Arbor Ridge Vine & Grill closed 06/18/2010 in Crestwood

These reports are always so sad!
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From June 21, 2010 C-J:
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/ ... +Crestwood


Arbor Ridge Vine & Grill closes in Crestwood

By Andrea Uhde auhde@courier-journal.com

Arbor Ridge Vine & Grill in Crestwood has closed after months of slow business, co-owner Nikki Gilder said.

Gilder said her restaurant off Ky. 329 closed Friday night after an invitation-only dinner.

"The economy got the better of us, truthfully," she said.

She said the restaurant, which Gilder and her husband Neal opened two years ago, had many loyal supporters, but too many people were choosing restaurants in Jefferson County or didn't know about her restaurant.

"We were waiting this month to turn things around," Nikki Gilder said.

But June's business was even less than in January, she said.

Gilder said her business also was impacted by the county's sign rules, which restricted the size and placement of signs for advertising specials and events.

The restaurant had 13 employees Gilder said.

Reporter Andrea Uhde can be reached at (502) 582-4663.

[Robin Garr]

These reports are always so sad!

It really is! I hate to see this.

Gilder said her business also was impacted by the county's sign rules, which restricted the size and placement of signs for advertising specials and events.

I didn't realize it was a law, but it's true that we had a hard time finding it. We couldn't spot it at all from the Bypass and ended up going through Crestwood and following my iPhone's "mini-GPS" back up 329 and through a subdivision to get there.

It was a good place, and the Gilders did a good job. It would have fit in St. Matthews or on Frankfort Avenue ... and I wonder if it would have had better luck if it had been there.

Damn it man. What a drag.
As for the sign issues: We have this ordinance that does not allow off site signs- billboards, small yard signs etc.. It makes it hard to advertise for sure. Throw in our the alcohol rules, which restrict how much we can sell- only 30% and the tax on that sale of 5% and it is pretty hard to do business out here.

Sorry to see them go.

I'm sad to see this place close. We visited probably a half dozen times while it was open. I kinda sensed they were in trouble the last time we were there, though. Will miss the meat loaf dish.

As for the sign issues: We have this ordinance that does not allow off site signs- billboards, small yard signs etc.. It makes it hard to advertise for sure. Throw in our the alcohol rules, which restrict how much we can sell- only 30% and the tax on that sale of 5% and it is pretty hard to do business out here.

You'd think that Oldham county would catch up to reality. Being restrictive like this only helps to lower the taxes the county raises. It basically discourages businesses from locating there or as demonstrated here hurts the ones that try to make it. One of the big draws for people to locate there is low taxes but they aren't going to stay low very long if they can't attract businesses.

By the way Will, what happens if you would go over the 30% in one month because of special circumstances? Or do they look at it on an annual basis?

By the way Will, what happens if you would go over the 30% in one month because of special circumstances? Or do they look at it on an annual basis?

Yes they look at the yearly sales. There was some discussion amongst the magistrates that it should be done on a weekly basis. Obviously they did not realize what an accounting mess this would be. In my own circumstance, I have never gone over 30% in any month. My food and bar offerings discourage a rowdy drink only crowd. There have been a few places that served hotdogs and burgers only that got upside down.

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You'd think that Oldham county would catch up to reality.

Not as long as "things" are controlled by that religion that allows no dancing.

I wondered what had happened. I'm taking a friend out for lunch for her birthday this week and tried looking for their website but it showed a "site not active" message.

Very sorry to see them go...we were semi-regular customers, and it truly begins to whittle away at the real dining options in the OC....but the QSR's continue to thrive out here.

Sad. Very sad.