Damn bad economy

[clutchdust]

Went to take the "mrs" out last night for valentines day. We were going to this really great Italian restaurant with a great view of Vegas. When we get there, we find that our great Italian place has been turned into one of those mediocre Mexican chain restaurants. Such a major disappointment because the place was just expensive enough to be a "special night out" kind of restaurant, but not so expensive we couldn't do it several times a year.
Now it's just so disappointing because it wasn't even replaced with another good restaurant. I mean this place somehow gets voted "Best of Las Vegas" for 8 years running, but it's just decent at best. Hell, we've eaten there and there are better hole in the wall Mexican joints better than that.I just don't understand people.

 

[mrvette]

Orange Park here has a GREAT little family Italian place, two of them actually, one Sicilian

Something probably happened with the ownership....retarred, died, etc....just sick of running the joint....damn tough business to be in.....knew a guy years ago who took over his father's joint, grew and expanded it to take up the entire strip mall, must have been 15,000 feet or so....and wall to wall every night with people.....one day he walks in and closed the joint just like that, Billy just flat got burnt out....course loosing one of his best friends from getting robbed/killed over the night's receipts probably took it's toll too....:flash:

 

[clutchdust]

I know it's not the retired/burned out thing. That family has two other properties here in town that are doing just fine. They're kind of "lower end" (I don't mean that in a derogatory way) sports bars, and we frequent them often during football season.
Just doesn't make sense to me because it was such a good restaurant and every time we went in there it had customers. Wouldn't say it was packed or anything, but a "slow" night would be about half full and busy nights would be 1/2 wait. Go figger.