(05-17-2018 12:06 PM)falconplucker Wrote:  I certainly give Gradkowski credit. He want to try something close to campus, but it didn't work out. Restaurants come and go all of the time. I'm sure all of the new restaurants going up along secor didn't help. It was a little too expensive for students, and the area is not enough of a draw, when people are thinking about where to eat on the weekends let alone during the week. I'll still visit the one in Perrysburg.

Yes and the market he was trying to draw from is very competitive in the City of Toledo but also region, plenty of choices in that menu and price point. Plus for students, lots of cheaper options on Secor.

If a Frankie's can survive on the Eastside, it seems beyond comprehension UT can't still support a club.

(05-17-2018 10:47 AM)PaulJ Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 07:10 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  UT needs a bar scene. Jed's and chasers is a start but the old Jax/U/Rockstar have all failed. BG and EMU have cool bar scenes that connect with the student body. We do not. That vacant lot on Byrne and Door is an eye sore. Build up the area... Why did they put a median on Dorr with no other plans to refurbish the area?

I thought Jeds and Chasers were pretty much dead or dying? UT student population of 19,000, with large number of College Credit Plus HS students, adult and veteran students, and part time students-all of which are the growth areas for UT enrollment, simply is not large enough to sustain many bars and food places near campus 365 days a year. Unlike many campuses with bar scenes (Kent State for example), UT simply does not have enough direct from HS, typical college age students interested in those venues.

The median cut 20% of Jed's business... You can't come from the west on Dorr and turn in like you used to be able to. Bunkers (Now Andy's) gets that crowd of students living near Reynolds road.

Chasers is popular 3 nights a week from midnight to 2am. But for the non 21 year olds it still has clout. Get drunk at home, show up, dance, have older friends buy you drinks. I haven't been in years but it's an experience all UT Students should do once. Frats and Srats still attend regularly on party nights.

20k students would absolutely support a bar close by in a fresh environment. Rockstar which just shut down was a damn cool looking place with busy nights. But a bar open 3 days a week with poor marketing isn't going to stay in business long. And it didn't.

If BGSUcks can have 10 popular bars. We can have one more that adds to the night life around campus. Jake's saloon is another bar that some students like but it's behind engineering and doesn't draw the crowd out towards Jed's. Bar hoping doesn't happen around UT for lack of options.

Downtown is where the 21 to 26 year old's hang... But they would think twice if another viable option was closer to UT. Lots of students in Edge, Old Town, University Hills, etc. Would rather walk there than Uber downtown.

(05-17-2018 03:45 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  If a Frankie's can survive on the Eastside, it seems beyond comprehension UT can't still support a club.

It's a music scene. I love Frankie's but don't hangout down there. Around UT you should want to hangout... Not just go and leave after the show. The Nebraska and door area can be kind of iffy at night. Those houses get broken into fairly frequently and a gang called the Lucas county Gang or boyz run those streets. The Byrne and Door corner is a little far of a walk from the students on the Douglass and Bankroft corner. A giant vacant lot on Byrne does not give off a safe feel. Gradkowski's location on the other hand would be an awesome spot for a student primary bar.

(05-17-2018 06:06 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 03:45 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  If a Frankie's can survive on the Eastside, it seems beyond comprehension UT can't still support a club.

It's a music scene. I love Frankie's but don't hangout down there. Around UT you should want to hangout... Not just go and leave after the show. The Nebraska and door area can be kind of iffy at night. Those houses get broken into fairly frequently and a gang called the Lucas county Gang or boyz run those streets. The Byrne and Door corner is a little far of a walk from the students on the Douglass and Bankroft corner. A giant vacant lot on Byrne does not give off a safe feel. Gradkowski's location on the other hand would be an awesome spot for a student primary bar.

We used to go Frankies on NYE back when I was in 5th grade to high school. That was nearly 50 years ago. I was the only one in the family that ordered Italian (spaghetti Bolognese is still one of my favorites). PS - it was an Italian restaurant at that time. Really good food back then.

(05-17-2018 08:43 PM)MotoRocket Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 06:06 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 03:45 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  If a Frankie's can survive on the Eastside, it seems beyond comprehension UT can't still support a club.

It's a music scene. I love Frankie's but don't hangout down there. Around UT you should want to hangout... Not just go and leave after the show. The Nebraska and door area can be kind of iffy at night. Those houses get broken into fairly frequently and a gang called the Lucas county Gang or boyz run those streets. The Byrne and Door corner is a little far of a walk from the students on the Douglass and Bankroft corner. A giant vacant lot on Byrne does not give off a safe feel. Gradkowski's location on the other hand would be an awesome spot for a student primary bar.

