The Observation Deck

Stephen Eisel wrote:

Ivor Karabatkovic wrote:ewwwwwwwww Applebee's.

I guess my friends won't have to drive to Rocky River to consume this garbage!

At least it's a new business, and I think it will do well here.

c'mon! they have great mini cheeseburgers

Beer Engine has great mini cheeseburgers...

chris richards wrote:

Stephen Eisel wrote:

Ivor Karabatkovic wrote:ewwwwwwwww Applebee's.

I guess my friends won't have to drive to Rocky River to consume this garbage!

At least it's a new business, and I think it will do well here.

c'mon! they have great mini cheeseburgers

Beer Engine has great mini cheeseburgers...

I will try them tonight! THANKS

chris richards wrote:

Stephen Eisel wrote:Should we not be happy that a new business is coming to Lakewood???

we should... but with caution. chain's are double edged swords.

with reading people's concerns about money staying in Lakewood in many earlier threads, I have to think that chains are not a way to do so.

What is the other "edge" of the sword?

Went there last weekend and it was so packed that we left and settled for ATC's wings. Never had worse wings than those...they were worse than Pacer's wings. My friend had a ATC burger and he said it was alright. The service was bad too.

Remind me to grill my own food the next time I'm hungry for a burger, wings or steak.

Applebee's does have good tasting boneless wings, and if you're there after 9pm appetizers are half off!

chris richards wrote: Beer Engine has great mini cheeseburgers...

My problem with the Beer Engine is that it's more a bar than a restaurant. I want to eat at a restaurant, not a place that just happens to serve food with their alcohol.

I do think they have great burgers there, but it's just not the kind of atmosphere where I'd want to sit an enjoy a meal. It's too bad really because they have probably the best burgers in town.

Bryan Schwegler wrote:

chris richards wrote: Beer Engine has great mini cheeseburgers...

My problem with the Beer Engine is that it's more a bar than a restaurant. I want to eat at a restaurant, not a place that just happens to serve food with their alcohol.

I do think they have great burgers there, but it's just not the kind of atmosphere where I'd want to sit an enjoy a meal. It's too bad really because they have probably the best burgers in town.

I go into it as if it were a restaurant. I have only once gotten alcohol there, and when I did, I was actually sitting at the bar. Applebee's itself has a bar, usually smack dab in the middle of the place. Beer Engine has a dining area set off to the side, and to me, that differentiates the area enough to make it feel less of a bar. Beer Engine's menu is extremely unique compaired to the chain, as well as the menu of Melt. Not to mention Winking Lizard, which has seperate dining areas all together.

ah the slippery slope of chains. I remember when winking lizard set up shop at Kelly's Island. Talk about a difference in ownership. All local owned places and suddenly there's a "chain". Last time I was there they had already chosen to move on.
Now, here Winking Lizard does well. Heck based on the comment above it's considered less a chain than Applebees. So what would the determining factor be? Is 15+ stores regionally a chain? Do they have to be national to be a chain? If they started here but expanded and now have 3-5 but their kitchen doesn't make everything fresh is that a chain? So many questions...if anyone has the answer I'd be interested. It would certainly help to determine if I need multiple levels for who has the best wings. Should sauce from a bag really compete with sauce made fresh from raw ingredients?
Applebee's will do fine here. The problems listed about chains coming in and building to suit, leaving behind a structure that is difficult to lease out again is valid. But it's an issue for the building dept and more specifically the architectural review board. It does look strange at time to think of the old Pizza Hut that isn't a Pizza Hut anymore. I guess I don't think of Applebees with the same signature facade and design. The bar/restaurant thing is one that came up months back. I only consider it unfortunate that a family style restaraunt hasn't already popped up but then again it's not like that was the last food license in town and we don't have another chance tomorrow.
So is there any chance that Applebees would like to build the first LEED certified building in Lakewood? I'm assuming that we don't have one yet, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Shawn Juris wrote:ah the slippery slope of chains. I remember when winking lizard set up shop at Kelly's Island. Talk about a difference in ownership. All local owned places and suddenly there's a "chain". Last time I was there they had already chosen to move on.
Now, here Winking Lizard does well. Heck based on the comment above it's considered less a chain than Applebees. So what would the determining factor be? Is 15+ stores regionally a chain? Do they have to be national to be a chain? If they started here but expanded and now have 3-5 but their kitchen doesn't make everything fresh is that a chain? So many questions...if anyone has the answer I'd be interested. It would certainly help to determine if I need multiple levels for who has the best wings. Should sauce from a bag really compete with sauce made fresh from raw ingredients?

regional chains keep money in the region. and thus more money remains in a local cycle.

The Impact of Chain Stores on Community

Chris,
I know for myself as I've looked for sponsors for community, charity events, I've been pleasantly surprised by the generosity of franchise owners and baffled if not offended by the disinterest of those that you would think are out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Business is business, and it's much more about their marketing plan, their public relations approach and their business saavy then its about whether their headquarters is in town or not.
I like the article and won't bore everyone else with a longwinded commentary. It does seem to be written with some generalizations and some portions of it are tough to apply to our current situation.

Aladdin's is also a chain and they're in multiple states.

Bryan - true, but the Lakewood restaurant was the first. The success of that allowed the others to happen....

re: Applebee's, I'm glad to hear they are moving into that part of the city. I'm not a huge fan of the food, but it's mostly consistent in service and product, has a recognizable brand, etc. Not only that, but for families with small children it will be nice to have another option for take-away....

It does seem odd though, isn't there an Applebees at Westgate or are they going to close that?

That's awfull close together.

sharon kinsella wrote:It does seem odd though, isn't there an Applebees at Westgate or are they going to close that?

That's awfull close together.

That is one of the reasons I don't like the idea of one opening in Lakewood... There are Applebees all over the place. People don't go to a city because it has an Applebees. They come because it has a Melt. Actually, that's why many of my out of town/state friends come back to visit me. And, why I go to Pittsburgh, for Zenith.

While I understand that there are people who will enjoy an Applebees in Lakewood, I just wish we would be able to attract more unique local chains, or one off restaurants. Something that will continue to build a more unique and diverse culinary experience. I don't think it will, but I hope that Rockport Square will not turn into a quad of Applebees, TGIFridays, Chili's and Outback.
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Ironically, don't I remember reading yesterday that Applebee's was just purchased by none other than..... IHOP Corp. For a couple billion.

And coincidentally, the Applebee's CEO, who is implementing their turnaround plan (a 53-year-old lady and I remember the age because it's the same as mine) was responsible for the so-called turnaround at..... IHOP. She is credited with (get this) stuffing french toast full of cream cheese.

IHOP is almost entirely a franchise operation now, no company-owned stores. And that is the direction Applebee's is heading.

And if I also remember correctly, the family that initially developed all the NEO Applebee's was Lakewood-resident Don Strang. He sold them many years ago and opened up many of the Panera's around town (I think).

But don't quote me on any of this. Like I said it's all from memory.....

chris richards wrote: That is one of the reasons I don't like the idea of one opening in Lakewood... There are Applebees all over the place. People don't go to a city because it has an Applebees. They come because it has a Melt. Actually, that's why many of my out of town/state friends come back to visit me. And, why I go to Pittsburgh, for Zenith.

I just had a similar experience. I work in Rocky River, and I'm the only one in my office (of about 30) that has eaten at Melt, let alone heard of it. Last Friday we decided to order in, and I suggested Melt.

Needless to say, everyone who ordered that day raved about the food.