French Cafe - Moving to Aksarben
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French Cafe - Moving to Aksarben
I just heard that the French Cafe is looking at closing their doors downtown and moving west. Possibly One Pacific Place. Do not know how or where they would fit in. Wondering if anyone else had heard this.
From what I read in the paper, they seem to change things all the time. Â Do you think they are having trouble keeping customers at their current location?
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- nativeomahan
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In addition to thinking that's a big mistake, I'm sitting on a French Cafe gift card and hoping they're at least still Downtown when I'm back over the holidays! (if there is any merit to this rumor, of course)
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
According to Grow Omaha, The french Cafe is moving next to Godfathers in Aksarben Village.
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Interesting. Doesn't seem as suiting to them, but I wish them all the best! I'm just glad they're staying alive and adapting, at least in some way.
The bright side is that AK Village gets another tenant, Omaha keeps one of its culinary landmarks, and the Old Market has a prime space for a new business.
The bright side is that AK Village gets another tenant, Omaha keeps one of its culinary landmarks, and the Old Market has a prime space for a new business.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
- nativeomahan
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nativeomahan wrote:That would be a huge mistake, and an even bigger loss for Omaha. I think that the atmosphere at the French Cafe is unsurpassed by anything else in the region. We stop in for drinks every now and then, but seldom eat there, basically because I am not all that into French food.
They should stay put in order to serve drinks to clients that only stop in for drinks "every now and then, but seldom eat there". Makes sense. Â :roll:nativeomahan wrote:Dumb move.
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- nativeomahan
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Let the record show:Anonymous wrote:nativeomahan wrote:That would be a huge mistake, and an even bigger loss for Omaha. I think that the atmosphere at the French Cafe is unsurpassed by anything else in the region. We stop in for drinks every now and then, but seldom eat there, basically because I am not all that into French food.They should stay put in order to serve drinks to clients that only stop in for drinks "every now and then, but seldom eat there". Makes sense. :roll:nativeomahan wrote:Dumb move.
1. I could walk from my home to the French Cafe if it opened at OPP (which is where it was rumored to be moving when I posted my first comment);
2. The French Cafe would be a 5 minute drive for me if it moved to Ak Village;
3. Despite it possibly moving close to where I live, I will frequent it less, if at all, if it moves, because...
4. I am not a fan of French food. I will only go there for drinks if I am out wandering the Old Market District, usually at Christmastime. It has a simply exquisite atmosphere, whether sitting in the bar or at a table looking out the large windows at the pedestrian traffic and the horse drawn carriages along Howard St.
5. Um, it's not about me. It's about it being a dumb move. They have a cache where they are not because of their food (which according to media and online reviews is uneven, expensive and often mediocre), but because it is unrivaled in atmosphere. It oozes romance. If they move, they will lose much of what they have going for them. I predict that they will be closed permanently within 2 years.
How many established restaurants in Omaha have successfully (re)located outside their traditional neighborhood in the past 20 years? Johnny's tried it once, and flopped. Several Caniglia family forays out west fell flat. Farmer Brown's tried it in Papillion. Now the building is a church. The Sparetime moved from 72nd to 5th St. That lasted about a year. Anyone remember the famous Neon Goose? Their trek out west killed the goose. Likewise for Firmature's. Â LaCasa Pizza tried a move to western Douglas County. Â Now closed.
nativeomahan wrote:Let the record show:Anonymous wrote:nativeomahan wrote:That would be a huge mistake, and an even bigger loss for Omaha. I think that the atmosphere at the French Cafe is unsurpassed by anything else in the region. We stop in for drinks every now and then, but seldom eat there, basically because I am not all that into French food.They should stay put in order to serve drinks to clients that only stop in for drinks "every now and then, but seldom eat there". Makes sense. :roll:nativeomahan wrote:Dumb move.
