Suite 49

[Detroit87]

I will admit that they aren't the cheapest, but they do have some good deals and their deli has good meals at a reasonable price.

There has to be a reason that they have stores near college campuses.

Where does Whole Foods have stores near college campuses? I have never seen one anywhere and that is not their market. They build in higher income areas not low income areas. Also Trader Joes is very cheap to buy groceries at. I highly doubt that Whole Foods would ever build in North Dakota, not enough of a market for them.

[siouxperseven]

You are right about John Borman (I don't remember if that is the proper spelling). Dave Norman used to own KCNN radio and then I think he had a restaurant down in the Detroit Lakes area (or someplace down in that region).

You're right it was Borman...my bad. I loved Players and my mind must have raced back to the good old days....except 20 years later. But Norman is the one who I heard was potentially involved. We'll see. I just don't see how they could afford the rent unless it's the first 6-9 month's free to build a base and only pay CAM charges.

[GeauxSioux]

Where does Whole Foods have stores near college campuses? I have never seen one anywhere and that is not their market. They build in higher income areas not low income areas. Also Trader Joes is very cheap to buy groceries at. I highly doubt that Whole Foods would ever build in North Dakota, not enough of a market for them.

Boulder has 4 Whole Food locations, two near CU, one on either end of the campus; the Magazine St. location in New Orleans is near Tulane, there is a Whole Foods near Denver University, there is a Whole Foods just west of the U of Wisc. campus. Whole Foods is building in Burlington Vermont, a college town. Look here to find more Whole Food locations. I'm sure there are many more near college campuses.

With that I end my discussion of the merits of a Whole Food in GF.

[redwing77]

Boulder has 4 Whole Food locations, two near CU, one on either end of the campus; the Magazine St. location in New Orleans is near Tulane, there is a Whole Foods near Denver University, there is a Whole Foods just west of the U of Wisc. campus. Whole Foods is building in Burlington Vermont, a college town. Look here to find more Whole Food locations. I'm sure there are many more near college campuses.

With that I end my discussion of the merits of a Whole Food in GF.

I did a little messing around and I'm surprised (truly!) to find that there isn't really a close Whole Foods to University of Washington! It's 1.7 miles according to Google Maps.

I would have thought they'd have one right in the center of campus. Trader Joes is closer.

[SiouxMeNow]

how about ND's first White Castle? Seems like it would be a good fit on a college campus close to a new GIANT apartment building...and just imagine grabbing a big bag O'mini burgers on the way TO/and or/FROM another Sioux Victory....sweet!

[Detroit87]

Boulder has 4 Whole Food locations, two near CU, one on either end of the campus; the Magazine St. location in New Orleans is near Tulane, there is a Whole Foods near Denver University, there is a Whole Foods just west of the U of Wisc. campus. Whole Foods is building in Burlington Vermont, a college town. Look here to find more Whole Food locations. I'm sure there are many more near college campuses.

With that I end my discussion of the merits of a Whole Food in GF.

You fail to mention the demagraphics of the area though. You list a few stores out of numerous stores to make your arguement. College students would not shop at Whole Paychecks when the are broke. Example of locations would be where are the Whole Food stores located in Minneapolis? No where near a campus. Well maybe the St. Paul store but the site was not based on being close to a campus but more on the income of the neighborhood.

[Supertrex]

Fireside Restaurant I think... it's now closed.

David Norman happens to be the owner and chef at Norman's Fine Steakhouse in Fargo and he used to own Fireside so....

Normie sold the Fireside to the people that own, among other things, Zorbas. The Fireside always closes in the winter and opens around Mother's day.

The problem with Suite 49 is that is was doomed from the start. They had a major identity crisis going, trying to be everything to everyone. The first time I went there (during the WJC's) you could see that people were there mostly to pay zero to park instead of $1,100 (it was later switched to $10 to park and get a $10 voucher to spend on beer - a really profitable strategy).

I'm pretty sure (but I don't know for a fact) that the Brown's were trying to get that part of the Englestad complex kicked off and had hoped their investment would attract others to invest too. And that is what community builders do and I give them credit for trying. But, these guys apparently didn't think it through. People would get there at 5:00 and nurse a beer until fifteen minutes before game time and they leave and maybe have one after the game since there car was parked there and they had a free beer coming, etc.

