Another One Bites The Dust!
* Another One Bites The Dust!
Long story short…
Back on December 13, 2013 Jeff Eats did a story on a restaurant name Bistro Gastronomie. You can read the story-below.
In a nutshell, at that time I told the owners that the restaurant they were building was going to fail–citing the reasons. I know it was a callous prediction, but as you guys know-Jeff Eats does his best to always keep things “real” around here. My just talking about what and where I ate-gets kinda boring. Anyway, the restaurant opened and closed a couple of months later.
Today, I am hearing from several good sources-that the “former” French restaurant has new owners, that a small remodel is under-way and a new “French” restaurant with a new name will open sometime in September, 2014.
Jeff Eats wishes the new owners the best of luck.
Here’s an offer that will cost the owners absolutely nothing…
Contact Jeff Eats and I will “tell” you everything I know about the pros-cons of your new project.
Don’t contact me, contact me–no sweat off my brow!
Right now some of you guys maybe saying…Hey Jeff Eats you sure are sounding cocky. To you guys I say…For what it’s worth, for the past 19 years I’ve lived 3-minutes away from the restaurant’s center and kinda think I know the real estate/business environment of the surrounding area. When I “warned” Bistro’s owners- I wasn’t pulling my prediction out of a hat. Nothing for nothing, I also think that Jeff Eats’ 8-years of “reporting” on literally 100’s of South Florida restaurants-just may give me a pretty good perspective on what works and what doesn’t work.
In any event, once again I wish the new owners the best of luck in their new endeavor.
*****
* Bistro Gastronomie (Boca Raton)
Posted on December 13th, 2013 · Boca Raton French · [edit]
* Bistro Gastronomie (Boca Raton).
Let Jeff Eats do a “mitzvah” here…
To the owner of Bistro Gastronomie which is currently under construction at the intersection of Long Lake Boulevard and Yamato Road in Boca Raton…unless you are planning on washing money or something like that in the upscale French restaurant that you have been spending money like crazy on during the past 8 months or-so…stop everything right now and cut your losses.
Now this is just an opinion, but the demographics for the area tells-Jeff Eats that there is no way in hell that an upscale French restaurant in “your” location has any chance whatsoever of making it. The spot that you are building in ~originally housed a Moe’s Bagel joint and Back Street a moderately priced “American-Style” joint-that had 1-2-3-4 owners before finally calling it a day. Now! If “they” couldn’t move enough bagels/coffee or 4-sliders with French fries for $8.95 to pay the rent, then logic tells me -that your braised rabbit ain’t exactly gonna be flying off the shelf-either.
Sorry I didn’t get to you sooner, but I’ve been busy “studying” why the bay two doors down from yours has had something like six different businesses during the past 3-4 years.
Anyway…good luck!
*****
UPDATE: January 13, 2014
This evening Jeff Eats received an e-mail from Bistro Gastronomie’s owner, William Walden. In addition the Jeff Eats’ site received a number of “Comments” from the same William Walden.
Suffice it to say, Mr. Walden believes that his new restaurant- scheduled to open in February is going to be an extremely successful endeavor.
Since Jeff Eats has no skin in-the Bistro Gastronomie game…how the restaurant fares is of no real concern to me.
Jeff Eats really does wish Bistro Gastronomie and Mr. Walden all the best…that said, Jeff Eats stands by his opinions expressed in my 12/13/2013 story.
Mr. Walden’s e-mail is printed below.
From: William Walden
Subject: Bistro Gastronomie
Message Body:
Hello Jeff and Happy New Year! Bistro Gastronomie is slated to open this coming
February. Hopefully you received one of our flyers in the mail this past week. I
just discovered your Blog from a colleague that emailed me the link. WOW. I hope
to get a chance to meet you in the coming weeks and I certainly hope that you
will try my restaurant. Noteworthy is that it has taken an extremely long time
to build out due to the extensive renovations. We plan on being here for years.
Until shortly, Thank you! Executive Chef/Owner William Walden–
This mail is sent via contact form on Jeff Eats http://jeffeats.com
Jeff,
I was in that center today and saw that people were doing work in the restaurant. I looked in and was told by one of the workmen that a new restaurant was coming. He said it was going to be an American restaurant but didn’t have any other information.
I agree with you that the new owners should invest a dime and give you a call. They have nothing to lose. You knew way back that Bistro didn’t have a chance. Why wouldnt someone seek the advice of one of south Florida’s top food bloggers who has eaten in 100’s of restaurants and has a huge readership? There is no reason whatsoever not to sound you out.
By the way, I live about 5 minutes from the center and I can’t see an American restaurant making it there. Backstreet already failed. The center is in a bad spot and there are way too many people on a fix budget to make a go there,
I could be wrong but I think that the new owners are in for a real rough ride there no matter what they open.
There are no pros to opening there only cons.
The center has terrible demographics for any type of restaurant.
Three restaurants have already failed in the space.
The new guys will be number four.
Jeff Eats,
Know this strip center as I get a weekly manicure there,.
Know the restaurant’s location.
Not very strong.
New owners will soon learn they made a mistake buying this disaster.
I can’t believe how fast Bistro failed .
If Bistro’s owners had spoken to Jeff before they invested a small fortune maybe their story would have been different. No reason for new guys not to give a call.
Its to bad the reviews were great and i had planed on going there for my Bday. I think there is more to the closing than just money.
Jeff,
Like you I live just a few minutes away.
The location that the restaurant in is horrendous.
I seriously doubt that any restaurant could survive there.
Since there are already new owners they are committed to taking a shot. So calling you can’t change their opening. It wouldn’t hurt them to see what you think but the dye is probably already cast. Not going to end well.
If you open a Jewish Synagogue in the middle of Teheran you’ve made a mistake.
Same thing here.
If you open an upscale pricey French restaurant in the middle of a budget conscious older crowd you’ve made a big mistake.
Bistro was DOA.
As for a new American restaurant, Backstreet already tried the concept and died everal deaths with three different owners.
I really don’t see anything really doing well in the location.
I live in Whisper Walk two minutes from Bistro. The owners couldn’t have picked a worse spot. The new owners are making the same mistake. The spot stinks. They should save money and heartache and just abandon their plans right now and don’t even bother opening.
The new guys are wasting their time. The strip center is bad news.
Had my nails done today in shopping center. Was told the re-opening will be September 1st and that one owner is the same.