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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 21, 2024 10:06:28 GMT -5
The other month, a local place that was famous for BBQ and gatherings closed down. I never had gone there, but by reputation was supposed to be excellent. Family run since the 70's.
Another place is just down the road and until recently was a brewpub. Fantastic location and facility, but crap beer. Apparently they had originally contracted a German Brewmeister who went home after they insisted he brew only adjunct laden candy beer. Sold all their equipment and now only have a few domestics on tap, host venues and seem to be on the brink of closing.
Just now I learned of yet another place that has been famous for 57 years closing down. Excellent BBQ, a meat market and also deer processing. That one is gonna hurt because I viewed it as the last place I could drive to and still feel a bit of authentic Texas on the fringe of the expanding suburbia.
Shame.
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professor
Wholenote
"Now I want you to go in that bag and find my wallet." / KMMFA
Posts: 621
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Post by professor on Mar 21, 2024 10:22:54 GMT -5
Family run businesses seem to have an arc that might go for 3 generations, but that's rare. If they own the property the value of that can encourage longevity if the family is on board, but then again increasing RE values can also create an incentive to cash out.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 21, 2024 10:25:27 GMT -5
The first place I mentioned is going to be replaced by an Exxon gas station. 😑
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professor
Wholenote
"Now I want you to go in that bag and find my wallet." / KMMFA
Posts: 621
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Post by professor on Mar 21, 2024 10:31:32 GMT -5
The first place I mentioned is going to be replaced by an Exxon gas station. 😑 Location, location, location. I'll guess it's at a corner of an intersection.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 21, 2024 11:01:05 GMT -5
The first place I mentioned is going to be replaced by an Exxon gas station. 😑 Location, location, location. I'll guess it's at a corner of an intersection. Actually no, but on a stretch of road that I think is scheduled for widening. Yup, I'm sure it's a location + Real E$tate equation. Its weird, but driving west from here on one of the main FM (Farm To Market) arteries, you quickly disappear into farm land. But at any given time of the day the eastbound traffic looks like the ending of Field of Dreams. Miles of headlights. It's a surreal transition.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 21, 2024 11:09:21 GMT -5
We're nestled in a triangle of 3 communities here west of Houston, the largest being Katy TX. As of the 2021 census Katy showed a population of 21K people. I've heard projections that we're headed for a population shortly of over 1 mil people in the area. That's some wild azz growth. The communities popping up seemingly overnight with nice homes that you could leap from roof to roof seems to support that projection.
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Post by insanecooker on Mar 21, 2024 11:25:18 GMT -5
This is probably too far for you being out by Katy, but for down-home but delicious BBQ I used to drive 25 min to Virgie's when I lived in Houston. I see they are still there, at least for now.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 21, 2024 11:27:56 GMT -5
This is probably too far for you being out by Katy, but for down-home but delicious BBQ I used to drive 25 min to Virgie's when I lived in Houston. I see they are still there, at least for now. I feel like Mr. Magoo driving on an Indy Racetrack when heading into Houston, lol.
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Post by LTB on Mar 21, 2024 11:35:55 GMT -5
Yeah it is sad indeed Larry. There was a small place my daughter took us to in Canton Texas called Kickin Mule! Great atmosphere and excellent food just closed it’s doors. That was our go to place when we went to our daughter and son-in-laws outside of Canton. So many have had to close their doors since Covid.
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Post by Taildragger on Mar 21, 2024 11:56:01 GMT -5
There was a store across town that used to brag, "established-1937". A chain store that could undercut them by buying in volume finished them off.
Even pretty large outfits like Sear's and Penny's, both of which were retail giants when I was a kid, couldn't seem to turn enough of a profit anymore once they had to compete with Home Despot, Costco, Target and Walmart. Then, of course, there are the multitudes of online retailers that didn't/don't have brick & mortar overhead to figure into the equation.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Mar 21, 2024 14:01:00 GMT -5
We've had a lot close, but around here it's mostly because they can't get help. There's a fantastic pizza place that's full all the time, but they're closed mondays now due to lack of help.
