| Author | Message | ||
     AlleyGater Citizen Username: Alleygater Post Number: 49 Registered: 10-2004 |
Why do you guys think at least 4 restaurants closed (that I can think of) in Maplewood village in such a short period of time. I've been giving this some thought. Here are some possible ideas I came up with: -Rents are too high in the village? -The restaurants weren't very good? -People don't eat out enough in Maplewood? -The location is bad (not enough street traffic and not a common thoroughfare -- compare it to Valley, Springfield Ave, Orange Ave all of which gets patrons who aren't merely locals)? -The food was too expensive? Anyone else have any other ideas? I think that Maplewood is lacking in good quality food. In fact, almost all the restaurants that I eat at are NOT in Maplewood (and certainly not in the Village). Do you think there is a reason why other towns have better food options than us? I mean Maplewood is a town made up primarily of NYC transplants, and most NYers love their food. For instance how can Montclair have 4 or 5 indian restaurants, and we don't have even one (ok fine we have one if you count Neelam in S.O.) Thoughts? | ||
| Duncan Supporter Username: Duncanrogers Post Number: 3883 Registered: 12-2001  |
Parking comes to mind. | ||
| thegoodsgt Citizen Username: Thegoodsgt Post Number: 747 Registered: 2-2002  |
When we learn that a restaurant is closing (assuming, of course, that we hear it before the actual closing), it would be wise of us to ask to speak to the owner or manager to ask this question directly. | ||
| Jay Citizen Username: Jaymon Post Number: 19 Registered: 10-2004  |
I think it's a good question, but I'll tell you this - If you were a smart restauranteur, you would be all over the oportunities in this town. All we really need is one good place and I think it would start a chain reaction. What do I know? I still like the Maple Leaf diner..... | ||
| Beans Citizen Username: Nalini Post Number: 44 Registered: 11-2004 |
Alleygater, I totally agree with you on the mediocre food in Maplewood. I've been yearning for the restaurants in NYC. Even though, I still work in NYC, it's still not as convenient as when I lived there. | ||
| ML Supporter Username: Ml1 Post Number: 2240 Registered: 5-2002  |
I don't know how many restaurants can take in the revenue per square foot that they need to meet the rents in town. It appears that only realtors and nail shops can generate that sort of revenue. The rumor is that the Cornercopia space is renting for 6K per month. At $200 per day just to pay the rent, that's about 10 entrees you'd have to sell every day just to pay the rent. Then you've got ingredients to buy, staff to pay, loans on all the kitchen equipment and furnishings -- I don't know how you could make a go of it in a space that can probably only hold 15 tables. | ||
| Mark Fuhrman Citizen Username: Mfpark Post Number: 1242 Registered: 9-2001  |
Maybe someone should also ask the ones that succeed how they manage to do it? | ||
| Phenixrising Citizen Username: Phenixrising Post Number: 398 Registered: 9-2004 |
Just curious, but why was Maplewood Village against a "Kentucky Fried Chicken" franchise? I'm sure that would've stayed in business. | ||
| Zoesky1 Citizen Username: Zoesky1 Post Number: 695 Registered: 6-2003 |
Re Montclair and how it can support so many restaurants, it is a much bigger town, with larger commercial districts and more parking, more commerce in general. I think it attracts more people from surrounding towns as an "entertainment district" whereas Maplewood is homier (my preference, indeed). | ||
| Travis Reis Citizen Username: Lcmadison Post Number: 7 Registered: 5-2004 |
I think that the problem is a combination of several issues...lack of parking, difficult landlords, and very high rent per square foot. I understand from many store/restaurant owners that several of the landlords in town are extremely difficult to deal with and seem to believe that their space is worth more than a store or restaurant could possibly afford...especially without being able to sell liquor...I was recently told that a space that is currently renting for $6500.00 was proposed for an increase to 10,000.00...a little crazy... | ||
| kriss Citizen Username: Kriss Post Number: 124 Registered: 6-2001 |
We ordered food from the WaterLillies in Summit last month. The same gentleman who used to deliver from Maplewood brought this order. When we asked why the Maplewood store had shut down he told us it was the high rent. | ||
| amandacat Citizen Username: Amandacat Post Number: 787 Registered: 8-2001  |
St. James Gate was packed last night, as usual; don't think I've ever eaten dinner there without having to wait for a table. The trattoria also seems consistently busy, as does Bill & Harry's and Roman Gourmet. I think the "right" restaurant, if the food is consistently good and it serves the community's needs (as the Gate so evidently does) will always attract plenty of business in Maplewood Village. Then again, I'm sure the Gate's liquor license also goes a long way towards helping them pay their high (I assume) rent . . . | ||
| Soda Supporter Username: Soda Post Number: 2470 Registered: 5-2001  |
Yup. Consistently high quality products or services offered to a ready market at a competitive price by friendly staff = a successful business. High rents are a potential glitch in this equation, but they also serve as convenient excuse for businesses which fail due to a lack of one or more of the critical success factors. -s. BTW: Want your favorite place to survive? Become a steady customer, and get others to do the same. If you don't, you've got no right to whine and lament if they close or move away... | ||
| Dave Moderator Username: Dave Post Number: 5160 Registered: 4-1998  |
Strange how the only place in M Village with taps has the most business. or perhaps not... | ||
| davidbuckley Citizen Username: Davidbuckley Post Number: 236 Registered: 5-2001 |
