1. Yes, it's a whole new look! Have questions or need help? Please post your question in the New Forum Questions thread Click the X to the right to dismiss this notice
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Seeing tons of unread posts after the upgrade? See this thread for help. Click the X to the right to dismiss this notice
    Dismiss Notice

"Restaurant Row" on Waxpool forced to close down?

Discussion in 'Area Restaurants, Dining and Food' started by Mr. Linux, Dec 16, 2009.

  1. mwb2218

    mwb2218 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2006
    Messages:
    231
    Likes Received:
    0
    So are you closing, relocating, or anything? I would sorely miss you!
    Just wondering why the site plan indicates a vacancy in your location...
     
  2. lauralynne

    lauralynne Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2007
    Messages:
    242
    Likes Received:
    10
    Yeah, why does the ad indicate a vacancy? I really really hope you stay open long term!
     
  3. OSimpson

    OSimpson Certified Master Naturalist

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2006
    Messages:
    1,015
    Likes Received:
    21
  4. TDT

    TDT TDCKY

    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2007
    Messages:
    53
    Likes Received:
    0
    I think that is only the Arlington location closing
     
  5. lauralynne

    lauralynne Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2007
    Messages:
    242
    Likes Received:
    10
    My guess, sadly, is that the Ashburn location probably is going to close in a few months but that the owners don't want to advertise that at this time. (The commercial real estate company, naturally, IS advertising at this time). I love the pizza and would be so sad if they closed. I enjoyed Silk Road, Tijuana flats, and Cafe Rumi too and couldn't believe it when they shut their doors.
     
  6. TeamDonzi

    TeamDonzi ShowMeTheMoney!

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2005
    Messages:
    741
    Likes Received:
    5
    Lauralynne, that's the only thing that makes sense. The posted info by the owners seems to skirt the issue, which I get. I just can't understand why this area seems to be the nemesis of successful restauranteurs.
     
  7. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2001
    Messages:
    3,277
    Likes Received:
    69
    Personally, I believe it's the high cost of renting a location, in combination with the fact that there is little to no lunch crowd here due to lack of any 'business' that would attract a considerable amount of lunch patrons. It's hard to make ends meet if you only have one 'service' a day to generate revenue.

    If people want to see small businesses, such as these restaurants, thrive in our community, they're going to have to let bigger businesses, that bring potential customers into our community during the day, setup shop here and welcome them. That's something that some residents in our community are fiercely against. These small businesses need more customers, plain and simple. We can try and frequent them more often, but in the end, they need a larger base of customers.
     
  8. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2002
    Messages:
    5,281
    Likes Received:
    344
    Gee, you mean something like...say.....a hospital??? :devil2:
     
  9. TeamDonzi

    TeamDonzi ShowMeTheMoney!

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2005
    Messages:
    741
    Likes Received:
    5
    I just hope the good places can hang in there until GM moves in and the town center thing by Home Depot, although that may bring more restaurants...Lunch business is always tricky anyway and making a go of it in a place where there are no major businesses just heaps it on.
     
  10. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,929
    Likes Received:
    69
    I'll take a crack at this:

    - some landlords and biz owners truly believe the CASHBURN myth and over charge tenants/customers. biz owners have to charge more to pay the exhorbitant rent, customers don't appreciate it so shop elsewhere where we DON'T feel gouged, biz goes under.

    - restaurants: many nicer upscale cuisine types fail here because many people take their date night dining dollars further from home. i don't think Ashburn is culturally diverse enough for anything more exotic than Indian or Thai restaurants to get enough support to stay open.Silk Road and Callaloo are perfect examples of that.

    i also think poor biz planning kills some of them. not being set up to absorb being in the red for at least 2 years means they come and go like the flame of a match. lack of good marketing, choosing the wrong location or being a biz that's duplicated within several miles... we all know THAT song and dance.

    lunch crowd: do the bigger bizzes in ashburn have their own cafeterias? i think lunch buffets and chains can succeed but mom and pop might not be able to move fast enough and handle a huge crowd.
     
