Why LocoL Failed In Watts, According To Watts Locals (Bell: neighborhoods, buy)

[jm1982]

I remember hearing a lot of hype about this place because it was opened by Roy Choi of Kogi Truck fame.

Looks like he was well intentioned but wasn’t really in touch with the demand in the area .

I do have to hand it to him for taking a risk like that on the area . Looks like he was trying to sell hipster food in an area with few hipsters .
Did anyone ever try this place ?

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What happens when well-meaning outsiders with big ambitions collide with the harsh reality of neighborhood tastes and economic pressure? Consider LocoL a case study. After two-and-a-half years, the South L.A. restaurant has closed its doors to customers and will survive only as a catering business.
Celebrity chefs Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson, had a bold idea to bring healthy but still affordable food to Watts, a heavily Latino and African American neighborhood. Outside of corner markets and fast food restaurants, it has few dining options and is often referred to as a food desert.

“"It's like they put a menu in there [that] they're trying to force down our throat," says Randy Lowe, who owns the liquor store down the street. "Instead of tacos they had foldies. We don't know what a foldy is. We don't eat foldies around here. We eat tacos."”

Why LocoL Failed In Watts, According To Watts Locals: LAist

[Pro1000]

Yep they tried to tell people what they were supposed to be eating instead of making what the area likes but better, fresher, and more tastier. And before you can say "the hood" only eats fast food most restaurants even high end ones will still have to have a burger, fries, wings, tacos on their menu.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by jm1982

I remember hearing a lot of hype about this place because it was opened by Roy Choi of Kogi Truck fame.

Looks like he was well intentioned but wasn’t really in touch with the demand in the area .

I do have to hand it to him for taking a risk like that on the area . Looks like he was trying to sell hipster food in an area with few hipsters .
Did anyone ever try this place ?

—
What happens when well-meaning outsiders with big ambitions collide with the harsh reality of neighborhood tastes and economic pressure? Consider LocoL a case study. After two-and-a-half years, the South L.A. restaurant has closed its doors to customers and will survive only as a catering business.
Celebrity chefs Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson, had a bold idea to bring healthy but still affordable food to Watts, a heavily Latino and African American neighborhood. Outside of corner markets and fast food restaurants, it has few dining options and is often referred to as a food desert.

“"It's like they put a menu in there [that] they're trying to force down our throat," says Randy Lowe, who owns the liquor store down the street. "Instead of tacos they had foldies. We don't know what a foldy is. We don't eat foldies around here. We eat tacos."”

Why LocoL Failed In Watts, According To Watts Locals: LAist

Even though they accepted EBT...

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by Pro1000

Yep they tried to tell people what they were supposed to be eating instead of making what the area likes but better, fresher, and more tastier. And before you can say "the hood" only eats fast food most restaurants even high end ones will still have to have a burger, fries, wings, tacos on their menu.

Yeah I don’t think only “the hood “ eats burgers , tacos etc . You see fast food places in high income areas too.
Rich people go to McD’s, IN N OUT and Taco Bell too . Even the rich aren’t eating gourmet food every meal .

It’s more about introducing something that there wasn’t demand for as you mentioned . I know a lot of time people ask why there aren’t markets like Whole Foods etc in certain neighborhoods and this is why just not enough demand and there isn’t usually an incentive to being a pioneer.

If someone views a burger as a thing you can just buy for $1.29 or so at McDonald’s on the value menu then they likely won’t pay $6 for a burger even if has fresh ingredients and grass fed.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Even though they accepted EBT...

Yeah it seems he really did try to make an effort even accepting EBT but still didn’t work out .

He probably would’ve done better in an area with more mixed income or actually gentrifying but then that wouldn’t of been as bold or newsworthy move I guess .

[WizardOfRadical]

Yawn.