Bruce's BBQ Moving - again

We had lunch at Bruce's BBQ today. Posted on the door and at each table was the following message (I am assuming there is no copyright issues with posting verbatim):

"We're Moving
Back in August when we first opened, business was doing well and sales were good most days. Since Gas Light or somewhere around the first of October our sales have steadily declined, to the point, I can no longer continue at this location. To this day sales continue to decline and therefore put me in the unfortunate position to make the decision to close Jan 29th 2010.
Since my decision, I've negotiated a deal with our original location in the Harley Center in Fern Creek, (same center of Honey Baked Ham and the old Uno's). This is the exact same location where I opened my first store in February of 2001 under the name Firehouse Bar B Q... not FireFresh. We were there for 3 years and did extremely well. We will open for business on Feb 4th 2010.
During the transition we'll be changing our name from Bruce's Smokehouse to 'Crabby Jake's' Fish House. We'll still carry our Award Winning Barbecue & our 'Famous Fish Sandwich'. We'll also be unveiling our new 'Hand Breaded Chicken Breast Filet' Sandwich and Tenders.
We want to thank all of you that have supported us since we've been here and look forward to seeing you at some point in the 'Creek'. We know it's not as convenient for some, but the next time you are looking for a great Barbecue Sandwich, a Fish Sandwich that's the best around or Chicken Filet Sandwich that melts in your mouth look us up in the Creek on Bardstown Road."

Four sites in nine years: Bardstown Road Fern Creek; Breckenridge Lane in Hikes Point; Jeffersontown; now back to Fern Creek. Very good BBQ sandwich but that track record would seem to make it hard to establish a large customer base, and retain it. Not in the restaurant business so I have no insight into leases, sales volume and profits, etc., but that seems like a lot of moves in nine years. I guess the alternative is to be completely out of business. Good luck to them.

[Robin Garr]

We had lunch at Bruce's BBQ today. Posted on the door and at each table was the following message (I am assuming there is no copyright issues with posting verbatim):

Not in a case like this, David, where it's quite obviously a publication that they want to distribute as widely as possible. Thanks for posting!

So THAT is what Crabby Jake's is about...

I must admit I am no longer quite as excited as I was when I thought it was something new.

I tried Bruce's back when it was next to Fazoli's in Hikes Point. While it wasn't bad, it wasn't anything that would make me go out of my way to eat there. I had also eaten at Firehouse and had similar feelings.

With all the moving and "rebranding," they are bound to confuse people.

I tried Bruce's back when it was next to Fazoli's in Hikes Point. While it wasn't bad, it wasn't anything that would make me go out of my way to eat there. I had also eaten at Firehouse and had similar feelings.

I think of Firehouse/Firefresh/Bruce's as the same place.

"We're Moving
...Back in August when we first opened, business was doing well and sales were good most days. Since Gas Light or somewhere around the first of October our sales have steadily declined, to the point, I can no longer continue at this location. To this day sales continue to decline and therefore put me in the unfortunate position to make the decision to close Jan 29th 2010..."

I hate to see anyone try to start up a business and fail, but when you put a restaurant in a location that has seen a steady stream of failed restaurants for the past decade plus, I have to question the the decision to open the place in that location. If the first 20 people failed, maybe its something other than their product that is failing them. Just bad business in my mind.

Trent,

Kinda hard to disagree with that. Still it's sad to see another one bite the dust.