Struggling restaurant Molly Brannigans trying to stay afloat (Scranton, Riverside: leases, loans)

[toobusytoday]

I'm not understanding this, if those of you that actually live in Scranton believe that your downtown stinks, why are you hoping for a business to fail? You want it to die faster? What's up here?

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I'm not understanding this, if those of you that actually live in Scranton believe that your downtown stinks, why are you hoping for a business to fail? You want it to die faster? What's up here?

It's not about hoping that a business fails. Our short-sighted mayor wants people to believe that Scranton's downtown is booming, when in fact it is not. He thinks by pumping money into the city's centerpiece, that Scranton will be a wonderful place to live and work and raise a family. But, while he's pumping money there, the neighborhoods are suffering, public safety gets cut, the infrastructure crumbles, etc. Whether Molly Brannigans stays open does not affect me one bit, I couldn't care less. So it's not about wanting the city to die, it's just kind of like saying "we told you so" when one of these places go under. The city would be a much better place if we didn't have morons in government, but I guess everyone who voted for Doherty yet again is getting what they deserve.

[weluvpa]

The point is that they are throwing money at the downtown in mass amounts and none of it is sticking to anything.

This is a chain restaurant and we gave them $650,000 to open and now we have to forgive their rent so they don't leave and make the mayor look like an idiot.

The tax structure for a business in this city is terrible and instead of fixing it they ignore it and are just throwing money at these businesses and have no real plan for the downtown. I highly doubt that there is any business in the downtown that has opened in the last 8 years that is A. Still there and B. surviving on their own.

The Martini bar which was heralded as a new up and coming bar in the city and it is looking for money to just stay open.......

So do we continue to bail out these places of business with taxpayer monies or do we actually fix the problem and make it easier for a business to open in the city.....

Honestlyt I hope they fail, I really do and I hope that Doherty runs for mayor so that these failurtes can be hung around his neck during the campaign.

I would love to see him have to justify the hundreds of millions of debt that he has built up to a state wide audience.

I say let them leave.

[NYRangers 2008]

Dan, I wish the bank that has my car loan can forgive it when I fall on hard times. Or if we get a ticket, the SPA can forgive that. I guess it's a new trend in this country started by our President to forgive and bailout companies that are not making it. I guess the age of capitalism and competition is going by the wayside.

[The-Electric-City]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Honestlyt I hope they fail, I really do and I hope that Doherty runs for mayor so that these failurtes can be hung around his neck during the campaign.

So, you actually want to see businesses fail to make downtown even worse just to make the mayor look like an idiot?

[weluvpa]

Listen I said when this place opened it would fail..Thats the reality of downtown Scranton. Its going to fail anyway so why prolong the obvious when we have to pay for it. $650,000 to open and now $60,000 in rent and I think they are even a KOZ so they can't make it even when its tax free.

The admin knows that the business taxes in this city are oppressive but they can't lower them because without the taxes they can never cover the inflated budgets created by the mayor.

Until the problems in city hall and the taxes are fixed and lowered the city will never see progress.

It looks worse when these places open and close, then it would if there were just empty spaces.

Funny they were aloud to go behind on the electirc and rent during an election year isn't it?

Can't have the mayor losing a business when he is running for office.

Let them leave....

[Concerened Citizen]

Shame on all of you wishing failure on any business. Its not about liking or disliking a politican or even a restaurant.....we are talking about real people and real jobs. How sad it is that you are willing to see even more people out of work and struggle through this economic climate than is currently the case. How would you feel if people wished you lost your job??????? Times are tough enough without this attitude.

[weluvpa]

Great first post.

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by Concerened Citizen

Shame on all of you wishing failure on any business. Its not about liking or disliking a politican or even a restaurant.....we are talking about real people and real jobs. How sad it is that you are willing to see even more people out of work and struggle through this economic climate than is currently the case. How would you feel if people wished you lost your job??????? Times are tough enough without this attitude.

What are you talking about? You're missing the whole point. No one wished that people would lose their jobs. Doherty doesn't care if people lose their jobs, he thinks by opening drug stores, donut shoppes and restaurants he's creating an industry in Scranton. These aren't real good paying jobs and so far this is all he has brought to this city. This isn't about hoping people will lose their jobs or places of business failing, it's about a short-sighted, uncaring mayor and administration putting tax payers money in the wrong places.

[blip]

If downtown is as hopeless as you guys think, you should applaud the parking authority for their shrewd move: getting a lease signed through 2016, instead of having an empty, un-rentable 7000sf commercial space on their hands.