What are the restaurants that closed? Besides Waterlilies and Celebrated, neither of which will I miss? I fully agree about mediocrity with the notable exceptions of wonderful Jocelynne's (very hard to get res., small and, a mark of their success, closed TWO days a week!), Cent'anni where one can eat well but cigarette smoke is a major issue and, of course, the Trattoria where Angelo and staff are sublimely accomodating and good food is had. Carmelitas can also provide a good meal. No, Neelam doesn't count due to really bad food and really bad attitude though many must disagree or be wallowing in Indian food ignorance because I believe it is still open. The deciding factor that keeps interesting, reasonable (or even not so reasonable) and VARIED (WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER ITALIAN RESTAURANT UNLESS THEY ARE ADVENTUROUS AND DIFFERENT) restaurants from opening here and elsewhere in NJ is the fact that non restaurant service businesses (yes, realtors and nail salons: speak, market, survival only to the fittest!) can afford the rents and restaurants (UNLESS they can sell alcohol) cannot. Not a restaurant but a perfect example was Cravings, a really nice little deli with good food: I believe that if they had been able to sell beer they'd still be in business. I don't understand the arcane alcohol rules and regs in NJ but I do understand that they are hurting all of us who would like to see varied, interesting, good restaurants flourish. Be well and eat well, all. David Buckley | ||
| RBrunner Citizen Username: Rbrunner Post Number: 6 Registered: 5-2004 |
I don't understand this supposed parking issue that people keep mentioning. I have never once had a problem parking in Maplewood. Has that big lot at the (non-train-station) end of the village ever been completely full? Not that I've ever seen. But I agree that the food in Maplewood is generally subpar compared to what's available in surrounding towns. The only place I regularly eat is Arturos. A decent Indian place would be fantastic (driving all the way to Rt. 22 or Montclair is a pain). And a good, reasonably priced brunch at a place with a liquor license would be nice. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 1678 Registered: 4-2002 |
Papillion has a good brunch (in S. Orange)and they have liquor. For whatever reason the state refuses to budge on the liquor licenses. The argument is the value of the current liquor licenses would be hurt too much if they issued new ones. Right now they sell for about $350,000 in our area. If the sate issued a new one it would be for the nominal fee. I suggested (and I doubt I was the first) that they issue a new one to each person who has one and those businesses could sell them for the fair market value. Assuming the license would be worth half as much with double the licenses they would not be hurt. It would seem that we could easily support double the number of licenses in our area. Zoesky: From what I hear (from some building owners ) in Montclair, they have seen a fair share of restaurants close and a large increase in the number of nail salons and realtors there too. | ||
| cmontyburns Citizen Username: Cmontyburns Post Number: 667 Registered: 12-2003  |
I too have never had a problem parking in Maplewood, even during peak times on Friday or Saturday nights. Occasionally I have to walk a block further than I had planned, but I think people expect that. THe landlords charge high rents (which the market dictates), and then everyone gets upset when some little adorable bakery can't afford to have a home in Maplewood. Likewise, people get just as upset when some national chain with deep pockets wants to move into town. And I'm also surprised that people are so surprised this is happening. Look at how the median home price in Maplewood and South Orange has changed in the last three years -- let alone 5 or 10 years. Landlords have mortgages too. | ||
| Hank Zona Citizen Username: Hankzona Post Number: 1981 Registered: 3-2002 |
Village restaurants arent getting alot of corporate expense account business during the week, nor are many restaurants in NJ. That is one big difference between NJ and NYC restaurants (that and maybe no pre-theatre business in NJ either and less population density...Id think the restaurant business in Hoboken is different though..more akin to NYC)...NJ restaurants in many cases (not all) are making their money on just 2-3 days/nights a week, NYC restaurants get alot more traffic and cashflow. Restaurants close because they arent good..they dont have as fortunate a location as others...they are difficult businesses to run, especially considering staffing and the wear and tear on the folks who own and run these businesses in many cases (they arent working the best hours usually). I dont know this for a fact but I would think the greatest percentage of business failures are restaurants. Jocelyne's does well for a small space, and with no liquor license, and it attracts a clientele from outside Maplewood. I think that restaurant stacks up against alot of other restaurants elsewhere quite favorably...but its not a place Im going to eat at weekly. Pizzerias seem to do pretty well...are they the nail salons of the food business? None of them have the traffic that the Trattoria has, yet they all seem to have a good number of people in there. Trattoria's family style moderate priced menu works well for our town, with a range of incomes, people without alot of time and families with kids. It has also benefited from its success (which breeds success) and word of mouth and a willingness to give back to the community as well...its certainly got momentum on its side (and a good quality/value ratio). Rents arent just the bane of restaurants in our town...look at how hot restaurant areas have migrated in NYC. Even some of the best known restaurants in the city have to close or move because of rents. SoHo and Tribeca were once less expensive outposts..not any longer, so alot of restaurants then began sprouting in the Lower East Side and the Meatpacking District...cheaper rents combined with a mystique of the new happening neighborhoods. And its nice to patronize your favorite places, but for some folks, eating out more than they do now isnt a viable option. As for the liquor license thing, that helps, but it also makes BYO places a much better value. | ||
| Wendyn Supporter Username: Wendyn Post Number: 1325 Registered: 9-2002 |
I feel lucky that we have so many local restaraunt choices. When I go to Texas to visit family (Dallas/Ft Worth suburbs) the only choices we have are chains. Applebee's anyone? Blech. I'd rather have a mediocre night at Celebrated Foods (boo hoo!) than any night at Applebee's. And I think posters are right about the alcohol. There are days when the hubster wants a beer or something with his meal, and since we have toddlers we are pretty limited on where to go to get good food, decent beer selection and be toddler friendly (high chairs and no smoking). We usually opt for take-out. |
