Where Are All The Restaurant Customers?

[BlackCatIslander]

Last night my wife and I drove to the Woodshed for supper at 6:30. It is a favorite of ours. We passed the Bob House and they had a lot of cars in the parking lot, but when we passed VK and the North End there were about two or three cars in their lots. It was the same at the Woodshed. I realize it was a Thursday and the economy is not great but I expected to see more customers at the three restaurants. Is it sort of an in between season before more second home owners come up to open up?

[jack1706]

well, my last trip to the woodshed only brought us dried up food...

we won't be back there... yuk... only went because we had a gift certificate.

The really great places get the customers... can't see spending my hard earned money on Bad food.....

Somethimes staying home is the best food......

[BroadHopper]

Last summer the industry as a whole in the US was down about 40%. Which is about right as this is the US percentage of unemployed/underemployed and those who have given up looking. Also the stock market crash reduced available disposable income. I'm sure it is much worst this year.

Not only hospitality is down. Airline traffic is also down about 40%. I have rental property in CO and have not been able to rent it out a full ski season in two years. My CO neighbors are saying the same thing.

Last summer was the first summer I was not able to rent the Laconia condo out other than Bike Week. It is not just restaurants.

I use to go out all the time. Today, I rarely go out.

[Newbiesaukee]

I don't know the answer, but I suspect the economy and the time of year. We were at the Woodshed on St. Patricks Day and they were not very busy. They said that this is usually not a good day for them as the Woodshed is not primarily a bar. Regardless, the food was very good as usual and we will be back. We had a great, reasonably priced meal at Kevin's the next night, but he was not very busy that night either.

[phoenix]

if the summer is not a good one could expect another wave of closing in the fall

[Formula]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Last summer the industry as a whole in the US was down about 40%. Which is about right as this is the US percentage of unemployed/underemployed and those who have given up looking. Also the stock market crash reduced available disposable income. I'm sure it is much worst this year.

Not only hospitality is down. Airline traffic is also down about 40%. I have rental property in CO and have not been able to rent it out a full ski season in two years. My CO neighbors are saying the same thing.

Last summer was the first summer I was not able to rent the Laconia condo out other than Bike Week. It is not just restaurants.

I use to go out all the time. Today, I rarely go out.

BroadHopper are you in the hotel business? I work as a consultant for Hilton, Sheraton and sometimes Four Seasons and for the past 2 years my work has been cut in about 1/2. I guess that means more time at the lake

[Lakesrider]

I noticed this as well last week. Very few cars at the VK when we pulled in. as we drove around later we noted where the cars were. I will interject my highly intuitive opinion.....

Bars. Find the cars at the places with Bars. Especially on Friday night.

However no one makes Meatloaf or Prime Rib specials like the VK. I always ask for an extra side of meatloaf when i order. If I don't eat it there i take it home for a sandwich later....

[Lucky1]

We noticed few people at VK last week too when four of us went there for dinner. It is early in the season yet so hoping for a nice warm, dry summer and lots of tourists to fill up our restaurants and our other businesses!

[baygo]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Last summer the industry as a whole in the US was down about 40%. Which is about right as this is the US percentage of unemployed/underemployed and those who have given up looking. Also the stock market crash reduced available disposable income. I'm sure it is much worst this year.

Not only hospitality is down. Airline traffic is also down about 40%. I have rental property in CO and have not been able to rent it out a full ski season in two years. My CO neighbors are saying the same thing.

Last summer was the first summer I was not able to rent the Laconia condo out other than Bike Week. It is not just restaurants.

I use to go out all the time. Today, I rarely go out.

I feel terrible for you and anyone who has had to curve an appetite for dining out.

Many of the reasons you sited are lagging indicators and explain why last year was difficult in the hospitality industry. Yes the market crashed a year and a-half ago, but during the past 12 months it has preformed its best for the past decade. The Union Ave strip of Lakeport restaurants seem to have many cars in the parking lots.

My take on this threads' topic centers around advertising and social change. You are struggling in Breckenridge. Breckenridge is a community that follows the lead set by Vail Associates. From my prospective, VA has still not learned the difference between its historic customers who were attracted via print or TV advertising, and todays customers who turn to the Internet.

A case in point is this forum. To my knowledge you'll not find an online environment of this high quality serving Summit county. I believe that one of the reason for this is because every attempt I've made to research summit county online, I have encountered extremely rude and bandwidth abusive web sites. This site is less intrusive and allows interaction between guests/memebers. Lurkers then base decisions from public opinion. This would not be nearly as strong of an online community if we had to download some huge flash file/graphic before we could enter (snow.com). Too many people would be eliminated at introduction consequent of bandwidth issues.

To make things worst for you in Breck, I don't see those folks a VA participating in any of the free online services for the ski industry. I personally have attempted to get them to maintain ski reports in my web site for 11 years (free service). My site is on the verge of a top 100K ranking and they have no representation. During the same period Brenton Woods, Pats Peak, and a number of ski areas nation wide have establish a growing number of relationships with skiers for free. I've reviewed stats for visitors with interest in CO reports and see trends of a shift in interest from Summit County to Telluride and Wolf Creek. These are two organizations who have in my opinion a better understanding for the internet culture. I've seen the same results with New England areas. Peoples' online activity has gravitated away from Killington and towards smaller areas. I believe this is consequent of both the lack of understanding for the Internet culture as well as the lift ticket prices.

I am soon (but not soon enough) to open a restaurant in the LR. It did concern me when I visited neaghbooring restaurants for reconnaissance work, I saw everything except customers. Many restaurant are not participating in the various online communities that can serve them for free. Some are listed with the pay-for service sites but those sites are not nearly as effective. Why spend the money. If you want to see your favorite LR restaurant busier, tell them to get more involved with google, yahoo, winnipasekee.com and baygo.

