How Many Restaurants Can Louisville Support?

For quite some time, I have been pondering the thought of "how many more restaurants can open in our city?". Every week or two there seems to be a new addition to the local scene...whether it's a new concept or existing place needing to expand. Is our city growing that fast? Or are these local guys hurting? I personally would think it would be a bad decision to open another high end restaurant downtown...or open a restaurant on Frankfort Ave, then open another 3 miles away on Bardstown Rd. I was walking down Baxter last week and a family was working hard on cleaning and shining up the old Nios spot.. I asked what was going in. The response, "________ Pizza.". Really? How many pizza joints can that area support?

I am just concerned for the community. I think the restaurant tidle wave is going to soon hit land and a lot of places may feel the wrath. What do you think?

For quite some time, I have been pondering the thought of "how many more restaurants can open in our city?". Every week or two there seems to be a new addition to the local scene...whether it's a new concept or existing place needing to expand. Is our city growing that fast? Or are these local guys hurting? I personally would think it would be a bad decision to open another high end restaurant downtown...or open a restaurant on Frankfort Ave, then open another 3 miles away on Bardstown Rd. I was walking down Baxter last week and a family was working hard on cleaning and shining up the old Nios spot.. I asked what was going in. The response, "________ Pizza.". Really? How many pizza joints can that area support?

I am just concerned for the community. I think the restaurant tidle wave is going to soon hit land and a lot of places may feel the wrath. What do you think?

I think let the market decide.

Restaurants open, restaurants close, thats the nature of the beast.

If we end up with too many pizza places, then we will weed out the weak and/or poorly managed ones.

We got what we wanted.

Louisville is the new 'best-thing-ever.' Capital is coming here like never before. We have to step up to the plate.

Or the major market Indies are going to drill us...

EDIT: For instance- St Charles has 3 Cold Draft Ice machines and this beautiful ice program. To the sum of about $150k. Little 'ol me is sticking mine in a back freezer. Who do you think wins here?

Hmmmm.... Gentrification of the Louisville Restaurant scene due to capital flowing in.... who's gonna stick long term...

My guess is the dude with the ice trays in the back freezer, and not the ones with the $150 ice contraption.

Hmmmm.... Gentrification of the Louisville Restaurant scene due to capital flowing in.... who's gonna stick long term...

My guess is the dude with the ice trays in the back freezer, and not the ones with the $150 ice contraption.

I totally agree. I also believe the market has become so saturated...it is hard to find great service. Mediocre service , yes. There isn't the ratio of highly trained professionals on staffs anymore and that may cause a difference on who sinks or swims.

Hmmmm.... Gentrification of the Louisville Restaurant scene due to capital flowing in.... who's gonna stick long term...

My guess is the dude with the ice trays in the back freezer, and not the ones with the $150 ice contraption.

Please don't get me wrong- I love those people, not for the ice machines, but because of thier hospitality. They do it right.

I was just using them as an example- because it's a glaring example of what's to come...

Hmmmm.... Gentrification of the Louisville Restaurant scene due to capital flowing in.... who's gonna stick long term...

My guess is the dude with the ice trays in the back freezer, and not the ones with the $150 ice contraption.

I totally agree. I also believe the market has become so saturated...it is hard to find great service. Mediocre service , yes. There isn't the ratio of highly trained professionals on staffs anymore and that may cause a difference on who sinks or swims.

+1

... "how many more restaurants can open in our city?".

That's kinda like asking how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop.

For what it's worth I think there are certain areas in town where things have become a bit too saturated (pizza in St. Matts for example)... But by the same token I feel like there are places...the far east side for example, wherein still lies fertile ground for the taking. Look at places like Old Chicago and Drakes (Springhurst) as examples...They both do a -damn- fine business. Open up a nice brew pub out this way that makes great pizza and folks would be lining up at the door....daily.

DiOrios pizza is going in the old Tequila Factory.

DiOrios pizza is going in the old Tequila Factory.

I wish them well, however that will make three (wicks and papalino's) pizza joints within 2 blocks. I've also heard the rent on that building is ludacris. I hang out across the street all the time and will definately try them out, just seems like a long row to hoe.

Open a hip new locally owned restaurant in the east end of Louisville??!?

That would NEVER work. Those people only love chains and chicken fingers.


(See also : other things NOT said by Fernando Martinez)

Open a hip new locally owned restaurant in the east end of Louisville??!?

That would NEVER work. Those people only love chains and chicken fingers.


(See also : other things NOT said by Fernando Martinez)

Righhhhhhht.....and we're all Baptists, voted for George McGovern for President and have lots of guns...Well OK, the last part is probably true (I know -I- wouldn't want to go beating on my neighbors doors at 2 in the morning)... ...but I digress.

Seriously though, I think the far east side is in dire need of two or three good-local-non-BBQ-type-places. Being a loyal and dedicated pub-grubber I would -love- to see a place like Boombozz or the Mellow Mushroom come in out on the Gene Snyder somewhere...Even better (in my mind anyway) would be a new Coals.

I agree the far east end could use a lot of new restaurants...that area is booming, especially by brownsboro and the gene sneider. I think a few of our duplicating locals should stretch out there instead of the 3 or 4 mile radius of the downtown, highlands, and Frankfurt ave..

I agree the far east end could use a lot of new restaurants...that area is booming, especially by brownsboro and the gene sneider. I think a few of our duplicating locals should stretch out there instead of the 3 or 4 mile radius of the downtown, highlands, and Frankfurt ave..

I see there is a new place called "O'Line Sports Grill" opening in the old "Turkey Joe's" place on Hurstborne...No website, just a Facebook page, appears to be another of your quintessential wall-of-TVs-Burger-and-Wing-joints. No -exactly- what I had in mind when I said the east-side was in dire need of more restaurants but what the heck, I need a wing fix so I will give it a try and report back.

I was hanging around in that area last Sunday. Its so typical of much of suburban America. I like the pace of development and the attention to better urban landscaping, however, it is simply uninspiring. Move about by car, visit familiar big boxes for shopping, and familiar eating spots that you tried while on vacation elsewhere. Besides, you have to use those gift certificates that friends and family from various regional locations gave you during the Christmas get togethers--Target, Starbucks, Bed Bath and Beyond, Applebees, etc. The Far East end is part of the interstate highway system, while the Highlands is off along a service road running parrallel with the highway, metaphorically speaking.

It just makes it that more apparent how special these enclaves such as the Highlands, Crescent Hill, etc. are in todays society and how the general urban/suburban infrustructure is weighted heavily in favor of the "interstate merchant" ..........................Norton Commons is an exception--wow, that place has turned this paradigm on its head! I can't believe what is happening there. We'll be hearing MUCH more about thses types of counter-developments in the coming years.