In a restaurant, you have to be hot (meaning you can't be someone else), you have to have a decent location and you have to turn tables. Bar food in an obscure location away from traffic (except for Sioux hockey traffic) turning one table per night four nights per month, six months a year is not going to pay for the totally upscale fixtures, etc. No way in hell.

People in GF will drive downtown to Sanders and the Toasted Frog. They have upscale dining and are places people want to go to be seen out on the town. Switch to upscale dining (I question whether GF can have another but it's the only real alternative) and make it the primary reason to be there, eliminate hockey parking (thereby eliminating that as the primary reason to go there), and make it a place to be seen and it'll run. That's what Normie was able to do in Fargo at a failed, but expensive location. That won't satisfy the people who want to park for free and have a few beers before or after the game, but we've already seen that concept fail here and it won't keep it going. There are all kinds of other $2 beer joints where they can ride the fun bus.

[Goon]

There are all kinds of other $2 beer joints where they can ride the fun bus.

I think they could make a go at it if they switched focus to the above mentioned philosphy.

[Shawn-O]

I think they could make a go at it if they switched focus to the above mentioned philosphy.

A fleet of golf carts, Polaris Rangers and Kawasaki Mules shuttling people to and from the game? Hey....

[jodcon]

A fleet of golf carts, Polaris Rangers and Kawasaki Mules shuttling people to and from the game? Hey....

Imagine the carnage...

[Goon]

A fleet of golf carts, Polaris Rangers and Kawasaki Mules shuttling people to and from the game? Hey....

As Long as I don't have to drive.

[MoreSiouxForYou]

People in GF will drive downtown to Sanders and the Toasted Frog. They have upscale dining and are places people want to go to be seen out on the town. Switch to upscale dining (I question whether GF can have another but it's the only real alternative) and make it the primary reason to be there, eliminate hockey parking (thereby eliminating that as the primary reason to go there), and make it a place to be seen and it'll run. That's what Normie was able to do in Fargo at a failed, but expensive location. That won't satisfy the people who want to park for free and have a few beers before or after the game, but we've already seen that concept fail here and it won't keep it going. There are all kinds of other $2 beer joints where they can ride the fun bus.

Where is this you are referring too? Norman's Steakjoint is still open isn't it?

[Hammersmith]

Where is this you are referring too? Norman's Steakjoint is still open isn't it?

I think he meant that Norman's opened in a location where another restaurant failed(Bennigan's). Although I heard that Bennigan's didn't so much fail as the landlord jacked the new lease beyond what the corporate office was willing to pay.

[Detroit87]

Where is this you are referring too? Norman's Steakjoint is still open isn't it?

For now until he stops paying his bills which is normal for him.

[Detroit87]

I think he meant that Norman's opened in a location where another restaurant failed(Bennigan's). Although I heard that Bennigan's didn't so much fail as the landlord jacked the new lease beyond what the corporate office was willing to pay.

Didn't Bennigans ,which use to be owned by Pillsbury but had to be sold when the Brits bought Pillsbury because the Brits owned a bunch of liqour companies, close a bunch of stores?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennigan's

[Hammersmith]

Didn't Bennigans ,which use to be owned by Pillsbury but had to be sold when the Brits bought Pillsbury because the Brits owned a bunch of liqour companies, close a bunch of stores?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennigan's

You're right. I was confusing the Bennigan's closing with Outback(who left because of a high lease). When Bennigan's filed for bankruptcy, all the corporate owned locations(like Fargo) closed, while the franchised locations(like Moorhead) remained open. My bad.

[dmksioux]

It appears as though a new restaurant may finally be moving into the Suite 49 building...

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/arti...016/group/home/

[jimdahl]

It appears as though a new restaurant may finally be moving into the Suite 49 building...

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/arti...016/group/home/

It obviously would've been nice to see more of a college/sports bar move into that space so it could draw the University crowd during the week and be a destination on game day. However, I suppose (as mentioned above) that rent is such that the space going upscale is the only legitimate option.

There are ways to avoid the "turn" problems on gamedays (like Nitty Gritty that only lets you take a table for 30 mins on game day but is still packed SRO) but that well serve the neighborhood on all other days. I would think that a BW3 or Brothers or Grandmas or State St Brats would better fit that neighborhood than an upscale steak and seafood place, but I guess G.F. is small enough geographically that it doesn't really matter.

