Does Louisville.com want to be the new Eater?

[Robin Garr]

In other words, now that Eater has crashed and burned, is Louisville.com saying "We'll take 'sophomoric snide' for $500, Alex"?

I was a little surprised to see the Louisville magazine Website hit the Interwebz today with this odd take on the Taco Punk departure:

Say Farewell to Taco Punk: Nulu's Most Divisive Eatery Calls it Quits

Really? Taco Punk's demise points to immediate issues including the impact of the Bridges Boondoggle on the rising NuLu economy, and they drag out that silly college-student's attack review from three years ago as the highlight of its existence?

I thought the article was done in poor taste. I posted elsewhere about this, but the gist was Journalism 101. Write an article about the news, then if you want to put your opinion in, write a separate editorial. No point on dancing on the grave of a small business going down.

I never ate at Taco Punk, but my sense is that Rae Hodge's review extended the life of the business by at least a year.

It's funny how the business that needed to turn to Kickstarter for funding is going under because of the bridges, yet all the other things in NuLu seem to be weathering the storm of bridge construction fairly well. Seems like a convenient excuse to close up shop without admitting failure (of some kind or another).

It's funny how the business that needed to turn to Kickstarter for funding is going under because of the bridges, yet all the other things in NuLu seem to be weathering the storm of bridge construction fairly well. Seems like a convenient excuse to close up shop without admitting failure (of some kind or another).

Good observation.
This is not the time to leave NuLu--au contraire. Once ground is broken and construction eventually completed on the yet to be named NuLu Hotel--slated to be erected next to Creation Gardens--real estate will be worth its weight in gold along that corridor.

Gabe's statement said Taco Punk's biggest traffic time was lunch ( which makes a lot of sense given the price point). Without office buildings in walking distance, that means driving to get there. Both my husband and I have worked downtown for years ( he still does), and I can totally see understand how increase in congestion and road closures in the area would severely impact lunch traffic. When you only have an hour to grab lunch, I wouldn't drive someplace where I might be delayed. I don't think most of the other restaurants in NuLu ( excepting Ghyslain) rely so much on lunch traffic- and Gyslain attracts a less rushed crowd.
Volume traffic is everything when your food costs are higher and you have a low ticket price. If you are already struggling, weathering the storm isn't a possibility.
Deb

Deb, I certainly agree with you about Taco Punk depending on the lunch crowd but in reality it was too far away from the central business district to get business people to walk there for lunch in most cases. The sidewalks have been closed in many cases because of the bridges project but Main Street and Market Street have both remained open for vehicular traffic during the daytime hours. As mentioned by an earlier poster it seems like the bridges project is an appropriate excuse to use for a failing business in this area!

[Robin Garr]

Deb, I certainly agree with you about Taco Punk depending on the lunch crowd but in reality it was too far away from the central business district to get business people to walk there for lunch in most cases.

One size doesn't fit all, Mark. You'd be surprised how many people who work downtown like to combine lunch with a healthy walk.

The sidewalks have been closed in many cases because of the bridges project but Main Street and Market Street have both remained open for vehicular traffic during the daytime hours

You don't get downtown in the middle of the day much, do you?

Mark,

My point was that due to to the distance, most office workers would drive ( not walk ) to NuLu- I know that's what we used to do. The congestion and closed roads lead to potential delays- making it less appealling to go to there for a quick lunch from the core downtown office buildings. I personally have avoided the whole area just because I never know when there will be a back-up, and if dining for dinner in NuLu would take Frankfort in rather than my normal path.

Deb

I work downtown and drive the NULU section of Market St a few times a week. I've never had a delay getting from downtown to NULU. I'm in the area around 3:30 we no problems, but it might be different during the lunch hour/s.

[Robin Garr]

I work downtown and drive the NULU section of Market St a few times a week. I've never had a delay getting from downtown to NULU. I'm in the area around 3:30 we no problems, but it might be different during the lunch hour/s.

I tend to circulate more between Crescent Hill, St Matthews and Westport Road (!) in my work and play, but get to NuLu fairly often and downtown, too. I've run into some pretty irritating snarls around the bridge zone westbound on Main and eastbound on Market around midday, but since I don't do it daily, maybe I've just had bad luck?

I travel it constantly for work and as of a few months ago I lived downtown. Market has lanes closed East bound from downtown to NULU going under the over pass. It can be slow depending on the time of day.

Really? Taco Punk's demise points to immediate issues including the impact of the Bridges Boondoggle on the rising NuLu economy, and they drag out that silly college-student's attack review from three years ago as the highlight of its existence?

Because it was the highlight, as Richard said it probably kept him alive an extra year. Not many people really believe the bridge is having that much of an impact.

Meanwhile, Taco Luchador is in the Yellow Building of Death on Bardstown Road and is packed whenever I either try to eat there or just look in the window.

[Robin Garr]

Yellow Building of Death

Love me some Taco Luchador. Must hit it up for lunch one day soon.