We used to go Frankies on NYE back when I was in 5th grade to high school. That was nearly 50 years ago. I was the only one in the family that ordered Italian (spaghetti Bolognese is still one of my favorites). PS - it was an Italian restaurant at that time. Really good food back then.

Use to frequent Frankie's before/after Sport's Arena events.

Btw, any University Village development should include increased Police/Security presence.

That would be an excellent location for a Winking Lizard or a Beer Barrel. Both have great food and Winking Lizard's beer selection is outstanding.

(05-17-2018 05:59 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 10:47 AM)PaulJ Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 07:10 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  UT needs a bar scene. Jed's and chasers is a start but the old Jax/U/Rockstar have all failed. BG and EMU have cool bar scenes that connect with the student body. We do not. That vacant lot on Byrne and Door is an eye sore. Build up the area... Why did they put a median on Dorr with no other plans to refurbish the area?

I thought Jeds and Chasers were pretty much dead or dying? UT student population of 19,000, with large number of College Credit Plus HS students, adult and veteran students, and part time students-all of which are the growth areas for UT enrollment, simply is not large enough to sustain many bars and food places near campus 365 days a year. Unlike many campuses with bar scenes (Kent State for example), UT simply does not have enough direct from HS, typical college age students interested in those venues.

The median cut 20% of Jed's business... You can't come from the west on Dorr and turn in like you used to be able to. Bunkers (Now Andy's) gets that crowd of students living near Reynolds road.

Chasers is popular 3 nights a week from midnight to 2am. But for the non 21 year olds it still has clout. Get drunk at home, show up, dance, have older friends buy you drinks. I haven't been in years but it's an experience all UT Students should do once. Frats and Srats still attend regularly on party nights.

20k students would absolutely support a bar close by in a fresh environment. Rockstar which just shut down was a damn cool looking place with busy nights. But a bar open 3 days a week with poor marketing isn't going to stay in business long. And it didn't.

If BGSUcks can have 10 popular bars. We can have one more that adds to the night life around campus. Jake's saloon is another bar that some students like but it's behind engineering and doesn't draw the crowd out towards Jed's. Bar hoping doesn't happen around UT for lack of options.

Downtown is where the 21 to 26 year old's hang... But they would think twice if another viable option was closer to UT. Lots of students in Edge, Old Town, University Hills, etc. Would rather walk there than Uber downtown.

As I pointed out the student market for bars and clubs is not 20k students, more like 4,000 or so 1st and 2nd year students living in on campus housing, large portions of UT student population are part time, HS students, adult/veterans, working students etc... none of which are target market. For some reason (guessing its the dominance of part time and working students) successful bars near UT main campus are rare and those still there are struggling at best.

(05-19-2018 12:47 PM)PaulJ Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 05:59 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 10:47 AM)PaulJ Wrote:  

(05-17-2018 07:10 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  UT needs a bar scene. Jed's and chasers is a start but the old Jax/U/Rockstar have all failed. BG and EMU have cool bar scenes that connect with the student body. We do not. That vacant lot on Byrne and Door is an eye sore. Build up the area... Why did they put a median on Dorr with no other plans to refurbish the area?

I thought Jeds and Chasers were pretty much dead or dying? UT student population of 19,000, with large number of College Credit Plus HS students, adult and veteran students, and part time students-all of which are the growth areas for UT enrollment, simply is not large enough to sustain many bars and food places near campus 365 days a year. Unlike many campuses with bar scenes (Kent State for example), UT simply does not have enough direct from HS, typical college age students interested in those venues.

The median cut 20% of Jed's business... You can't come from the west on Dorr and turn in like you used to be able to. Bunkers (Now Andy's) gets that crowd of students living near Reynolds road.

Chasers is popular 3 nights a week from midnight to 2am. But for the non 21 year olds it still has clout. Get drunk at home, show up, dance, have older friends buy you drinks. I haven't been in years but it's an experience all UT Students should do once. Frats and Srats still attend regularly on party nights.

20k students would absolutely support a bar close by in a fresh environment. Rockstar which just shut down was a damn cool looking place with busy nights. But a bar open 3 days a week with poor marketing isn't going to stay in business long. And it didn't.

If BGSUcks can have 10 popular bars. We can have one more that adds to the night life around campus. Jake's saloon is another bar that some students like but it's behind engineering and doesn't draw the crowd out towards Jed's. Bar hoping doesn't happen around UT for lack of options.

Downtown is where the 21 to 26 year old's hang... But they would think twice if another viable option was closer to UT. Lots of students in Edge, Old Town, University Hills, etc. Would rather walk there than Uber downtown.

