[St. John's] Restaurant Thread

[The Dude Abides]

Originally Posted by Sox

Opening the Second Bar/Restaurant next door ( Granite ) was the dumbest move ever by this group.
Greed took over when they were really busy, and they assumed that 2 rooms would mean double the business --- So Wrong, it means double the overhead and double the troubles. They should have closed Granite 2 -3 years ago, and go back and concentrate on Portabello's.
Hopefully for their sake, its not too late.

Apparently, if you believe everything you hear, the individual who was the main financial backing pulled out a while ago. If that's accurate, they've been slowly bleeding out ever since.

I was told the entire kitchen staff walked out during a supper rush last week because they haven't received a wage/tip cheque since the first week of December.

This is third party info.

[jeddy1989]

Harbour Room restaurant closed in the Courtyard by Marriott on Duckworth street. I hadn't hear much positive about them so I'm not very surprised. I wonder if the hotel will put another restaurant in or open their own for their guests.

[Sox]

Isn't this like the 3rd Restaurant to try and make a go of it in this Hotel ?
I seem to recall Yellowbelly opened something in here as well that failed ( FishBowl ???)

Maybe time to consider other options instead of a Restaurant, because its obviously not working here.

Not enough traffic flow to support a Restaurant, and Locals surely aren't going in there to eat either. In my opinion, nothing is going to work in here, so try something else

[colinpeddle]

Originally Posted by Sox

Isn't this like the 3rd Restaurant to try and make a go of it in this Hotel ?

Is this where Smitty's was way back?

[colinpeddle]

The Reluctant Chef is closing the end of February. They're shifting to a catering focuses business.

[Larla77]

Originally Posted by Sox

Isn't this like the 3rd Restaurant to try and make a go of it in this Hotel ?
I seem to recall Yellowbelly opened something in here as well that failed ( FishBowl ???)

Maybe time to consider other options instead of a Restaurant, because its obviously not working here.

Not enough traffic flow to support a Restaurant, and Locals surely aren't going in there to eat either. In my opinion, nothing is going to work in here, so try something else

I went in there once or twice with my mom when it was Smittys - she likes Smittys and she likes a view so I thought it would be a homerun. She wasn't a fan because it was a hotel. They should just have something for hotel guests/hotel bar.

[goodgrowth]

curious...did Milestones re-open after?

[Larla77]

Originally Posted by goodgrowth

curious...did Milestones re-open after?

Not so far

[Downtown_1]

Second Cup Water Street closes its doors yesterday. No Reason given

[Engibeer]

Originally Posted by Downtown_1

Second Cup Water Street closes its doors yesterday. No Reason given

Kind of expected this. Place was always quite empty, especially compared to the Starbucks in 351 which is generally 3/4 full (seating wise). Hard to compete for business with people working downtown when there is a coffee shop inside every office building (2x Tim's, 1x Jumping Bean, plus Marie's).

Unfortunate though, I like Second Cup.

[The Dude Abides]

Originally Posted by elizabethf1985

When is Moxie's going to open?? That hotel is taking forever.

The application for Moxie's NLC license is in The Telegram today. I think they have to run that for three consecutive weeks and then the application goes before the board. They must be getting close.

[elizabethf1985]

Originally Posted by The Dude Abides

The application for Moxie's NLC license is in The Telegram today. I think they have to run that for three consecutive weeks and then the application goes before the board. They must be getting close.

So good to know!!! Thanks!!

[Sox]

Originally Posted by elizabethf1985

So good to know!!! Thanks!!

The restaurant scene in St.John's is slowly but surely becoming quite GLUTTED ! Unfortunatley we have quite a few rooms which are all basically quite similar, and they are all competing for the same customer dollar.

Moxie's opening up, which I am looking forward too, just means that existing rooms will see a decline in customer visits. Places like Boston Pizza, Montana's , Fog City, Kelsey's , Fionn McCool's , Merlo Inferno etc etc etc will all suffer to varying levels of decline.

We are seeing the effects of a terrible economy right now, as news hits that many downtown restaurants are suffering, and closing their doors. I certainly feel bad for all these business owners, because at the end of the day St.John's doesn't have the millions of people that is needed to support such a network of Restaurants, and a couple of slow months is absolutely devastating for them.

[The Dude Abides]

Originally Posted by Sox

The restaurant scene in St.John's is slowly but surely becoming quite GLUTTED ! Unfortunatley we have quite a few rooms which are all basically quite similar, and they are all competing for the same customer dollar.

Moxie's opening up, which I am looking forward too, just means that existing rooms will see a decline in customer visits. Places like Boston Pizza, Montana's , Fog City, Kelsey's , Fionn McCool's , Merlo Inferno etc etc etc will all suffer to varying levels of decline.

We are seeing the effects of a terrible economy right now, as news hits that many downtown restaurants are suffering, and closing their doors. I certainly feel bad for all these business owners, because at the end of the day St.John's doesn't have the millions of people that is needed to support such a network of Restaurants, and a couple of slow months is absolutely devastating for them.

The big difference is that the franchise restaurants have the parent corporations backing them as well. The small restaurants downtown don't stand a chance against CARA money. Big name franchises can last through our crippled economy whereas a lot of the small "Ma and Pa" restaurants likely won't.

So if/when the economy recovers, restaurants such as Montana's or East Side Mario's will still be here but many of the small, independently owned restaurants will probably have shut down. Then the question will be "What franchise eatery will we go to tonight"?

[Engibeer]

Signs up on windows of Second Cup Water Street that just say "New Restaurant coming Summer 2018".

[Arrakis]

Just noticed this past week that Denny’s had an ad in Tge Telegram advertising a job fair soon.

Also, Milestones is also currently posting want ads for a chef and manger.

[Tommyswally]

Is there a new restaurant going up between Cabot Ford & Hickman Motors on Kenmount Road

[statbass]

Originally Posted by Tommyswally

Is there a new restaurant going up between Cabot Ford & Hickman Motors on Kenmount Road

I noticed a new building going up in that area but, unless I'm mistaken, I thought it was a new vet clinic. Or am I thinking or something different?

[Sox]

Seen this one coming from a Mile away --- I heard that the Fifth Ticket is shutting down !

[djslue]

Originally Posted by Sox

Seen this one coming from a Mile away --- I heard that the Fifth Ticket is shutting down !

What makes you say that? I thought they were doing good