ANOTHER "UTC area" Restaurant Bites the Dust (Miami: leases, buy)

[Ride The WAVE]

The University Parkway restaurant called "Spacco Grill" (behind Outback) has failed and closed.


I never thought the place was very decent in the first place - went there several times - I noticed the last few times, portions became stupid small and they raised prices to boot. There are too many restaurants operating in this genre anyway - bad Italian/Pizza and the like - too many in about 2-3 square miles for sure. I can't see Pascone's (where Square One Burgers also closed) making it either - high prices, marginal hit or miss food.

[sarasotalaw52]

Just saw this the other day about Kona. Man, I really love Kona.

https://ktar.com/story/2565008/strug...or-bankruptcy/

[Ride The WAVE]

Kona is another marginal place around here, they may close this location even under corporate BK - why? you wouldn't believe the EXPENSIVE LEASE terms that they are on the hook for to Benderson - Kona here occupies a PRIME spot in the Mall with interior AND direct EXTERIOR (to parking lot) access, unlike Capital Grille, and Brio.


The most expensive ingress and egress !


Another dog that needs to close (really...sorry to the employees) is that god awful Burger and Beer Joint right across the aisle from Kona, which also has interior mall and exterior direct access to the parking lot.


Both of these dogs even pay huge amounts to Benderson for extensive outside patio seating. There is never anybody on the outside patio of Burger and Beer Joint....never.


Benderson needs to attract two better established "concepts" - even a well-worn concept like "Bennigans" would do more business! I can think of a few other concepts that could thrive in those locations.


I don't like a few of these but:


Tommy Bahama
Bahama Breeze (sister to Season's 52 of course)...
hell, a Chili's would do a better job, lol
Fuddrucker's
Bennihana
HOUSTON's (sorry, I know the founder..they kill them in Atlanta [2], Memphis, Boca, Miami for example)

Legal seafoods
HOULIHAN's - in several cities they killed them in the past
Trader vic's
ON THE BORDER Mexican Grill




Any of these would be better in UTC location than Kona and Burger and Beer Joint LOL

[Tommygphotos]

Originally Posted by Ride The WAVE

Kona is another marginal place around here, they may close this location even under corporate BK - why? you wouldn't believe the EXPENSIVE LEASE terms that they are on the hook for to Benderson - Kona here occupies a PRIME spot in the Mall with interior AND direct EXTERIOR (to parking lot) access, unlike Capital Grille, and Brio.


The most expensive ingress and egress !


Another dog that needs to close (really...sorry to the employees) is that god awful Burger and Beer Joint right across the aisle from Kona, which also has interior mall and exterior direct access to the parking lot.


Both of these dogs even pay huge amounts to Benderson for extensive outside patio seating. There is never anybody on the outside patio of Burger and Beer Joint....never.


Benderson needs to attract two better established "concepts" - even a well-worn concept like "Bennigans" would do more business! I can think of a few other concepts that could thrive in those locations.


I don't like a few of these but:


Tommy Bahama
Bahama Breeze (sister to Season's 52 of course)...
hell, a Chili's would do a better job, lol
Fuddrucker's
Bennihana
HOUSTON's (sorry, I know the founder..they kill them in Atlanta [2], Memphis, Boca, Miami for example)

Legal seafoods
HOULIHAN's - in several cities they killed them in the past
Trader vic's
ON THE BORDER Mexican Grill




Any of these would be better in UTC location than Kona and Burger and Beer Joint LOL

Burger and beer was evicted weeks ago
Kona won't be much longer I'm sure

[Ride The WAVE]

Originally Posted by Tommygphotos

Burger and beer was evicted weeks ago
Kona won't be much longer I'm sure

Well it's about 2 years overdue - awful place indeed.


Yeah I can't see Kona's coproate re-org keeping this dog - the Mall needs to kick them out too...


That stupid small ice cream place next door should be next to go as well

[beach43ofus]

The rent's too darned high around UTC for any restaurant to make it over the long haul. It will continue to be a revolving door for many years to come. Mall traffic is diminshing, but the leases don't reflect it. Eventually, the potential restauranteurs will figure it out.

[Ride The WAVE]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

The rent's too darned high around UTC for any restaurant to make it over the long haul. It will continue to be a revolving door for many years to come. Mall traffic is diminshing, but the leases don't reflect it. Eventually, the potential restauranteurs will figure it out.

Well they haven't figured it out in years, and they keep signing high priced leases it seems....just recently another over-priced Italian, Cassarino, a Greek restaurant, new FORD's GARAGE (good luck), Libby's (lwr), Cafe Roma (in mall near Macy's), Shake Shack, and other "me-toos"


Nope they will not learn....SS signed a 10 year lease LOL

[beach43ofus]

Cassariano's will fail there. I hope it doesn't drag their Venice restaurant down too. They do well in downtown Venice, but I'm sure the lease terms are much better in Venice than UTC, and they don't have the upscale dining competitors in Venice as they do at UTC..

I dont see Malls having near the foot and car traffic they once had. The UTC Mall structure is quite dead (aside from Apple Store and Starbucks). The surrounding retail gets more traffic than the Mall itself it seems to me, but these costly restaurant spaces are just outside the main mall.

[FLKitties]

Originally Posted by Ride The WAVE

Bahama Breeze (sister to Season's 52 of course)...

I'd love to see a Bahama Breeze come to the area. Or a Yard House. Or an El Torito (https://www.eltorito.com/) for some decent Mexican food but I doubt they will be making an appearance on this side of the country any time soon. A BJ's (Restaurant/Brewhouse, not the club) would be a phenomenal addition to the UTC area. Huge menu and pizookies. Very good prices, too. https://www.bjsrestaurants.com We ate there all the time in CA and we've been to the Fort Myers and Orlando locations and people in those areas seem to enjoy it, too.

[beach43ofus]

I don't care for most chain restaurants, so most of the stuff around UTC doesn't interest me. They all buy their food from the same food distrubutors, and much of it is frozen and prepared in advance. Add the higher prices due to higher lease costs, and I dont see any compelling reason to eat at any of them. Convenience is the only thing they have going for them, in my opinion.