Grand Island Rumor Mill

[gisbuxfan]

My wife who works at a local doctors office just told me one of their drug rep's had said a Red Robin was looking to build in Grand Island.

[Erik]

That would be a HUGE get for GI..

Some people may say that it's just a resteraunt..

But I think that there is no place that has as big of a variety of specialty burgers that are as awesome as the ones that RR makes..

1/3 to 1/2 times I go out for dinner is to RR on 180th and Center..

Good get if true..

[NDizona]

Ive never been there despite living on 188th and Q...

is it really that good?

[nebugeater]

Ive never been there despite living on 188th and Q...

is it really that good?

NO

[Andrew]

Well, I like it for one. Been there many times and the only thing I've ever had was a Royal Red Robin burger which is basically a burger with cheese, bacon, some other stuff AND a fried egg in it! It is awesome but I don't know if I can rank it ahead of what would be my personal favorite, the King Kong burger with cheese (but only at the 40th & dodge location).

[icejammer]

Mmmmmm, did someone say Quaker Steak?

[gisbuxfan]

Like it or not, the best burger place in town right now is uhm...Wendys...er Burger King...er McDonalds...well, you get my point.

[Candleshoe]

Well....... I think that Texas T-Bone and Grandma Max's dish out some pretty righteous burgers, but, maybe it's just a matter of taste.

[Erik]

It is all a matter of taste, at least GI will have a respected gourmet burger restaraunt in RR..

Like I said, some will disagree and some will agree, but in my opinion I crave RR burgers all the time.

This is a huge get for any city without one, absolutely!

[nativeomahan]

Ive never been there despite living on 188th and Q...

is it really that good?

No. The burgers are about $10 each, but do come with unlimited fries. For my money there are plenty of places with better burgers at a fraction of the cost.

[Candleshoe]

Oops! My wife reminded me that my all time favorite burgers come from Nathan Detroits. Since they reopened the kitchen last year, the burgers are still great, but the fries must just be pre-fab... not nearly as special as I remembered.

[Big E]

Good ol' reliable Nathan.

Nathan, Nathan, Nathan Detroit.

-Big E

[gisbuxfan]

Well, quality burgers aside...I will still be amazed if Grand Island actually gets a new restaurant, one that doesn't close down because of poor service.

[jcitta]

That would be great for GI.
My favorite burger is from Fuddruckers!

[DTO Luv]

Has anyone alerted the GI city council members that it's not ok to feel up the underage mascot and to certainly not take pictures of the whole thing.

[Big E]

Has anyone alerted the GI city council members that it's not ok to feel up the underage mascot and to certainly not take pictures of the whole thing.

Now that's funny.

[DTO Luv]

I wish we could catch Garry Gernandt feeling up the Bluejay mascot so he would just go away.

[Erik]

I wish we could catch Garry Gernandt feeling up the Bluejay mascot so he would just go away.

Well, is Jason Smith close enough?

[DTO Luv]

Catching Gernandt feeling up Jason Smith would be awesome! Good bye save Rosenshat. So did anyone attend the post rally circle jerk?

[gisbuxfan]

While I was driving by the former Old Chicago building outside Connestoga Mall this afternoon, I noticed a good amount of construction/improvements being done to the place. I happened to see a guy hanging some new light fixtures. Did that finally get another tenant? Who

[Candleshoe]

I'm guessing it did. Don Mehring owns the building and he never lets his properties sit empty for long. But then again, he's pretty good at giving people sweetheart deals to get started, but not with the best track record for longevity. He owns every out building on the Mall property except for Red Lobster and McDonalds.

On the other hand... good news for the old SunMart. The guys that own the two Furniture Clearance Centers are closing those and going to open a legit furniture store in SunMart, I've heard.

[gisbuxfan]

That is interesting about Sun Mart...now, if they can fill in the rest of the Grand Island Mall. Anyways, the Old Chicago building was getting painted yesterday afternoon. So, hopefully we'll be seeing a sign or something go up before long!

[gisbuxfan]

On the other hand... good news for the old SunMart. The guys that own the two Furniture Clearance Centers are closing those and going to open a legit furniture store in SunMart, I've heard.

drove by Sun Mart tonight and a sign is up saying "Furniture Super Store Coming Soon"

[Candleshoe]

Rumor central reports that:

Coming into the old Old Chicago in Grand Island is Nebraska's first Johnny Carino's Country Italian Restaurant.

[gisbuxfan]

You mean quality italian food will stretch beyond valentino's and fazoli's?? Wow, that would be a huge get for GI!