[Local Boy]

This could play out to be a total trainwreck. The story I heard (back in mid Jan.) was that Norman was excused permanently from the Fargo Norman's Prime, an establishment that bares his own name. Now, Suite 49 is applying for a transfer of their license to Norman, under the name Norman's Prime, but it's not the Fargo operators? There is definitely more to the story there.

On another note, I just don't see the Grand Forks market supporting a prime steakhouse. A la carte menu with steaks in the $25-$50 range with sides in the $8 range. I just don't see it. The prime steak concept was the hottest restaurant concept 5-10 years ago. They seem to thrive the best in markets and locations where customers are entertaining clients and prospects and paying with an expense account.

The main question is...who is the investor? We've all learned to never underestimate the power of ego and wealthy investors in the restaurant biz.

Story to be continued....

[siouxperseven]

This could play out to be a total trainwreck. The story I heard (back in mid Jan.) was that Norman was excused permanently from the Fargo Norman's Prime, an establishment that bares his own name. Now, Suite 49 is applying for a transfer of their license to Norman, under the name Norman's Prime, but it's not the Fargo operators? There is definitely more to the story there.

On another note, I just don't see the Grand Forks market supporting a prime steakhouse. A la carte menu with steaks in the $25-$50 range with sides in the $8 range. I just don't see it. The prime steak concept was the hottest restaurant concept 5-10 years ago. They seem to thrive the best in markets and locations where customers are entertaining clients and prospects and paying with an expense account.

The main question is...who is the investor? We've all learned to never underestimate the power of ego and wealthy investors in the restaurant biz.

Story to be continued....

Yes...interesting...we'll see how this plays out in a year. It's a dual problem....Steakhouse isn't good for location but can afford the overhead.....college sports bar is best option in regards to location but can't afford overhead. I'm betting the Brown's are involved. It's his money that's churning while the place sits empty so it's also in his best interests to help support the new owner regardless. I'm also guessing there's a contract where Norman can purchase his interest if it holds up and is successful. The location is best suited for a sports bar in my opinion.

[xI Hammer Ix]

$25-$50 for a steak? Who are they kidding? Maybe just once I would go there to try. Otherwise, Speedway steaks work just fine for me and they're a fraction the cost.

Hypothetical dinner for two:

2 steaks at $25 a piece = $50 (going cheap side)

2 sides per guest = $32

1 beer per guest = $16 ($8.00 a beer, wild guess but judging by the other prices it's plausible)

Total: $98 + 10% gratuity + 6% tax (what is it these days anyway) = roughly $115

With a potential of a $170+

That much for two basic steak dinners? Sorry, pass.

[nodak hockey fanatic]

very skeptical a high end steak house can/will survive in this location. i wish them the best, but it sure seems a sports bar with a nice expanded menu would do best here... im with the rest of you on that one. since we're on the topic, why doesn't the fargo moorhead area have a nice sports bar with lots of big tvs and a nice menu? sensors, fargo location... it would kill... the only competition would be bww, and they make a killing with a horrible menu.

[Big A HG]

I recently ate at one of these up-scale restaurants near me for Valentine's Day. The restaurant is called Cucina and it's part of the American Club in Kohler, WI which is the only 5 Diamond resort in the Midwest. They host many famous people all year round, and know how to charge a lot for something.

Me and my fiancee had a 5 course meal each, mine consisting of steak as the main course, hers being some fish thing, and each meal costed $58 each total, without drinks.

To me, this restaurant will fail. It has nothing to support it (like a resort or high-end business class), and it's prices seem too high, even for what you get.

I wish it the best, and hope it suceeds, but to me it takes 2 + 2 to = 4, and it's missing one of the 2's.

[Sioux-cia]

very skeptical a high end steak house can/will survive in this location. i wish them the best, but it sure seems a sports bar with a nice expanded menu would do best here... im with the rest of you on that one. since we're on the topic, why doesn't the fargo moorhead area have a nice sports bar with lots of big tvs and a nice menu? sensors, fargo location... it would kill... the only competition would be bww, and they make a killing with a horrible menu.

I think the location would kill any new business. IMO, it's a 'hockey season' only location.

[Goon]

I think the location would kill any new business. IMO, it's a 'hockey season' only location.

I have to agree we really don't need another high end over priced place to eat in Grand Forks, ND. We need a sports type theme that can thrive in a college town. The location is great, close to the Ralph but I guess that isn't what they had in mind. Suite 49 was good and could have been tweaked to survive.