Out of the Blue

[murkcury]

I agree 100% with matthewj and vadouvan. There needs to be an 'alternative' source of revenue (i.e. liquor). Based on the physical limitations of the space I think that food almost needs to take a secondary role as revenue stream. Turn it into a bar/lounge with high end cocktail/wine service and serve good, but simple (i.e. not high food costs, not labor intensive) smaller plates. Of course one then needs to deal with whole liquor license situation...

Perhaps another method would be adding a take-out aspect with better quality prepared foods. Think of all the more affluent residents in the neighborhood. Again, though, one runs into the space issues, both in the kitchen and where a take-out counter could be situated.

Making that space work for a restaurant is going to require some creativity. Good luck to the next venture.

[KatieLoeb]

I agree 100% with matthewj and vadouvan.  There needs to be an 'alternative' source of revenue (i.e. liquor).  Based on the physical limitations of the space I think that food almost needs to take a secondary role as revenue stream.  Turn it into a bar/lounge with high end cocktail/wine service and serve good, but simple (i.e. not high food costs, not labor intensive) smaller plates.  Of course one then needs to deal with whole liquor license situation...

Perhaps another method would be adding a take-out aspect with better quality prepared foods.  Think of all the more affluent residents in the neighborhood.  Again, though, one runs into the space issues, both in the kitchen and where a take-out counter could be situated.

Making that space work for a restaurant is going to require some creativity.  Good luck to the next venture.

←

The last time that space had any traction as a retail food operation was several years ago as I believe "Rittenhouse Market", before Patina. Although you'd think the captive audience of high rent condo dwellers would be a natural fit for that sort of thing, the folks coming out of Wawa two doors away with big bags of groceries always seemed to outnumber the customers for fine high end take out.

The rent is just too damned high for that postage stamp sized property. It's really that simple. I suspect the only hope for anyone other than a restaurant-fronting-a-crack-dealership is to buy the bricks from the present owner. But why would they sell? As absurd as the rent is there always seems to be another sucker willing to pay it. So even if the building lies fallow for months in between tenants, the landlord has already cashed the checks and has a nice cushion in their account.

[Vadouvan]

The rent is just too damned high for that postage stamp sized property. It's really that simple. I suspect the only hope for anyone other than a restaurant-fronting-a-crack-dealership is to buy the bricks from the present owner. But why would they sell? As absurd as the rent is there always seems to be another sucker willing to pay it. So even if the building lies fallow for months in between tenants, the landlord has already cashed the checks and has a nice cushion in their account.

I Have to say I agree with the Loeb.

The Place is a great location.

There can be a sucessful operation there with longevity.

It does however require a delicate balance in which all players have to make a sacrifice.

I remember and old chinese proverb......

"If everyone is greedy,Nobody makes money"

That includes restaurant owner,landlord, purveyors.

The answer to the potential success of this space ia quite simple if you ask Microsoft Excel.

Unless in fact the rent is lowered, it puts pressure on the principals to make money.

The absolute best scenario I could come up with is that the landlord makes a deal with the operators, lowers the rent to $2500 and actually becomes an equity investor in the restaurant taking a certain negotiated percentage of the post tax revenue based on volume of business.

It costs him nothing.

The only difference is rather that getting your ransom up front, you get it at the end of the year.

But you have a much more solid certainty of getting it for multiple years.

In the end, I bet he makes more money.

"If everyone is greedy, nobody makes money"

[matthewj]

It is good that all of us agree on the same thing. All you have to do is convince the owner of the building to agree. (which seems to not be very easy.) What i am baffled about is how in the world did a BYOB think that it was going to make even a little profit, without the revenue of beverage. i know that the BYOB craze in Philadelphia is at almost epidemic proportion's, it still makes no sense to put a BYOB there. I looked into that place not too long ago. I found that not only the outrageous rent, but it was also net net. Rent is too high in Philadelphia without enough clientele to support all of the restaurants on a daily basis.

Salt I believe was the best chance the place had. The owner just needed to believe in the chef some more, and give it a little longer. I believe it could have worked out.

On a further note, The marigold reference. I do not think Marigold could sustain a steady stream of clients, without liquor revenue

[Vadouvan]

I do not think Marigold could sustain a steady stream of clients, without liquor revenue

Brother Mathew, you know I have all the respect in the world for you.

How's it going in Hotlanta ?

The interesting thing about the BYOB thing in philly is ther is so much public acrimony against the LCB that people will in fact use the fact that a place is BYO as primary and secondary criteria for choosing it. The only thing you have to do is get "buzz".

OUT OF THE BLUE....had no buzz.

No pedigree chef, unexciting food and a cliched menu.

Seriously, what the heck is a "farrotto".

apparently risotto made with farro.........

Though I am not at liberty to divulge, the new potential operators(dont ask or PM me) are clever, smart , talented, Laban likes them and I think smart enough to learn from the mistakes of previous operators so we may all be disproven.

There are no such things as bad locations, just bad food.....or not great food.

Marigold in its first incarnation with Steve cook was excellent, the brunch for those who were lucky enough to go was also the best in the city in my opinion without any of the 4 seasons or lacroix BS.

Just solid good flavors for moderate prices.

If we can all cart our asses (can you say ass on e gullet ?) all the way to Gayle and Ansill in the Negev, this should be a no-brainer.

[matthewj]

what the H--- is farratto, are you kidding me, they should be shot. Atlanta is good. Still going to Alperge in the fall, and Mylasia.

[Vadouvan]

I am assuming that was a typo and you meant ARPEGE...Alain Passard ?

No ?

[matthewj]

woops. my mistake, I really need to spell check before I send

[philadining]

From Table Talk today

The boutique room at 20th and Rittenhouse that was Salt and until recently Out of the Blue will get a new tenant: Jonathan Makar, former manager at Marigold Kitchen...

[murkcury]

expect GREAT things.

[Capaneus]

From Table Talk today

The boutique room at 20th and Rittenhouse that was Salt and until recently Out of the Blue will get a new tenant: Jonathan Makar, former manager at Marigold Kitchen...

←

Okay, I promise to stop napping during class, but: "...former manager at Marigold Kitchen..."? Anyone catch what the heck is going on there? Jonathan, are you out there? Speak to us, o mighty spirit! <weird reverby music>

[KatieLoeb]

From Table Talk today

The boutique room at 20th and Rittenhouse that was Salt and until recently Out of the Blue will get a new tenant: Jonathan Makar, former manager at Marigold Kitchen...

←

Hence the obtuse "orange flower" reference upthread.