[Omababe]

Rumor central reports that:

Coming into the old Old Chicago in Grand Island is Nebraska's first Johnny Carino's Country Italian Restaurant.

Not to be a total b*tch here, but can't there EVER be originality in restaurants anymore?

Yes, Carino's is good (and so is Valentinos and so is Fazolis, actually) but it seems like any time someplace new opens up, it's another chain of some kind and uber-formulaic and oh so predictable!

I mean in Omaha we have Austins closing for yet another Famous Daves! I admit Famous Daves is good, but you can get it almost anywhere anymore!

(Yeah, I know, b*tch b*tch b*tch!)

[gisbuxfan]

The thing about Omaha and even Lincoln, you can be picky. Ever since I moved out here to GI, I have realized that you enjoy what you get, because you don't get much, even if it is a chain.

[gisbuxfan]

So much for Johnny Carino's ....the sign was put up last night. Welcome Johnny Casino's!

[Candleshoe]

Yeah, I saw that too. So much for the spelling skills of my source heh heh.

On the other hand, this probably means that it's gonna be a LOCAL restaurant, rather than a chain. I couldn't find anything via google.

[Erik]

Yeah, I saw that too. So much for the spelling skills of my source heh heh.

On the other hand, this probably means that it's gonna be a LOCAL restaurant, rather than a chain. I couldn't find anything via google.

Which maybe be even better. GI has been doing very well recently with its growth, between 2005-2006 it grew by 650 people and I'm wondering what it grew by between 2006-2007.. 650 is quite a bit that's about a 1.35% increase in one year.

[Candleshoe]

Yep, Johnny Casinos it is. The owner has managed casinos in Iowa, Kansas and Colorado and decided it was time to come home to his roots in the Tri Cities. The restaurant will have a casino theme to it in decor, while the food will run from prime rib to pizza. They just got approved by the city council for a liquor license last night. Don't look for them to open for a few more weeks yet.

[gisbuxfan]

You can safely say we are saturated with pizza and prime rib places now.

Any ideas on the construction happening just south of State St. and north of Sam's Club? Looks like a pretty large site, maybe offices, but not sure.

[Candleshoe]

It's called 'Aspen Circle Trade Center" and looks to be a spec two level "L" shaped retail/office complex. Can't imagine what kind of retail outside of real niche stuff would locate there. Aspen Circle is off the beaten path, tucked behind the buildings along Diers Ave. It'd probably be nice and quiet. The brokers have (402) area codes listed and they're not Hastings numbers. I didn't write them down... Looks like they're going pretty slow about it. It's all framed and that's about it for now. I'd think with all of the spec strip retail centers built in the last 5 years that aren't filled yet, this is one project that you might just cut bait on... but I'm no expert like they are, I'm sure!

[gisbuxfan]

 Looks like they're going pretty slow about it. It's all framed and that's about it for now. I'd think with all of the spec strip retail centers built in the last 5 years that aren't filled yet, this is one project that you might just cut bait on... but I'm no expert like they are, I'm sure!

yes, they are going very slow. There is also that other strip that is sitting empty behind KMart on 13th. I am wondering what it will take to start filling these places.

[Candleshoe]

There is also that other strip that is sitting empty behind KMart on 13th. I am wondering what it will take to start filling these places.

What it's gonna take is probably some of the older properties being taken out. GI is waaaaaaaaay saturated with retail and offices for a city it's size, which is a testament to it's regionalism. There is enough draw from the trade area (which you can argue is from the north to south state lines) to support much of the existing businesses. However, the building of new complexes is mostly just cannibalizing the older existing strip malls. Look at the GI Mall and Webb Plaza for starters. Both were doing quite well just a couple of years ago till many of their major tenants were coaxed to move to other buildings.

[gisbuxfan]

Well, not a rumor but concerning Grand Island anyways...

Smoking ban takes effect at midnight June 1

GRAND ISLAND — Smokers beware.

Grand Island's new smoking ban goes into effect this weekend.

The ban impacts all indoor areas of all public places -- places where the public is invited in to do business or work. The Grand Island City Council approved the ban in March to take effect a full year ahead of a similar statewide ban.

http://www.theindependent.com/news/x784 ... ct-tonight

[gisbuxfan]

Johnny Casino's is now open. Didn't look to busy today as I was driving by, but then again, the only advertisements I saw was on their marquee,"Open at 11am"

[Stargazer]

So how are thing progressing on the state fair financing front?