RE the beer and "adjunct laden candy beer"...I know a fantastic brewer who opened a nano brewery. His beer was outstanding, but he refused to brew hazy IPAs, fruited sours and big barrel aged stouts. At the time, those represented a huge percentage of the craft beer sold....they were the hot item. This guy only wanted to brew old-world european styles. Guess what was one of the lower percentages of craft beer sold. In that world of untappd beer app tickers and hazy chasers, he didn't survive.
The bottom line in the brewing business...if there's a hot new style, whether you like it or "approve of its existance", you really need to have it on tap to survive. Bottom line: you gotta build the product people want to buy, which may or may not coincide with the product you like or the product you want to build.
The list of out of business breweries is littered with beer snobs and people who won't take the time to learn the nuances of what transforms beer from good to great. At the heyday of the micro brewery expansion, I was amazed how many brewers would get a deer in the headlights look when I asked them about their water profile for various styles. "We don't don't worry too much about that, we have really good water here" usually came with a subsequent "going out of business" sign.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 21, 2024 14:48:13 GMT -5
Yeah, I don't know what premise this brewery used to lure the German brewmeister over, but there was some serious miscommunication, lol. We have a place in Houston called Klaus Brewing that thrives with Euro lagers and ales, so there is a market. The other place had a miserable product, no attention to their beer lines, carbonation, etc. I suppose I can be called a beer snob, I just prefer a few select styles. When I brewed I would be inclined to pour out some of the stuff I paid $8 for a pour at this place.
But back on topic, I can see dwindling real estate, staffing issues and family owned businesses that get passed down to the less enthusiastic factoring in to all these places closing down.
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Post by K4 on Mar 21, 2024 15:21:56 GMT -5
Lots of times it's 2 or 3 kids with different interests that forces a sale.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 21, 2024 15:38:14 GMT -5
I believe the brewery was a casualty of a divorce.
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Post by LTB on Mar 21, 2024 16:57:42 GMT -5
Yeah, I don't know what premise this brewery used to lure the German brewmeister over, but there was some serious miscommunication, lol. We have a place in Houston called Klaus Brewing that thrives with Euro lagers and ales, so there is a market. The other place had a miserable product, no attention to their beer lines, carbonation, etc. I suppose I can be called a beer snob, I just prefer a few select styles. When I brewed I would be inclined to pour out some of the stuff I paid $8 for a pour at this place. But back on topic, I can see dwindling real estate, staffing issues and family owned businesses that get passed down to the less enthusiastic factoring in to all these places closing down. Most will probably disagree with me but Mrs. LTB and I do not like a lot of Hops in the beer because it leaves a bitter taste in our mouth
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 21, 2024 17:06:23 GMT -5
Yeah, I don't know what premise this brewery used to lure the German brewmeister over, but there was some serious miscommunication, lol. We have a place in Houston called Klaus Brewing that thrives with Euro lagers and ales, so there is a market. The other place had a miserable product, no attention to their beer lines, carbonation, etc. I suppose I can be called a beer snob, I just prefer a few select styles. When I brewed I would be inclined to pour out some of the stuff I paid $8 for a pour at this place. But back on topic, I can see dwindling real estate, staffing issues and family owned businesses that get passed down to the less enthusiastic factoring in to all these places closing down. Most will probably disagree with me but Mrs. LTB and I do not like a lot of Hops in the beer because it leaves a bitter taste in our mouth I like well made hoppy beers like West Coast IPA's and Barley Wine. On occasion.
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Post by windmill on Mar 21, 2024 18:50:37 GMT -5
Round this way the value of the land a premises is on has increased to such an extent that it can make financial sense that if the proprietors are nearing retirement age, to close a business and sell the land, rather than sell the business as a going concern.
