Closed Restaurants: Lynn's Paradise (Louisville, Richmond: appointed, high school, closing)

[veggienut]

What do you all think about the closing of Lynn's Paradise Restaurant~? Ever been there~? What restaurants do you miss that are closed~?

[NekkidFish]

From there, but don't live there anymore. I can't believe Lynn's closed.

[Orgetorix]

It'll be back. Investors are already lining up to bid.

[Dayton Sux]

Lynns was so popular it was tough to get a table. At least it was when I tried to go there (but i did manage to have breakfast there once or twice).

I understand the very hip 501 Social also closed last year (the one in the Green Building in NuLu). Dont know the story behind that but also somewhat inexplicable.

[kytoaz]

overpriced and underwhelmed. "look at all these ugly lamps! the food must be good!". I do feel bad for the employees who suddenly lost their jobs.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Dayton Sux

Lynns was so popular it was tough to get a table. At least it was when I tried to go there (but i did manage to have breakfast there once or twice).

I understand the very hip 501 Social also closed last year (the one in the Green Building in NuLu). Dont know the story behind that but also somewhat inexplicable.

732 social (not 501) is now La Coop. The same thing happened to both Lynn's and Social. Both flopped because of fighting among staff and management. Both busineeses went down in "flames" in very well publicized scandals. Louisvillians LOVE stories like this; I think it is part of their culture. Both businesses had very high volumes and did good business. However, the negative publicity really hurt Lynn's recently, and from I heard, Lynn Winter, who spends half her time in CA, just got tired of dealing with it.

To be honest, Lynn's has a great atmosphere but IMO terrible food. The Louisville dining scene has so far surpassed Lynn's that it is not even on the same playing field. For example, Wild Eggs, Toast, and Ghyslain all have multiple locations throughout the metro area in the breakfast genre because the price points and quality of food blow Lynn's out.

But Lynn's will be missed for it's quirky atmosphere and just plain funkiness. I also feel fairly confident that a quirky cafe of whatever name will resurrect itself there very shortly.

Also, Insider Louisville reports a new large restaurants will go into the old Azalea's which is now a relic of a site. IMO, that is the hottest restaurant property in the city next to the old Avalon. Speaking of which, anyone hear any news on the Avalon space?

In other restaurant news, I hear of around 5 restaurants that are set to open in the downtown area alone in the next 3 months. The downtown boom continues.

[veggienut]

I use to go there in the early 2000's and always found a table at the bar to sit. They use to have the same waiters and waitresses which I got to know since I went in there regularly either thru the week once or twice or on the weekends. It was always a fun atmosphere and pleasant chit chat from the waiter/waitresses. It is a shame that this icon will no longer be around.

[CraigCreek]

I am so saddened to learn of this, and of all the dissension and criticism and controversy.

I knew the owner many years ago, and remember her as incredibly intelligent, well-informed and creative, friendly and kind, but distractable, forgetful of promises and obligations at times and easily involved in things outside of her depth and sometimes needing to extract herself from various resulting tangles. She was a bit of a wild card, fun to be around, and filled with what our (almost entirely somewhat older) crowd then took to be highly improbable ambitions, one of which was owning a restaurant. She was in her late teens then, barely out of high school, and unlike any other teenager I'd ever known. She was an original.

From the descriptions of these recent occurances, it seems that Lynn still has many of these same qualities. I am so sorry that her dream-come-true turned into such a nightmare for so many, and hope that once again, she can extract herself from what I strongly expect is acute pain and self-doubt and learn from the process, and that those who were hurt can find healing, understanding, and perhaps forgiveness rather than continue to pile on the blame.

[Dayton Sux]

...Wild Eggs, Toast, and Ghyslain...

Interestingly enough Gyslain is from my neck of the woods (not originally, but got into business here)...worked up in Darke County Ohio at a country restaurant and then to Union City, Indiana to open a chocolate place and to Richmond (Indiana) to open a restaurant. So he is known to Dayton gourmands....

...a bit of suprise to see his name pop up in Louisville over in NuLu.

I think his Louisville location was his first out of the Western Ohio/Eastern Indiana area.

[Kristinalily]

I'm pretty disappointed about Lynn's closing. I always thought their food was great (and so did everyone I took there). It was definitely THE one place I always tried to take 'out-of-towners' when they came to visit me. I'm definitely hoping someone else picks it up.