Westport General Store closing :(

[Robin Garr]

I really hate to see this. Posted on Westport's Facebook page:

The Westport General Store has ceased all normal operations, effective immediately.

The reason?

The economy, lack of good consistent help, personal family concerns.

Thanks for the great 9 year run. We have met a ton of new friends and some really strange characters have crossed our threshold, as well.

Our space is available for private parties. Your food or ours.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Westport- ... 6679456006

That's really sad to hear. I have to admit that I'm as guilty as anyone for not getting out there enough, but WGS was one of our favorites, and Will is a terrific guy and consummate host.

Best of luck to Will and his family.

Will – Very sorry to hear this, you gave it a great effort and on the few occasions that I was able to break away and have dinner at your place I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This certainly is a very challenging business for the reasons you mentioned and for the things beyond our control. Fickle customers, weather, cyclical changes in customer patterns, unfair reviews from both the novice and professional food critics, stiff competition for the available dinning out dollar, and a sluggish economy due, in large part, to the federal governments implementing programs under the guise of helping those that are struggling in their efforts to provide for themselves and their families. The entrepreneurs who enter this business segment do so with the cards stacked against them for the aforementioned reasons. I admire your nine-year run and the spirit and dedication to the industry that you exhibited. I commend you for putting yourself out there and taking the risk of building and maintaining a dream and passion. Two years into my venture I often wonder if there will be a time when all goes as planned and the uncontrollable forces that challenge us daily subside. For now, for me, things are well and I am enjoying the experience of building a business that I hope will endure the test of time and, if I am still standing after a nine-year run, I will be thankful. Best wishes to you and your family.

Certainly a loss to the Louisville dining community!

....Hmmm, advertise for a line cook on Monday, shut the doors on Thursday...I guess things change in a hurry in the restaurant biz. Regardless, good luck to Will in any and all future endeavors.

unfair reviews from both the novice and professional food critics

Reading between the lines, I am left with the impression that this means that if anyone writes anything that is unfavorable it is deemed as "unfair".

a sluggish economy due, in large part, to the federal governments implementing programs under the guise of helping those that are struggling in their efforts to provide for themselves and their families.

I was just telling my wife the other day...You know honey, I'd really like to go out to eat but what with the federal governments implementing programs under the guise of helping those that are struggling in their efforts to provide for themselves and their families...I think I'll just stay in and watch Fox News.

a sluggish economy due, in large part, to the federal governments implementing programs under the guise of helping those that are struggling in their efforts to provide for themselves and their families.

I was just telling my wife the other day...You know honey, I'd really like to go out to eat but what with the federal governments implementing programs under the guise of helping those that are struggling in their efforts to provide for themselves and their families...I think I'll just stay in and watch Fox News.

I hate "implementing programs"

Will, I really enjoyed working with you out there. That's a tough location and you should be proud that you made it as long as you did. Let me know if you book any parties and I'd love to come out and lend you a hand.

I am really sorry to hear this. I told my kids the first place I wanted to take them was Westport General store. Mark and I had a wonderful experience at your restaurant. It was a great drive through gorgeous country, great meal and a terrific bluegrass band. A real Kentucky experience.

On a more positive note- WGS would make for an awesome wedding reception location...

[Robin Garr]

On a more positive note- WGS would make for an awesome wedding reception location...

Or a giant offline where we'd all show our appreciation to Will for fighting the good fight as long as he did?

This is terrible news!

Is it just me or are we bleeding great restaurants these days? Tough economies should weed out the weaker restaurants, but we are losing lots of strong ones in the process. Too many in my mind.

On a more positive note- WGS would make for an awesome wedding reception location...

Or a giant offline where we'd all show our appreciation to Will for fighting the good fight as long as he did?

Of course, I would be game for such an affair...

[Robin Garr]

On a more positive note- WGS would make for an awesome wedding reception location...

Or a giant offline where we'd all show our appreciation to Will for fighting the good fight as long as he did?

Of course, I would be game for such an affair...

We'd need to make sure Will is down with the idea, and it would be good to have someone who is not a food writer volunteer to organize ...

Re: Westport General Store closing
by Robin Garr » Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:40 am

Or a giant offline where we'd all show our appreciation to Will for fighting the good fight as long as he did?

I think this is the way to put a positive spin on this negative turn of events.