Downtown Bagger Dave's Closes

[EastsideAl]

Where is the Colonnade Cafeteria when you need it?

[Cliffy]

I've never been to Bagger Dave's but I have heard from others that it was like $15 for a burger and fries. On the other hand, most restaurants close within 2 years so this is just part of the restaurant business.

[JBMcB]

Bham, I don't think your assessment is incorrect when looking some of the other busy areas, but times are changing, and I don't understand why it has to be that way for us in the CBD.

There's a factor called "barrier to entry." In Detroit it's red tape. It can take months to get all the business licenses and inspections required to open a restaurant. The only entities that can absorb the cost of sitting around for long periods of time with no capital coming in are usually large businesses or very established restaurateurs. And, after eating the cost of sitting around and pulling licenses and inspections, they aren't going to want to open a $5 sandwich stand.

This is why food trucks are all the rage.

A few years ago a city down south [[Shreveport maybe?) went through and streamlined their business license and inspections process. They didn't change a single rule or regulation, they just made it much easier to get licenses and faster to get inspections. Small business permits increased something like 20-30% in a single year.

[313WX]

The only entities that can absorb the cost of sitting around for long periods of time with no capital coming in are usually large businesses or very established restaurateurs.

Then why are there no fast food chains in downtown Detroit?

[downtownguy]

Meanwhile, Checker Bar, under new management now for about a year, is doing fine serving a 1/3 pound burger for $6.25 just a couple of blocks away. Most everything on the menu is under $10. And, thank God, it's not a chain.

I applauded and admired Micheal Ansley and his Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc. when they first announced they were moving into the Oddfellows Building with BW3. But in retrospect, I wonder if they really understood downtown Detroit. They changed plans to move their HQ into the building, and while I'm happy for the renovation, the treatment of the ground floor does not compliment the historic nature of the building. Why couldn't they have made this location look as good as their downtown Grand Rapids location, also in a historic building?

And, now, it looks like they guessed wrong on Bagger Dave's. To blame their failure on the Tiger's poor season in preposterous. Did the Tiger's season have something to do with their closing of 7 other Bagger Dave's in Indiana, too?

[downtownguy]

Where is the Colonnade Cafeteria when you need it?

Or Qwikee Donuts??

[Danny]

What a waste of time and business space. Let's hope the owners don't close Buffalo Wild Wings, too. If you all can't make money, leave. The space that used to be a black owned barber shop who got put out years ago by Dan Gilbert's Gang would a ideal location for Wahlburgers. It least it will be away from Greektown which it's meant for Greek family owned businesses folks only.

[DetBill]

I must agree,, if nothing else,, Im glad Baggers totally renovated the building,, it was an eyesore for years and the block looks better with the renovation, Im sure someone will occupy the space in the near future.. I dont understand the need for more burger joints, they are everywhere, the markets only so big.. Oh went to the Pho Lucky in the old Atlas location last week, it was great, inexpensive and something different. Often wondered why Downtown Detroit had no phos, if you go to Cleveland, they are all over,, Good to see the diversification in reasonable food offerings.

[canuck]

I must agree,, if nothing else,, Im glad Baggers totally renovated the building,, it was an eyesore for years and the block looks better with the renovation, Im sure someone will occupy the space in the near future.. I dont understand the need for more burger joints, they are everywhere, the markets only so big.. Oh went to the Pho Lucky in the old Atlas location last week, it was great, inexpensive and something different. Often wondered why Downtown Detroit had no phos, if you go to Cleveland, they are all over,, Good to see the diversification in reasonable food offerings.

Yes to your evaluation of phos. Love them big soup bowls filled with noodles, beef innards like tripe and all that tasty broth. I wish fewer burger places for Detroit and a comeback of ethnic joints bigtime. Fuck the melting pot standards of the glorified burger platter with ten tv screens for a backdrop. Gimme real food.

[downtownguy]

L I would add AFFORDABLE lunchtime pickins are slim. Gilbert, whom had brought downtown back to life, only allowing expensive restaurants to open in his buildings.

WDET did a nice piece today on why there aren't more fast food joints downtown. I've wondered why there are fewer fast food franchises downtown now than there were a couple of decades ago when we had Burger King, McDonalds, Burger Chef/Hardees, Taco Bell, Arbys and others I'm sure I'm forgetting peppered throughout downtown. Apparently drive-thru is a big factor these days.

“Most of the traditional fast food brands do about 70% of their business in the drive through,” says Sam Oches, editor of QSR Magazine. “QSR” stands for Quick Service Restaurant – the industry term for “fast food.” Because of the importance of the drive-thru for sales, Oches says fast food owners want locations that get a lot of car traffic.

Listen to the audio, or read it here:
http://wdet.org/posts/2016/01/04/822...bell-downtown/

[Bham1982]

Central business districts can't accommodate drive-thrus in the first place, so not an issue.

Probably the reason is that downtown foot traffic is somewhat down from previous decades, esp. the target market [[poorer people). There used to be lots of fast food joints when Woodward/Washington Blvd. and environs were full of cut-rate stores 20 years ago. Now that the customers for the stores are gone, the fast food is gone. That whole area was very vibrant, if declining and downtrodden, 20 years ago.

The improvements in downtown serve a different demographic, and are not likely to attract fast food chains.

[401don]

I think fast food will return in the very near future. It's simply a matter of enough foot traffic, just like any other retail. The average office worker will eat fast food pretty regularly, although they're often looking for better quality i.e. Panera Bread. That said, McD's, Burger King, etc. do fine in the Ren Cen.

[bust]

I'm still looking forward to the day when average detroiters embrace more than just a fast food diet. Even if it's not a national chain, so many of the dining options consist of hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, and fried chicken or cheap fried fish. I love meat and fish, but I avoid processed and fried foods, love my fruits and vegetables, and don't count lettuce and potatoes among them.

I'm not going to miss Bagger Dave's one whit, have no interest in that overpriced London burger joint, will never eat at Wahlburgers, and only ever eat coneys when I bring a first-timer to town and they insist [[I always give it as a qualified option, and at 2AM what else is there?).

Detroit should have more healthy affordable food choices. We shouldn't have to go to an expensive restaurant for fresh vegetables. There isn't even a Chipotle downtown. Olga's Kitchen was [[a little) better. Now, with Bucharest Grill closing, where is a healthy and budget-conscious meat eater [[who likes a balance of real vegetables) to go? Yeah, there's subway, but even if you load it up with every vegetable option it's still processed meat, iffy vegetables, and 70% [[by volume) bread.