre[/url:86fc5]. There's a poster on the door advertising the current play (which I assume is now cancelled or relocated) titled "Murder on a Hot Tin Roof" with the tag line, "A savoury tale of the ol' south...south Oak Bay".

yikes...

[VicHockeyFan]

I see that the upstairs area of Guru was being used for [url=http://www.playwithyourfood.ca/Newweb/Venue.htm:ff6e2]Dinner Theatre[/url:ff6e2]. There's a poster on the door advertising the current play (which I assume is now cancelled or relocated) titled "Murder on a Hot Tin Roof" with the tag line, "A savoury tale of the ol' south...south Oak Bay".

yikes...

That's the dinner theatre that was formeraly above Noodle Box on Douglas.

[osmich]

I see that the upstairs area of Guru was being used for [url=http://www.playwithyourfood.ca/Newweb/Venue.htm:47060]Dinner Theatre[/url:47060]. There's a poster on the door advertising the current play (which I assume is now cancelled or relocated) titled "Murder on a Hot Tin Roof" with the tag line, "A savoury tale of the ol' south...south Oak Bay".

yikes...

That's the dinner theatre that was formeraly above Noodle Box on Douglas.

No, when Villa Rosa use to own what is now Guru (down from the old Captain Cook Bakery (now Little Piggy's Bakery) on Fort at Vancouver they had upstairs dining also which could be used for private groups if required. Guru turned that into kind of a banquet room themselves and then I guess a dinner theater comapny wanted to use it for their play.

[VicHockeyFan]

When did Herald St. Cafe close? Just noticed it is vacant and for lease today.

[G-Man]

It was that way at least 2 months ago but not sure how much before then.

[Rob Randall]

There's still food in the display case, but the Rising Star Bakery on Broad St. is closed and a "For Lease" sign is in the window.

RIP

[Mike K.]

How is that art gallery and cafe place doing on Broad/Yates?