[St. John's] Restaurant Thread

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

I totally agree with what Horsell said.
Also, what people forget is that Atlantic Place is an office building and come 5pm, it pretty much empties so the food court is gonna suffer for that. It's not like the building is buzzing with activity all night (except for Goodlife). Cora's manages because it is primarily a breakfast restaurant and closes in the afternoon. It's too bad the shopping mall that use to be on the first 3 floors in mid 70's couldn't make a go of it. It might have been a cool spot today if it had stuck around.

You're right, I went in to go to starbucks at 6 pm Saturday past and they were closed.

[Marty_Mcfly]

So when I was at Atlantic Place today Booster Juice was open again? Strange.

Also the restaurant opening where Fog City used to be is called "Ellsworth"....maybe some connection to our deputy Mayor?

[colinpeddle]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

So when I was at Atlantic Place today Booster Juice was open again? Strange.

Also the restaurant opening where Fog City used to be is called "Ellsworth"....maybe some connection to our deputy Mayor?

Saw this myself and it's very odd. When BJ closed a couple months back the two people serving me said it was closing for good.

So I'm guessing that ownership changed hands.

[statbass]

A Friend told me that Jack Astor's is open now.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by statbass

A Friend told me that Jack Astor's is open now.

You are correct. They opened last Wednesday.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by colinpeddle

Saw this myself and it's very odd. When BJ closed a couple months back the two people serving me said it was closing for good.

So I'm guessing that ownership changed hands.

For someone to take control of a failing business and not change anything is just asking for trouble.

[Trevor3]

Originally Posted by statbass

A Friend told me that Jack Astor's is open now.

I know a couple of girls who work there as bartender/waitress. They both posted pictures of some of the menu items to facebook and they look great, they even have a "Jiggs Stack Poutine" which is unique to St. John's. Apparently it really does taste like jiggs dinner, so that's cool.

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

For someone to take control of a failing business and not change anything is just asking for trouble.

That all depends too. It could have failed because of the franchise arrangement (such as killed 2 Quizno's in Fredericton that were otherwise profitable) or because of issues among the owners themselves (such as killed my parents' restaurant when I was a kid). Sometimes the change in ownership of a franchise is all it takes to go from red to black.

[Marty_Mcfly]

I dunno, if what colinpeddle said is true about the location just not being that busy is true, then I'm not sure if there's much you can do to save it there. I'm not sure how anything besides Starbucks and Cora's has survived in that food court (ESPECIALLY Mr. Sub....how has that been open for so long there????) I'm guessing the office folk really love footlongs?

[Arrakis]

As I mentioned recently, the problem with Atlantic Place is that it pretty much shuts down after 5pm when all the offices upstairs close for the day. So the building pretty much is empty. Cora's manages because it's primarily a breakfast and lunch business and they close in the afternoon anyway. Starbucks are so rich they can succeed practically anywhere. But it hurts the other food venders. I can imagine what the lease costs are.

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

I dunno, if what colinpeddle said is true about the location just not being that busy is true, then I'm not sure if there's much you can do to save it there. I'm not sure how anything besides Starbucks and Cora's has survived in that food court (ESPECIALLY Mr. Sub....how has that been open for so long there????) I'm guessing the office folk really love footlongs?

[SignalHillHiker]

[J_Murphy]

There is a new trailer set up where Long Dicks was. It is called Happy Camper and will sell international eats. Can wait for this to open!

Also, Canton Restaurant will soon be reopening on Newfoundland Drive/Torbay Road where Buddy's used to be.

[Arrakis]

Most of the steel is now up at the new Canadian Tire store on Hebron Way. Construction of the new Milestones Grill and Bar seems to be progressing quickly there too as is the new Starbucks next to Harveys Restaurant which I hear will also house a Subway Restaurant. Funny how they will have all those restaurants built and opened and the other buildings which are supposed to feed them with customers are not even started yet like the new cinemas and the large KMK building next door. The Cinemas parking lot though seems to be moving ahead nicely though. LOL.

[statbass]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

Most of the steel is now up at the new Canadian Tire store on Hebron Way. Construction of the new Milestones Grill and Bar seems to be progressing quickly there too as is the new Starbucks next to Harveys Restaurant which I hear will also house a Subway Restaurant. Funny how they will have all those restaurants built and opened and the other buildings which are supposed to feed them with customers are not even started yet like the new cinemas and the large KMK building next door. The Cinemas parking lot though seems to be moving ahead nicely though. LOL.

It's good to hear there's a lot of movement in the area. I too find it odd that all this work is going on while construction for the anchor tenant (Cineplex) hasn't started. I guess there's more to it than meets the eye.

[colinpeddle]

Another Subway? Ridiculous. The subway near WalMart — by comparison to the other subways in town — is barely busy enough.

Some day this town is gonna crash and take a whole lot of these redundant retail spots with it.

[J_Murphy]

I noticed from the Economic Update there is now a Vietnamese Restaurant in town called the Saigon Bistro, it's at 11 Freshwater Road. Can't wait to try this place!

[CaspinK]

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

I noticed from the Economic Update there is now a Vietnamese Restaurant in town called the Saigon Bistro, it's at 11 Freshwater Road. Can't wait to try this place!

Tried it! I felt it was a little expensive, but otherwise worth it.

Giv're a try!

[statbass]

I think this is the right thread for this post...

VOCM News
July 10, 2014

The province's first Hookah Lounge is getting ready to open its doors in the capital city.

A Hookah Lounge is like a coffee shop that allows customers to order lunch and smoke herbal tobacco, in a device called a Hookah. On VOCM Nightline with Jonathan Richler, one of the owners, Mohammed El Bakr, said the herb smoked is not regular tobacco and has a pleasant aroma. He says they were hoping to be open by now, but they were initially met with some apprehension.
...

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=47485&latest=1

[Marty_Mcfly]

John Taffer's Bar Rescue has taught me everything I need to know about hookah lounges. I say best of luck to them.

[Arrakis]

Heard recently that Starbucks are going into the vacated space at Avalon Mall where Pasta Plus use to be. Can anyone confirm this?

[Arrakis]

Actually, I just found a permit request for a Starbucks for 48 Kenmount Road in the City of St John's minutes. 48 kenmount rd is Avalon Mall. So I guess it's true. That will make 3 Starbucks on kenmount rd within close proximity to each other.