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Post by Vibroluxer on Mar 21, 2024 19:53:09 GMT -5
I live in the county seat and we have a population of 3,500. We had a breakfast and lunch place that had been close to the courthouse for 35yrs. 2 yrs ago they couldn't agree on rent and the landlord closed them down. It's still empty.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Mar 25, 2024 8:38:37 GMT -5
Most will probably disagree with me but Mrs. LTB and I do not like a lot of Hops in the beer because it leaves a bitter taste in our mouth I like well made hoppy beers like West Coast IPA's and Barley Wine. On occasion. I can think of examples of nearly all styles that I enjoyed. I like the hazy NEIPAs. I like west coast IPAs. I love belgians, bitters, pale ales, wild ales (had one that smelled like vomit but tasted amazing after I summoned the courage to try it), blond ales, steam lagers, irish stoutes, Russian Imperial stouts...pretty much every style, when done well, can be enjoyed.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 25, 2024 9:03:41 GMT -5
We attended a local beerfest this past weekend. From local micros to world megas they were all present. Pretty fun, I chatted with one micro's brewmaster toward the end of the event who had clearly been sampling his own product all day, lol. He asked me what my favorite style was and I told him it was probably the Doppelbock. He laughed and said, "Dude! I make an awesome Doppelbock, I wish they'd let me brew it!"
Beer has seriously diversified in the past several decades, I get it. From my samplings at the fest I think my biggest venture outside of the norm of non adjunct beers was Lindemans Framboise, an old favorite of the Lambics. One up and coming brewpub has a female brewmaster, something you don't see too often. While I've found their offerings a bit "meh" in the past they just did a collab with another brewery on a black DIPA which is quite good. It's a fun place to visit and always has really good food trucks. I hope they survive.
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Post by tahitijack on Mar 25, 2024 10:35:29 GMT -5
Even the major chains and brands have fallen and disappeared
Bailey Banks and Biddle Victoria Station Plymouth DeSoto Pontiac Oldsmobile
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Post by Taildragger on Mar 25, 2024 11:22:48 GMT -5
We had a breakfast and lunch place that had been close to the courthouse for 35yrs. 2 yrs ago they couldn't agree on rent and the landlord closed them down. It's still empty. Restaurants operate on a really slender profit margin. Things like a big bump in the rent can be disastrous for them. Have a friend who runs two local breakfast/lunch places and he's talked to me on numerous occasions about how careful he has to be to "make it work". For example, when he got the parking lot for one of the places sealed and re-striped, he did it in phases so that 3/4 of the spaces would still be available at any given time: he's calculated what each available space is worth to the business by the hour. And he said, "if I shut down the whole lot, it's not just a matter of losing that day's business, it's also a matter of those people going someplace else for breakfast that morning because of the parking and then maybe never coming back here because they decide that the other place is more conveniently located, or whatever." He subcontracts with a couple other local businesses to get really high-quality, fresh pastries and whole-bean coffee, which really helps draw customers and encourage return business.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 25, 2024 11:30:54 GMT -5
When it comes to establishments that serve food it's amazing how one person could make a difference. Back in the 90s my band played in a place that had an incredible chef. The food was excellent and a highlight of the restaurant. We would also call him out to sit in on guitar where he'd put me to shame lol(he claimed to be Howard Roberts grandson). When he left the food sucked and the place went down hill.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Mar 25, 2024 11:32:09 GMT -5
We attended a local beerfest this past weekend. From local micros to world megas they were all present. Pretty fun, I chatted with one micro's brewmaster toward the end of the event who had clearly been sampling his own product all day, lol. He asked me what my favorite style was and I told him it was probably the Doppelbock. He laughed and said, "Dude! I make an awesome Doppelbock, I wish they'd let me brew it!" Beer has seriously diversified in the past several decades, I get it. From my samplings at the fest I think my biggest venture outside of the norm of non adjunct beers was Lindemans Framboise, an old favorite of the Lambics. One up and coming brewpub has a female brewmaster, something you don't see too often. While I've found their offerings a bit "meh" in the past they just did a collab with another brewery on a black DIPA which is quite good. It's a fun place to visit and always has really good food trucks. I hope they survive. Was that golden road? I know they have a female brewmaster. I've always found their stuff to be pretty meh, but they seem to have a pretty good rep.
