Gunthor's is closed! (school, closing, restaurant)

[JMT]

OK this is a sad day. My parents just came back from their daily mall walking at East Towne and saw that Gunthor's has closed. Dang it!!!!

I don't know. I read that the city is giving a half million dollars to a trendy national retailer to open a store downtown, while a locally owned restaurant in a dying mall is forced out of business. Maybe the guy who owned Gunthor's should've asked for some free cash to move downtown, too.

I'm really going to miss Gunthor's!!!!

[the painter]

JMT.... that is sad news. I hadn't even gotten the chance to try them out either...that is sad too. Unfortunately the mom n pops are getting hit real hard and it is difficult to get the cash for small businesses.

[Pam& Bill]

Oh no! No more Shrimp Po Boys or Shrimp Jumbalaya! I had a feeling they weren't doing well....it is a very sad day for me.
Pam

[JMT]

And I think it stinks that the city is giving money (and people are ecstatic about it) to bring a national retailer to downtown whose profits will go back to the corporate headquarters in Pennsylvania, while the local mom & pop places are left to die on the vine.

[weisgarber1]

Originally Posted by JMT

And I think it stinks that the city is giving money (and people are ecstatic about it) to bring a national retailer to downtown whose profits will go back to the corporate headquarters in Pennsylvania, while the local mom & pop places are left to die on the vine.

Yes, most of what one hears is about retail, retail, retail, downtown. But the truth is that retail downtown is likely going to be about niche retailing, and not retail as downtowns were once known for. That niche retailing isn't going to make a very big impact on the overall economic health of the community or metro area. It will help, but it needs to be understood for what it is.

[tntim]

Originally Posted by JMT

Maybe the guy who owned Gunthor's should've asked for some free cash to move downtown, too.

I think you are right, if he had opened downtown he might have survived.

I do have to confess that after they got the bad report on Don Dare’s “Food For Thought” I lost my enthusiasm to give them a try. I now wish that I hadn’t waited to give them a try.

[hiknapster]

Oh? I didn't know about that report...

I don't want to be the jerk, but am I the only that is not seeing the irony in this?

When I was a kid, I grew up in a thriving downtown. Then, along came the mall and the downtown died. Now, malls are not as popular. True, the Turkey Creeks are becoming much more popular. But so are downtowns.

And no one is giving anyone money to move downtown. What was given was a grant to a BUILDING for improvements. Urban Outfitters is eyeing the property, that's all.

Yes, Urban Outfitter is a niche market. So what. It's a store. The more stores that relocate downtown, the better.

Now, when Pam and I were at Gunthor's a few weeks ago, I had a couple of seconds to talk to the owner and he seemed happy enough. Maybe, just maybe, they are moving to another location. Lord knows, I would be. I hate to say it, but that mall is deader than a doornail.

Pam, did Bill get to know the owner?

[Pam& Bill]

The owner of Gunthor's recognized Bill when he came in as a fellow Nola resident and he remembered Bill liked Double Chivas on the Rocks. He sat there sipping Chivas one day with Bill because he had never tried Chivas before then.
I hope they moved to a new location. I just ran in there on Saturday and got Bill and I Shrimp Po Boys to go. I had no clue it was the last time I'd ever get anything else at Gunthor's.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Pam& Bill

The owner of Gunthor's recognized Bill when he came in as a fellow Nola resident and he remembered Bill liked Double Chivas on the Rocks. He sat there sipping Chivas one day with Bill because he had never tried Chivas before then.
I hope they moved to a new location. I just ran in there on Saturday and got Bill and I Shrimp Po Boys to go. I had no clue it was the last time I'd ever get anything else at Gunthor's.

That's so weird.

I looked back on the article that JMT had posted regarding the mall. They had interviewed the owner and he thought it was a good idea that the school system was considering the mall.

Anyway, that's the last thing mentioned about Gunthor's in the paper. And it quoted the gentleman as one of the owners, so there are other folks. Sometime it turns out that someone pulls out their money for unrelated reasons. This closing might not have anything to do with anything, if you know what I mean.

The way I look at it, it means more restaurant research will have to be involved. I love restaurant research. And while we are on the subject, I have not received a Ye Olde Steakhouse report from Pam, Bill or JMT. What's up with that?

[jabogitlu]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Oh? I didn't know about that report...

I don't want to be the jerk, but am I the only that is not seeing the irony in this?

No. At least, you're not the only one noticing it.

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