Quote:
Originally Posted by phoenix
Alex Ray is a pretty smart businessman and i haven't seen any common man restaurant go under . He has taken over some losers and turnd them around. I am sure he carefully looked at projections before he invested this much money in very visible projects
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I have no connection with Alex or Rusty or their enterprises other than having enjoyed many meals there... but totally agree that they both have brought many locations back from disaster to productive and profitable restaurants, employing many people and giving us more options to eat at!
While people may not agree with 100% of what they have both done, it wasn't too long ago that the center of Meredith was an asbestos factory that had gone out of business... they aren't idiots, and are both very 'hands on' business-men... see them both frequently around town and at their businesses...
We ate at the Concord Common Man Sunday evening on the way home and I asked the bartender if they were worried that the new rest area location would cannabalize their Concord restaurant... his response "they opened four in Meredith alone and they are all busy"...
Time will tell how successful the new locations are, and I'm guessing that if the bathrooms are too small, they will build/expand them (and not bring in porta-potties)... will there be a wait on 4th of July weekend? Maybe so, but when I go to Meadowbrook there is always a wait, and I never hear any complaints!
And lastly... Alex's motto for Common Man - "Doing Well by Doing Good"... he gives all employees two paid days every year to do charitable work in NH, each of his locations hosts a charity event every quarter, and have given tons (literally) of food to NH food banks...
The boat is still in, and we're still on the lake! -PIG