Bluff Park, Alabama Forum

Bluff Park, Alabama Forum
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General Category >> You Know Where There's a Good Place to Eat? >> Can someone NOT open a restaurant that serves
http://bluffparkal.org/bpforum/YaBB.pl?num=1261066000

Message started by jennmccown on 12/17/09 at 10:06am

Title: Can someone NOT open a restaurant that serves
Post by jennmccown on 12/17/09 at 10:06am

Alcohol? A neighborhood pub, a bistro, something that's not a chain. I just don't get it. We have the gorgeous bluff and 2 shopping centers with appalling vacancies. It seems like someone would take a chance and open a decent restaurant - believe me, I have thought about it numerous times, but would it be popular or is everyone mostly happy with a Subway sandwich and a coke? I would think a French Bistro, with homemade soups (French Onion with melted gruyere), salads, Coq au Vin, Beef Bourguignon, Whole Roasted Chickens with herbs/apples/pecans, Braised Short Ribs, Steak Frites, etc etc!!! And wine and really great beer to go along - a place for everyone to go for a fantastic, comforting meal!!
:-/
Is it just me?

Title: Re: Can someone NOT open a restaurant that serves
Post by BluffParkWriter on 12/17/09 at 2:28pm

you may want to read through this post, there is some of the same questions and a few answers and thoughts. http://bluffparkal.org/bpforum/YaBB.pl?num=1257518856

I for one would love something a little more upscale as far as restaurants go or a coffee shop. There are some city code issues. That is why the complex where Mr. P's is is not Hoover city, it is Birmingham city.

My suggestion is to always voice your opinion to the complex owners with ideas for stores to fill empty spaces. Mr. Harden who owns Bluff Park Village (where dollar general and armorsafe storage are located) was really looking for suggestion when the pizza place closed. His email is in a thread http://bluffparkal.org/bpforum/YaBB.pl?num=1254444000 and Mr. Lemak owns the side of Shades Mtn Plaza where Wings Plus and Ashley Mac's are located. He reads this forum and is a member. Bluffparkal.org also has his email address and can pass on sugestions.

Title: Re: Can someone NOT open a restaurant that serves
Post by pekaboo on 12/17/09 at 9:21pm

I am sure people wouldn't mind going somewhere that would serve alcohol in a nice relaxing atmosphere. In fact a place that served nice wines and could even have wine tastings would be nice. If you made it relaxing and up scale and not a rough bar like atmosphere, I don't see it being a problem. Maybe there could be a place that only serves people 21 and older after 10:00pm, because that is the only time you could drink alcohol. The same place could offer food and non-alcoholic beverages before that time. If people who are old enough to drink came to a place that offered alcohol, if it was safe to walk home they could do so, instead of trying to drive somewhere.

Title: Re: Can someone NOT open a restaurant that serves
Post by nickel4al on 12/21/09 at 11:44am

I do not see something like this succeeding. I'm not saying I wouldn't support it, I just don't see how you can ask for something upscale like that to come into an area where you still have people that don't want to upkeep their yards, or do anything for curb appeal. Right up the road from this shopping center you have houses that look like the paint is peeling from their siding in all those cookie cutter homes. Then you get into the older homes and you have people that won't cut their grass, have cars in their front yards, bushes growing over their windows. This doesn't look upscale. Maybe once people begin to have pride in the area again this might be an option, but until then I don't see it happening.

Title: Re: Can someone NOT open a restaurant that serves
Post by jennmccown on 01/14/10 at 11:59am

Obviously from the posts about the Moonlight Cafe, this is sort of a hot button issue. It appears that a large amount (possibly a majority) of people who live in Bluff Park are not opposed to an establishment that serves alcohol. I favor the food/alcohol concept myself, because one is not necessarily good without the other. No night club, not even the right atmosphere for one around here, but a restaurant or a local bistro/pub. We can not let the way people's yards look deter one from raising the neighborhood options as a whole. Forest Park has yards that are simply horrendous and yet one of my favorite restaurants, Little Savannah thrives there. Perhaps it would work the opposite, if a nice restaturant opened up and people were in and out, maybe it would inspire these people to clean up their yards and upkeep their homes. We are constantly improving our house, but don't give a thought to what our neighbors are doing to theirs! We do it for our own benefit.

As for the option of serving alcohol after 10 - that's unrealistic. Who wants to be open that late!?

To me, I feel like we are being treated like children and we couldn't possibly handle ourselves properly. The school rationale is ridiculous - school is out at 3:00. Moonlight should absolutely serve nibbles and find a way to allow an adult beverage to either be served or brought in by the patron. I can listen to music and drink sweet tea on my back porch - but if Moonlight wants to be a destination, then it is going to need the whole package.

Title: Re: Can someone NOT open a restaurant that serves
Post by johnny4 on 01/14/10 at 6:06pm

Jenn...I couldn't agree more with your post (obviously, if you read the moonlight thread). I would absolutely love for a cafe/pub type of establishment to come in our area. To be honest, I think people like ourselves probably outweight the naysayers. Unfortunately, it seems that just a few naysayers are enough to stifle any attempt by a business owner to take a chance in bluff park...Which is highly disappointing.

You touched on one subject that I neglected to delve into after reading Mr. Harrelson's response on the moonlight thread. My fear for his business is that he isn't considering what you appropriately labled "the whole package." I gather from his posts (very thoughtfully written as they were) that he is quite passionate about music and establishing a venue to showcase emerging artists. And for that, I applaud him. However, it leaves me to ponder the question: is that enough? In my mind, no.....no it isn't. But Mr. Harrelson did not ask for my opinion, and I am sure that there are others who think similarly as he does. I wish him the best in this endeavor, and I will do my best to support it. But speaking for myself, it would be much easier to support if he was able to offer beverages.....and possibly a limited pub-like menu if at all possible.

He certainly has more experience in the matter than I....But I know what I want...and I know what you want....and I know what MANY other friends of mine in the area want.....And at the end of the day, I think that should count for something. After all, the next like-minded business entrepenuer to establish such a venue would be the first. And if you're the only alcohol-serving pub/bistro/cafe-type business in the area, I would imagine you would get our patronage.

Anyway, I hope the right person reads our thoughts on the matter.

Title: Re: Can someone NOT open a restaurant that serves
Post by bparkian on 01/15/10 at 8:37am

If someone builds it, I will come! (and bring along friends) :)