I guess we are coming out of the recession... (Jacksonville: sales, credit)

[GradyWhite]

Even though the BLS says that the unemployment rate for Jacksonville is 12.1% currently, and U6 (either unemployed or underemployed) is 19.7% (one out of five!), I had a really puzzling experience last week.

My wife and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary last Tuesday night. We had heard of a new restaurant opening up at the Town Center called Bahama Breeze. In case anyone does not know, this is a chain restaurant with Caribbean style food that would compare in quality to what the Olive Garden is for Italian. I tend to discount chain restaurants on their face for what they are (so-so at best food, usually fairly clean), but since it was new we figured it was a good time to try it out.

Headed over there early (about 6) to have dinner for the anniversary and the place was packed. I mean no parking spots in the parking lot, people parking next door, parking at the mall and walking over, 90+ minute wait packed. Now I know this is probably a $30+ per plate place, so this is simply amazing to me...on a Tuesday Night no less.

Apparently the 80% of us that do have jobs are doing great. It leaves me scratching my head, that is for sure. I would have expected this if it was a Friday or Saturday night, maybe even a Thursday. But Tuesday? Given our current economic condition?

I guess the recession really is over. Way to go everyone.

[SmileDoc]

I would certainly say that that is very busy for a Tuesday dinner. However, I would say that the SJTC has been nearly immune to the recession, realtively speaking. I have not gotten a parking spot I like there in a long time! I believe I read somewhere that the SJTC has one of the highest per sq ft nets in the entire country. Way to go Jax!

[travelingfood]

Same can be said about Costco. It's always, always, full of people. Heck, I've over heard few people talking about their unemployment situation while shopping there.
Malls are still packed with people, sales might be down but still plenty of potential spenders.
Maybe we have a high concentration of young kids living off trust funds, more wealthy retired seniors, who knows. But we do see recession hit many of our local businesses though.

[missnic]

It's definitely a good sign... But people flock to new restaurants - and bahama breeze Is actually a reasonably priced place. It's only like $15 - $20 per entree. And they have a really good happy hour Monday thru Friday evenings... I think they have $5 apps and $2-$3 drinks.

[IndigoLight]

I drive by SJTC every day and do agree that it was not affected much by the recession.
But I also think the fact that some people didn't have to/want to cut back on their expences and continue to shop/dine out as if it is 2004, does not mean we're coming out of recession.
Don't relax just yet.

[FlyiMetro]

Originally Posted by GradyWhite

Even though the BLS says that the unemployment rate for Jacksonville is 12.1% currently, and U6 (either unemployed or underemployed) is 19.7% (one out of five!), I had a really puzzling experience last week.

My wife and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary last Tuesday night. We had heard of a new restaurant opening up at the Town Center called Bahama Breeze. In case anyone does not know, this is a chain restaurant with Caribbean style food that would compare in quality to what the Olive Garden is for Italian. I tend to discount chain restaurants on their face for what they are (so-so at best food, usually fairly clean), but since it was new we figured it was a good time to try it out.

Headed over there early (about 6) to have dinner for the anniversary and the place was packed. I mean no parking spots in the parking lot, people parking next door, parking at the mall and walking over, 90+ minute wait packed. Now I know this is probably a $30+ per plate place, so this is simply amazing to me...on a Tuesday Night no less.

Apparently the 80% of us that do have jobs are doing great. It leaves me scratching my head, that is for sure. I would have expected this if it was a Friday or Saturday night, maybe even a Thursday. But Tuesday? Given our current economic condition?

I guess the recession really is over. Way to go everyone.

Its not over until consumers are wasting money, its not over til people are charging everything and getting loans for everything like they used to. Its not raining money & credit yet.

[AliciaMaria]

Bahama Breeze is like that.. it's similar in 'hype' to PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory, etc. I worked at Bahama Breeze for 2 years, and it is in fact owned by the same company as Olive Garden/Red Lobster/Seasons 52/Smoky Bones. The parent corp is Darden, based out of Orlando. They have been around for about 10 years now, mainly down south at Sawgrass Mills and Pembroke Pines.. Ft Myers also has one, as well as Tampa and Orlando.

Once the new hype winds down, on the weekends, the place will be jam packed like it was when you went there, and during the week it'll be more bearable with less wait times.. But for now, its the new thing and everyones checking it out. I love the place! After 2 years of working there (and 1 year at Olive Garden) I still love both restaurants' foods and will eat there often.

Did you like it?

[EricBoyd]

I got to go to one of their "mock service" events, the weekend before they opened. (one of the managers was a customer when they relocated here.) We had limited items we could order, but what we had was pretty tasty. I'd go there again, for sure.

[GradyWhite]

I didn't eat there for the anniversary. My personality is such that I would never wait 90 minutes to eat unless I thought it really was something special, as in "the best restaurant in 100 miles special." I've been to the Bahama Breeze in Orlando and I think it is just fine. I wouldn't wait more than 15 minutes for it, though.

[AliciaMaria]

^ So what did you do to celebrate?!?!?