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Umm, I know it's not a huge town or anything, but what is with the lack of restaurants in Vermillion? The town is over 10,00 and I imagine that the trade area has to be a decent size since there is a WalMart SuperCenter in Vermillion. I did see national hotel chains like Best Western and Holliday Inn, but was very surprised that there wasn't an Applebee's, Denny's, or even a Perkins! What gives, there wasn't even a Taco Bell from what I saw?
Especially with a university in town, I'd think a cheap place like Taco Bell or an all-night place like Denny's would probably do well. Am I missing something?
The trade area is not that great because of its proximity to Yankton. Walmart can do well because they can afford to take a drop in sales when many of the students are gone. Restaurants on the other hand are franchised, and have much lower profit margins. Franchisees are probably scared to take the risk because their loss in the summer may exceed their profits the rest of the year. College students can make a quick trip to Yankton if they want more options, or can take the further drive to Sioux City or Sioux Falls if they have more time or want to go shopping. Vermillion is not tiny, but too much of the population is college students that do not have very much purchasing power. College students do eat out, but not not enough to support much more than what's already there. I can see Taco Bell and Arby's doing well there though.
There was a Country Kitchen restaurant on East Cherry for many years, not too far from Grandpa's Disco. This was in the late 70s / early 80s. The market for such, and for disco, changed over the years and it was not profitable.
Especially with a university in town, I'd think a cheap place like Taco Bell or an all-night place like Denny's would probably do well. Am I missing something?
IHOP, Jack in the Box, Popeyes Chicken, Whataburger, Taco Bueno, Chipotle, Chik-fil-a....list goes on and on.
probably the same reasons brookings is lagging... watertown started off much larger so they got the commercial development.. Brookings is like a bedroom community between Sioux Falls and Watertown but its growing substantially faster than Watertown so that may eventually change...
unless vermillion starts growing fast id suspect it will take a back seat to yankton and even if it starts growing fast no guarantees...
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