As I pointed out the student market for bars and clubs is not 20k students, more like 4,000 or so 1st and 2nd year students living in on campus housing, large portions of UT student population are part time, HS students, adult/veterans, working students etc... none of which are target market. For some reason (guessing its the dominance of part time and working students) successful bars near UT main campus are rare and those still there are struggling at best.

It's more than that. It's grad students. It's Owens kids who hang with Toledo friends... It's working people the age of college students. It's BG people that UT people want to come party HERE instead of going there.

Even if it was 4k. These bars capacity is 200. There are 2 student bars. Downtown is getting great student business and they could keep their 23+ crowd and stay busy with another anchor bar in the dorr, secor area.

Those downtown bars have a sweet niche; they're popular with the corporate professionals right after work until around 7 or 8 o'clock then between 9 and 10 they evolve to a student bars. I got caught lingering too long one night, boy did I get the stink eye... as if "what are those creepy middle-aged dudes doing here?!"

(05-19-2018 07:09 PM)San Giuseppe Jato Rocket Wrote:  Those downtown bars have a sweet niche; they're popular with the corporate professionals right after work until around 7 or 8 o'clock then between 9 and 10 they evolve to a student bars. I got caught lingering too long one night, boy did I get the stink eye... as if "what are those creepy middle-aged dudes doing here?!"

We’re here fer yer wimmen.

(05-17-2018 07:40 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  http://www.collegeranker.com/features/th...lege-bars/

Figures that Athens, OH would be in the top 5. OU was party central even back in the late 60's early 70's. Almost went there but but a girl kept me in Toledo. The Good Lord works in mysterious ways! GO ROCKETS!

(05-19-2018 07:09 PM)San Giuseppe Jato Rocket Wrote:  Those downtown bars have a sweet niche; they're popular with the corporate professionals right after work until around 7 or 8 o'clock then between 9 and 10 they evolve to a student bars. I got caught lingering too long one night, boy did I get the stink eye... as if "what are those creepy middle-aged dudes doing here?!"

If I am looking to own or invest in bar, I would be looking at location that draws crowds 365 days of the year (or a good part of it), that is why high traffic areas and areas with other year round activity are a better bet than a 30 week academic year. No surprise to me that more such establishments are centered around downtown and major shopping areas in the Toledo area and not near main campus of UT.

Grad's

http://www.toledoblade.com/business/2018...-area.html

The Mancy family is opening a sports bar on Bancroft in the old Schorling's store.

(06-27-2018 02:25 PM)Rocket Pirate Wrote:  http://www.toledoblade.com/business/2018...-area.html

The Mancy family is opening a sports bar on Bancroft in the old Schorling's store.

Could work out well if they cater to not only UT students, will need crowds 52 weeks of the year and not just the 30 weeks UT is in full sessions. Need to also market to OO and OHills residents for business, if made out or perceived as a student only place they could find it tough going. Smart for them to keep start up costs down (plus own and not renting space) so as not to open with major debit to pay off and lenders breathing down their necks from day one.

Just look at Fusion Bistro at Cricket West which draws in the local OO walk-in crowds pretty well

Seems more like Gradkowski opened a restaurant that he wanted to have. I doubt he is much interested in a wings and beer sports bar. What I see is somebody that really enjoys the concept of a trendy, higher end restaurant with a bar area to socialize in. Something he would feel comfortable being at as much as possible. You need to be in the right location - and although it could be said he attached too much to being in the immediate UT area, he was also close to Old Orchard and Ottawa Hills. It would seem he was accomplishing both.

Seems doubtful he was counting on UT students to frequent his restaurant since very few (ie those that went back for a degree after working for years) were even in high school when he left UT back in the spring of 2006.

I read somewhere that restaurants opened by Former NFL Players fail on the average of 75% of the time. Gradkowski's is no exception. Too bad.

(06-28-2018 07:03 AM)Michigan Rocket Wrote:  I read somewhere that restaurants opened by Former NFL Players fail on the average of 75% of the time. Gradkowski's is no exception. Too bad.

90-95% of restaurants fail in the first year.

(06-28-2018 12:48 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(06-28-2018 07:03 AM)Michigan Rocket Wrote:  I read somewhere that restaurants opened by Former NFL Players fail on the average of 75% of the time. Gradkowski's is no exception. Too bad.

90-95% of restaurants fail in the first year.

think about that a moment. Does that match your reality? If 10 businesses opened, you do not see nine of them in a year? 19 out of 20, gone?

Wouldn't be sustainable. At 95%, there wouldn't even be infrastructure business to support the industry. It's bad, closer to half but not 95% bad. Over five years, your 90% may be closer.

Well, unless you can show me research otherwise of course. But my number instincts say, not possible for an industry to survive at that failure rate.