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Post by Taildragger on Mar 25, 2024 11:49:59 GMT -5
When it comes to establishments that serve food it's amazing how one person could make a difference. Back in the 90s my band played in a place that had an incredible chef. The food was excellent and a highlight of the restaurant. We would also call him out to sit in on guitar where he'd put me to shame lol(he claimed to be Howard Roberts grandson). When he left the food sucked and the place went down hill. When I was in my early 20s, I waited tables in a couple restaurants. The chef could, indeed, make all the difference. One of the places where I worked went under after their excellent chef left and was replaced by the owner's wife and the "burger-flipper" day cook. The loss of a great chef has a cascading effect. Not only do regular customers stop coming: the morale of every employee who gets a share of the tips plummets as tips decline, which degrades the quality of service. Before you know it, potential customers can find no compelling reason to patronize the joint. It pays to keep valuable employees happy.
The manager is another vital piece of the puzzle. In one of the restaurants where I worked, the manager was too busy chasing waitress tail (this was during the early 1970s, before sexual harassment lawsuits) to make sure that the quality of food preparation, overall cleanliness of the establishment, friendly demeanor of the staff etc. was maintained. As a result, business suffered.
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Post by reverendrob on Mar 25, 2024 12:42:34 GMT -5
Almost no small business lives past the second generation. It's cyclical - there may be a kid who wants to follow in the family business, or one who feels obligated - but two in a row and favorable market conditions? Might as well buy a lotto ticket.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 25, 2024 13:16:26 GMT -5
No, it's a local place called Project Halo.
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Post by Vibroluxer on Mar 25, 2024 17:35:44 GMT -5
We had a breakfast and lunch place that had been close to the courthouse for 35yrs. 2 yrs ago they couldn't agree on rent and the landlord closed them down. It's still empty. Restaurants operate on a really slender profit margin. Things like a big bump in the rent can be disastrous for them. Have a friend who runs two local breakfast/lunch places and he's talked to me on numerous occasions about how careful he has to be to "make it work". He sounds like a pretty smart man. A local pizza place has a Facebook page and every time he posts something for his business, he posts it 3 times. So I sent him a message telling him I was a regular customer and looking at his page took too much time. His reply: "Dominos doesn't do that. Block me." Shakes head.
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Mar 26, 2024 13:13:42 GMT -5
Restaurants operate on a really slender profit margin. Things like a big bump in the rent can be disastrous for them. Have a friend who runs two local breakfast/lunch places and he's talked to me on numerous occasions about how careful he has to be to "make it work". He sounds like a pretty smart man. A local pizza place has a Facebook page and every time he posts something for his business, he posts it 3 times. So I sent him a message telling him I was a regular customer and looking at his page took too much time. His reply: "Dominos doesn't do that. Block me." Shakes head. There's a local place that has a drive through, but, due to the layout of the businesses, a Jimmy Johns shares the same pathway. The owner of the other place heckles and berates the Jimmy John's customers all the time...to the point of getting into legal trouble for it. This same guy has a daughter that plays D1 basketball and he's gotten kicked out of multiple venues for his outrageous behavior. Some people just don't have the temperament to be in a role that requires customer interaction.
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Post by Taildragger on Mar 26, 2024 13:39:43 GMT -5
This same guy has a daughter that plays D1 basketball and he's gotten kicked out of multiple venues for his outrageous behavior. We ran into a couple of those "sports dads" while our daughters were playing comp softball. One was so bad that he showed up at a tournament drunk and then came into the dugout to argue belligerently with our team's head coach about strategy (bad idea: the coach was a correctional officer, as were the asst. coaches). Mr. Know-it-all ended up getting taken down. Then the cops were called and he was hauled off in cuffs. Needless to say, his two daughters, both of whom who played on the team, were mortified. There was another one who was routinely told to leave after incessantly heckling the umps over what he deemed to be "bad calls". At least that one never showed up drunk. Really sucks when wanna-be/never-was adults try to live vicariously through their kids...
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