I practice what I preach. As some of you know I have a rather unorthodox approach to how I intend to open my restaurant. So unorthodox that I now have in excess of 200 people waiting to bring in a party of 4 during our soft opening period. I have not spent a penny on advertising (help wanted ad exception).

The dollar is still at a relatively low value around the world. This means that there is opportunity to attract foreign tourist and fill our restaurants. I believe that if I work hard to build the community around me, I will prosper with it. I invite any and all restaurant owners to contact me. I'll be glad to share how I believe we can gain interest from local and foreign diners. I guarantee that those who follow my lead will later state that they never had as an efficient customer maker in their past, and its FREE.

Let's not worry about the tough times we've been through or dream about the better times in our future. Let's seize the moment of now and live it to the fullest.

By the way, I do intend to sponsor this site once I'm open. That is, as long as the web master will allow me to use txt advertising like google does, instead of a graphic banner. I encourage all local business to do the same.

[BroadHopper]

In the past year, I have taken advantage of Facebook, Myspace, MSN, Google, Linkedin to name a view to advertise my employment as well as rentals for both properties. I must be doing something wrong.

Never heard of Baygo tho. Clue me in?

Big reason why I don't go out is I have been unemployed for two years. I have a few contracts work but not enough to keep me afloat, trying to pay mortgage on rental properties that are not renting.

As for the Breck', the mountain does a good job of keeping season pass prices down. The Colorado buddy pass is still cheaper than Gunstock, Loon, Bretton Woods. Breck' town is known for its happy hour. You not only get drinks at half price, you can get appetizers and lunch at a steep discount. The locals will ski from 8 AM to about 1 PM. Head into town and ask for the locals special. For instance at The brewery, I can get a huge hamburger with Fries and a beer for 7.99. The establishment don't advertise these specials. It's by word of mouth among the locals. It is actually cheaper for me to ski and eat in Breck' than to stay here in NH. Summit County relys on the Denver area folks to float. Unfortunately these folks come up for the day and return home. My tenants were from the South, Texas, Georgia, Florida. Those states are the ones that are hit hard by the recession.

I use to be in the hospitality industry in the '70's. I was general manager of the 105 units Ramada Inn downtown. (Now the Landmark Inn). During the gas shortage the Inn went under. I decided to get a new career that had served me well for 33 years.

I am now looking to get back into anything that is available. I have looked into two existing commercial properties and could not get the loan. Loans are scarce and they require liquid assets to cover the loan. Not many people can do that and that is why there is a lot of commercial properties for sale. And at bargain prices. I would need an equity partner.

[baygo]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

In the past year, I have taken advantage of Facebook, Myspace, MSN, Google, Linkedin to name a view to advertise my employment as well as rentals for both properties. I must be doing something wrong.

Never heard of Baygo tho. Clue me in?

I hesitate to reply because I don't want to hi-jack this post.

baygo.com (always with a lower cased "b") is my personal web site. It is a 15 year old site that is popular with people who live with bandwidth disabilities. 50% of the internet users are still using dial-up. Their is a growing number of people who are turning to mobile web on their phone or netbook. These people are also among the bandwidth disabled.

Networking on the Internet is a very valuable tool. Advertising on the internet is counter cultural (ad salespeople will never tell you that). I see that you are very active within this community. I suggest you promote that instead of you participation with MySpace or Facebook. winnipesaukee.com will attract a network with local interest. Encourage your friends and family to visit and participate on winnipesaukee.com because that activity will help push key words like "boating" "restaurant" and "lodging" to the top of many search engines. There are over 500,000 search engines in use worldwide. Some engines index based on the amount of activity and interest on the pages related to the key word. The more activity this community can create in one web location the better our chances as a community. LR businesses are doing us or themselves no justice when they promote Facebook or Myspace communities. They need to promote local so we can emerge global. I'd rather see Laconia Savings' ads that read "find us on winnipesaukee.com" rather than "find us on facebook"

No the web master is not funding me. I apologize to him or her for the direction I've shifted the thread. My Bad! Perhaps the web master will consider a forum category appropriate for this conversation.

[mg2107]

what does VK stand for ?

[Heaven]

Originally Posted by mg2107

what does VK stand for ?

the Village Kitchen

[Shore Driver]

The Woodsheds of the world can ride out mud season, their reputation carries the day once the seasonal crowds arrive. I love going there off-season and getting my favorite balcony seat. I often wonder, though, on my way there how The North End stays in business with the low number of cars I see on their lot. That building has seen turnover in GOOD times.

[tummyman]

And then there is the extra NH meals tax increase. There is only so much money to go around. Taxes hurt...... A reasonable tip and the meals taxes can easily push just this portion of the bill up by another 25% on top of the food and beverage.

[dpg]

Originally Posted by Heaven

the Village Kitchen

Better known as Country Cookin.

[dpg]

Where Are All The Restaurant Customers?

All laid off and eating at home!!

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by dpg

Where Are All The Restaurant Customers?

All laid off and eating at home!!

... or at home doin' their taxes....

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

... or at home doin' their taxes....

Well taxes are done and April Vacation has come. Going to be more people in restaurants this week and more as warmer weekends arrive too.

[Dave]

For the past 10 years my wife and I have been going to the Woodshed during the sumemr months. We've noticed that over the past two years the quality of the food has been declining.

[Lucky1]

Happily good weather is here and so are many restaurant customers. As we went off to a gathering around 7:20, we passed full parking lots first at Canoe and then at The Bob House. The North End had a fair number of cars as did The Village Kitchen but both were far from full. Possibly they had had more customers in the 5:30 to 7:00 time that I would not have seen. Is is great to see so many restaurants customers out there now!!! It can only improve from here as the warm weather will bring more and more people.