1. I could walk from my home to the French Cafe if it opened at OPP (which is where it was rumored to be moving when I posted my first comment);
2. The French Cafe would be a 5 minute drive for me if it moved to Ak Village;
3. Despite it possibly moving close to where I live, I will frequent it less, if at all, if it moves, because...
4. I am not a fan of French food. I will only go there for drinks if I am out wandering the Old Market District, usually at Christmastime. It has a simply exquisite atmosphere, whether sitting in the bar or at a table looking out the large windows at the pedestrian traffic and the horse drawn carriages along Howard St.
5. Um, it's not about me. So, should we disregard your first 4 points then? Since they do all seem to be all about "you"?
It's about it being a dumb move. (You mean paying rent on a 160+ seat restaurant to serve a public that occasionally stops in for drinks? Valid point Are you really an attorney?
They have a cache where they are not because of their food The relocation will have no ambiance then? You should use your insight to discourage this fatal move then (which according to media and online reviews is uneven, expensive and often mediocre), IDK seems like they are at least moving in the right direction:
http://reviews.opentable.com/0938/50812/reviews.htm
http://www.omaha.com/article/20101105/D ... /711059932
but because it is unrivaled in atmosphere. It oozes romance. If they move, they will lose much of what they have going for them. I predict that they will be closed permanently within 2 years. What is your prediction for how long they will stay open only "occasionally serving drinks"?
How many established restaurants in Omaha have successfully (re)located outside their traditional neighborhood in the past 20 years? Johnny's tried it once, and flopped. Several Caniglia family forays out west fell flat. Farmer Brown's tried it in Papillion. Now the building is a church. The Sparetime moved from 72nd to 5th St. That lasted about a year. Anyone remember the famous Neon Goose? Their trek out west killed the goose. Likewise for Firmature's. LaCasa Pizza tried a move to western Douglas County. Now closed.] Would you compare the French Cafe to these other restaurants in any other context?
- nativeomahan
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Tell them we're from France
Does anyone know the proprietor's reasoning behind the move? Â Did the rent quadruple? Is the facility in need of major repairs they can't afford? Is the kitchen too small? Are they having problems with the owners of the property? Â If it's a choice between going out of business and moving to a new location, I can understand the move, and I'm glad they chose Aksarben Village over some godforsaken strip mall on 284th Street or something; but if the move is motivated by an expected bump in business at A/V, all things being equal, I think it's a bad move. Â Just from a marketing standpoint, A/V will never have the Old Market's foot traffic, which gives many of the restaurants there a good chunk of their business. Â I haven't been to the FC in several years, and I presume they've up-dated their menu to keep up with changing tastes, especially since the old-school French provincial stuff they were serving is pretty much a thing of the past. Â Restaurants die because the food is lousy or the market they're shooting for isn't there. Â A mediocre restaurant might survive if the foot traffic is such that they can limp along by fooling enough out-of-towners (I think Trini's Mexican in the OM is a perfect example--it's probably the worst Mexican food I've ever had). Â The new location will seal its fate, one way or the other. Â I just hope they have a product that people are willing to buy.
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- nativeomahan
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Recently or earlier in the year? Â I heard something about one of the two restaurants down there earlier this summer.nativeomahan wrote:I don't know. Meanwhile, I heard tonight that V. Mertz has been sold.
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- nativeomahan
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Not sure on the timetable. Â My best friend from HS has a shirt tail relative who bought it. Â Supposedly they want to offer some more accessible menu items. Â Whatever that means.Brad wrote:Recently or earlier in the year? I heard something about one of the two restaurants down there earlier this summer.nativeomahan wrote:I don't know. Meanwhile, I heard tonight that V. Mertz has been sold.
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I was under the impression that was for a party room for Godfathers to rent out.Anonymous wrote:Leased to Godfathers so they can expand. I've eaten at Godfathers at least 6-7x and there was never more than 15 people inside at one time. I don't get this one.JPenny wrote:the sign next to godfathers says the space has been leased on the window!