Take It Easy On Our Locals

When I look at all of the independant dining choices we have here Louisville, it really makes me proud to live here. A good friend of mine lives in Cincinnati, and he is constantly remarking how fortunate I am to have the such a varied dining choices.

But lately I detect a glimmer of malcontents that voice their opinions regarding some shortfalls of some of our local restaurants. I'm not criticizing them, because they certainly can voice their opinions, but we may want to be a little more forgiving because of the type of year they have had. I have a lot of aquaintances that own and operate restaurants, and trust me the last 18 months have been a challenge for them. We have already seen the demise of some of Louisville's favorites and we certainly don't want to lose any more. What I'm saying is that maybe we all can be a little more longsuffering with our great local restaurants and spread the love around with all of them.

Recently in a conversation, a business asscociate told me to meet him for dinner at a local restaurant. When I told him that it had closed, his reply was "I always wanted to go there, I can't believe it closed". Yes, we have great restaurants in Louisville, but if we go to the same ones, or to the one's everyone is talking about, then the some go forgotten and then disappear.

We really have a great "foodie" town. That is why very popular corporate restaurants are hesitant to come to Louisville because of the very stiff local cometition we have here. Chains such as Fleming's, First Watch, Oceanaire, and McCormick & Schmick's have delayed coming to Louisville because of our strong local presence.

So let's show some love to our locals, maybe be a little more forgiving and spread our dining dollars around. Or else we may losing another. And none of us want that.

David-
I guess I see things a bit differently. Not with better clarity, just differently.
My take is that this forum does indeed really try to go the extra step in supporting the local indies and perhaps to the point of being very forgiving of some of the shortfalls they occasionally encounter. And, that is a good thing IMO. However, I do hope that when the locals don't measure up that anyone should feel reluctant to post constructive and valuable criticism, based solely upon the fact they are locally owned/operated. I'm sure that the past couple of years has been very tough in the restaurant business as it has been in many other industries. That is precisely, why everyone, in virtually any business, needs to excel in all aspects, perhaps more so in these difficult times.
Cheers,
Bill
.

But lately I detect a glimmer of malcontents that voice their opinions regarding some shortfalls of some of our local restaurants.

David...it's called a Forrrrrrr-ummmmm...Not a cheer leading club or a marketing program for independent restaurants.

I think Bill P pretty much hit it spot on.

But lately I detect a glimmer of malcontents that voice their opinions regarding some shortfalls of some of our local restaurants.

David...it's called a Forrrrrrr-ummmmm...Not a cheer leading club for independent restaurants. I think Bill P pretty much hit it spot on.

Did you not get the memo?

This IS the place devoted to the locals.
This IS the place that 'keeps it weird.'
This SHOULD be the place where industry-types can post thier opinions, beliefs and their craziest, avant-garde, creative ideas with nothing but acceptance.

and I promise you...

IF this place becomes one where the industry is scared to post because of such villificatious resposes as your last one. This place dies.

Good work, David, I personally felt inspired by your words.

(PS. Anyone drops the ball, then we should go gentle, not beat their heads across the yard- get it?)

but if we go to the same ones, or to the one's everyone is talking about, then the some go forgotten and then disappear.

This doesn't make any sense to me. There are a certain number of restaurants and a certain number of people to spend dollars at the local restaurants. Put simply, people go to the places that they choose to go to and the places they like and it would be impossible for every local diner to patronize every local restaurant...

Not every business is going to survive.

No, Stephen . This website is for Foodies. It's not called "Eatonlylocal.com".

Then, check me out, cause I no longer care...

I am truly fortunate.
Louisville is a unique place.
I once overheard a conversation in the hallway of my youngest child's preschool.
Mr. Man was delighting in the fact that one could expect the same plate presentation in FL or CA.

He was a frequent diner at: "insert industrial chain logo here"

Point being - Why go out to eat if you know what to expect?

If the lowest common denominator is: who has the best pre-packaged meat (uber marinated re-hydrated product?) Big Brother has already won.