  11. GotTwins?

    GotTwins? New Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2007
    Messages:
    45
    Likes Received:
    1
    And I'll take another crack at this. I agree with some of it, but not all.
    - Linux is right - not having the lunch crowd is a huge part of it. Look no further than Clyde's - it's not a great location for them because there is no lunch crowd. But to Redon1's point, they knew that going in and built the Taj Mahal anyway, so some of that is on them. A lot of restaurants anticipated more offices going up and the market collapsed.
    - But without exception, no independent, sit down restaurant locally does consistently well from Sunday - Thursday (with the limited exception for sporting events). No one can survive long term when 75% of their business is on Friday and Saturday night. It is the nature of the beast in Ashburn that we eat dinner at home on weekdays; great for families, bad for business.
    - Supply vs. demand - Too many restaurants opened around the same time expecting the housing boom to continue and offices to open. Didn't happen that way. Too many restaurants are still fighting for too few patrons.
    - Redon1 is correct that some landlords don't adjust the rent accordingly when businesses fail. On the other hand, some do, and businesses still fail. I'm am insider, I know. Rent is but a small portion of a business' overall success. Business owners will charge the most money for their product that the market will bear based on competition, product cost, image, etc. Rent is a very minor component to what a business will charge for their product. Likewise, every landlord will charge the most rent that they can get based on what the market will bear. That's everywhere; not just in "Cashburn". So one can't make the argument that a business will gouge customers for exorbitant rent in Ashburn, but not in other places. It's the same everywhere. Where landlords differ is in their philosophy about how to handle tenants that fall behind in rent; i.e., evict vs. hold their hand.

    There are too many restaurants failing to simply point the finger at one reason, or at the easiest target, greedy landlords. It's market forces at work, plain and simple. Simply serving the best food, or having the best service or atmosphere, won't work in this environment when there is too little demand and too many choices. You need all of the above, plus reasonable prices, to sustain an indepedent restaurant. And keep in mind, also, that Forum posters are a small minority of the general public; you all are probably more interested in a more upscale product, or more finicky about service, food and atomosphere. The numbers bear out that the majority of the public is perfectly fine with cheaper dining options at chain restaurants, such as Red Robin, Clyde's, Bonefish, Applebees, Ruby Tuesday, Chili's, and so on, and so on.
     
  12. RobVT3

    RobVT3 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2007
    Messages:
    145
    Likes Received:
    1
    I agree... I defiently wouln't call it greed on the landlords part. They take on a lot of risk and pay a hefty price for the land, planning, engineering, architecture, government approvals, permits etc. They either have substantial debt on the property or have investors with certain expectations and demands. Don't think for a second that the "landlords" around here and other places aren't hurting to keep their investments afloat. For anyone to suggest or imply that the rent they charge is purely out of greed really isn't being fair unless you have all the facts.
     
  13. OSimpson

    OSimpson Certified Master Naturalist

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2006
    Messages:
    1,015
    Likes Received:
    21
    If I am not totally confused, I think I posted here some of the POSITIVE stuff going on at American Flatbread, but it shows up under the Advertising Forum. I wasn't advertising, obviously I was giving an "actual" information about this restaurant instead of may be guessing what's going on or what's not going on. If anyone interested to find out, it's under advertising forum titled "American Flatbread"..
     
  14. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,929
    Likes Received:
    69
    admin rules Oya- that's the way it goes... :boogie:
     
  15. Sunny

    Sunny Chief Advisor

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2003
    Messages:
    1,317
    Likes Received:
    15
    yes- it happens to me too. whenever i post something that is too glowing or nice- it gets moved to advertisers. i don't neccessarily agree with that, and i think oya's post should have stayed here or been duplicated in advertisers if need be, but not taken away from a thread that questioned the fate of am. flat... she listed some things that were happening, and now that relevant info is "gone".
     
  16. mamatothree

    mamatothree New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2004
    Messages:
    1,311
    Likes Received:
    0
    Maybe we need a Reviews and Rebuttals thread...not just for businesses but for movies, video games, books, appliances and such.
     
  17. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,929
    Likes Received:
    69
    if you did i know a biz that would sponsor it! lol ;)
     
  18. mamatothree

    mamatothree New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2004
    Messages:
    1,311
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hmmm...whoever would that be????
    :genius:
     
  19. tyger31

    tyger31 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2003
    Messages:
    1,530
    Likes Received:
    8
    I know AOL and Verizon have their own cafeterias
     
  20. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2005
    Messages:
    5,929
    Likes Received:
    69
    some ADORABLE local business advocate who could start some good conversations about local business and help to get business owners engaged in the conversation...
    :p
     

Share This Page