Generally speaking, chain locations feature highly processed, manufactured food products.
Our local independent restaurant community prides itself on sourcing natural, locally raised (and minimally processed) food stuffs. ie. hand cut proteins, fresh vegetables,

We are all fortunate to benefit from a vibrant local restaurant scene.
Eat well and appreciate what U gotz

This is gonna sound like I'm mad but I'm really not... cranky, yes.

Businesses open and close everyday and that's just the way it goes. Always has. And I for one am sick of the "save this place" news stories, and this idea that just because a place is local and not an evil chain that everyone should go there just because it's local. I'd hate to see Ear-x-tacy and Twig and Leaf close and I absolutely hated it when Mazzoni's closed, I grew up 4 blocks away and went all the time, and I'll hate it when the next Louisville staple closes but again that's the way it is... businesses come and go and the economy goes up and down..

This cry baby "poor them/us" mentality is silly, My family and I've had some recent rough years financially as well but I'm not calling WHAS or starting Facebook "Save the Smiths" pages. We try to do whatever we can to keep above water and if we have to we figure out another plan, get another job, trade in the V8 for a fuel saver, cut back here and there, etc etc etc. Everything in life comes and goes, always has and always will. Suck it up people.

OK, rant end.

[Robin Garr]

Then, check me out, cause I no longer care...

Well, let's not go that far, podnuh. Call it "a preferential option for the locals." We're all about food, and we're all about supporting our locals. We're also all about calling it as we see it. Can't we all just get along?

This is a great site and these forum members are some of the most interesting , well informed folks in both the restaurant industry and food consumption. But we tend to think that everyone should think and feel the same way we do.
This...

Point being - Why go out to eat if you know what to expect?
If the lowest common denominator is: who has the best pre-packaged meat (uber marinated re-hydrated product?) Big Brother has already won.

... mind set exists because some people NEED to know what to expect. They don't like surprises, they HATE adventures in dining. They know what they like, how they like it, exactly what to expect and how much it will cost them and , for them, that's comforting. Nothing the rest of us adventuresome diners can do or say will ever change that. The chain restaurant is specifically designed for them. Chain restaurants offer 'no surprises' dining (as if that were a bad thing!) and suits that sort of personality just fine. Let them have it. More room for us at the tables of Flabby's, Cafe Lou Lou, Baxter Station, and on and on.

I personally think LHBs has done more for local restauranteurs than any other medium in the city. An occasional carp can be expected because there isn't a business out there that couldn't fine tune their performance. Robin (as well as the rest of the forum members) does a fine job in expecting explanations for any pans or bad reviews that go out across these boards. Anyone that has come out with a blanket "it sucked" sort of review has consistently been met with forum members saying "you have to do better than that if you're going to get our attention."

As much as I love our local business I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry when the White Castle at Eastern Parkway and Bardstown Rd closed.

I live in Lexington, where we don't have a robust forum like this, and where it is almost impossible to find objective criticism of local restaurants. So: I spend my money in Louisville instead of Lexington. I believe that the honest comments (positive or negative) on this forum are beneficial to the local restaurant industry and are a big part of what sets Louisville's restaurant scene apart from those in Lexington, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Atlanta, and every other similar-sized market that I have ever visited.

On the other hand... David is right about the tough economy. And, recession or not, the system is stacked, and it's tough for independent restaurants to compete. Also, I think that patrons are sometimes more likely to report negative experiences than positive ones. So, based on this thread, I think that I will make more of an effort to send out kudos and raves. But I don't plan to hold back on legitimate, negative comments.

This thread is EXACTLY what makes this site so valuable to the Louisville restaurant scene. The fact that intelligent (usually), thought provoking discussion and debate can occur on a frequent basis is priceless. It's one of the reasons Louisville has the second highest independent restaurant success rate in the country, second only to San Francisco. Thank you fellow foodies.

"Louisville has the second highest independent restaurant success rate in the country, second only to San Francisco"

...this is a great stat! Where is this info from??