My wife was planning a girls' night out this weekend and, while driving thru Tinseltown, discovered Urban Flats is closed (apparently for good). Anybody know why? They seemed to be doing okay, at least the several times she was there. I know they're building a new spot at the Beach, is that open now? Was their plan the whole time to close the Tinseltown location down once the Beach location was done?
Just curious, and folks here are usually in the know...
The Urban Flats at the Beach is already open I'm pretty sure. I noticed it this past weekend. Definitely a 'different' setup than the one in Tinseltown. Hopefully the one in Tinseltown isn't closed for good though. They always seemed to have a good turn out the times I've been over there for Winedown Wednesdays.
Apparently so. I checked the website for down there and it's not listed anymore. The UF here in Nashville is dropping the name and becoming Music City Flats next month.
Tinseltown is done for good. The one at the beach that just opened isn't far behind. They're already bouncing checks and not paying people/staff. The one in Ponte Vedra will be rebranded and relaunched by mid-October.
Quote from: RockStar on August 29, 2012, 09:19:06 PM
Tinseltown is done for good. The one at the beach that just opened isn't far behind. They're already bouncing checks and not paying people/staff. The one in Ponte Vedra will be rebranded and relaunched by mid-October.
Sounds like problems higher up the food chain at Urban Flats. A quick Google search reveals several Urban Flats in multiple cities have closed. That's a shame. Hope something else opens up in the space soon. REALLY hope the people at the beach location start getting paid!
Quote from: RockStar on August 29, 2012, 09:19:06 PM
Tinseltown is done for good. The one at the beach that just opened isn't far behind. They're already bouncing checks and not paying people/staff. The one in Ponte Vedra will be rebranded and relaunched by mid-October.
Sounds like poor management. Urban Flats there did pretty good business despite a less than ideal location.
Not sure if it's true or not, but I heard it was a liquor license issue.
There's nothing "urban" about Tinseltown. They should tear down the empty store and do the same to every store that closes up. eventually turning Tinseltown, back into forrest. Give it back to nature and relocate the stores Downtown. People will return DT if there's nowhere else to go. I hate Tinseltown, so anti urban, so anti pedestrian. It has contributed to the death of Downtown.
Quote from: urbaknight on August 30, 2012, 11:23:42 AM
There's nothing "urban" about Tinseltown. They should tear down the empty store and do the same to every store that closes up. eventually turning Tinseltown, back into forrest. Give it back to nature and relocate the stores Downtown. People will return DT if there's nowhere else to go. I hate Tinseltown, so anti urban, so anti pedestrian. It has contributed to the death of Downtown.
I think you're on to something. Let's close all suburban-based businesses throughout the city and move them to downtown.
Yes! And soon after that, the residents will also return.
QuoteUrban Flats closes in Tinseltown, plans San Marco restaurant
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/423471/gary-mills/2012-08-30/urban-flats-closes-tinseltown-plans-san-marco-restaurant
Quote from: urbaknight on August 30, 2012, 11:23:42 AM
There's nothing "urban" about Tinseltown. They should tear down the empty store and do the same to every store that closes up. eventually turning Tinseltown, back into forrest. Give it back to nature and relocate the stores Downtown. People will return DT if there's nowhere else to go. I hate Tinseltown, so anti urban, so anti pedestrian. It has contributed to the death of Downtown.
I am pretty sure downtown died before the late-90's. Areas like Tinseltown exist because downtown was dead.
I doubt the people at the beach will see any money. The owner/franchisor of the concept has issues; let's just leave it at that. The franchisee at the beach apparently was expecting/sold on the idea of a certain sales level, but has only seen 30% of the promise. They're not paying their suppliers, so that's where the liquor license issue comes up. Unless they get a strong cash injection, it doesn't look good.
I was the first GM of the first franchise of UF, the one in Ponte Vedra. I know the concept and its creator well.
So Urban Flats is planning to open at San Marco Station on Hendricks Avenue. With Aardwolf and Panera Bread going in there, that's a pretty nice cluster quietly forming.
^Very much so. That's awesome news.
This company has no business opening up anymore locations. I am a previous employee of the Jax Beach location. They don't pay their employees yet are coming up with money to pay nightly entertainment. Tinseltown closed and atleast a dozen of those employees are looking for paychecks. They keep deferring employees to the higher ups yet no one can get in contact with them. The labor board has been called and they have even caught the media's attention. They also filed chapter 11 once before.
Quote from: urbaknight on August 30, 2012, 11:49:09 AM
Yes! And soon after that, the residents will also return.
You have it backwards. Bring back the people, then the stores will come, not vice versa.
COJ already tried the "stores first" approach with the Landing. I think you know what that turned into.
Increase the downtown population again, and the stores WILL come.
Something very strange is going on with the whole Urban Flats thing. When a company suddenly shuts its doors without letting employees know until they come to work, then something is seriously wrong. Plus with the employees not getting paychecks, that is also worriesome. I have a feeling the Riverside location may not happen after all.
Quote from: spuwho on September 04, 2012, 10:25:36 PM
Quote from: urbaknight on August 30, 2012, 11:49:09 AM
Yes! And soon after that, the residents will also return.
You have it backwards. Bring back the people, then the stores will come, not vice versa.
COJ already tried the "stores first" approach with the Landing. I think you know what that turned into.
Increase the downtown population again, and the stores WILL come.
This is where fixed transit comes in handy within an urban core area. We already have the residents. They happen to live just outside of the imaginary bubble we've put the central business district in. Take the same amount of money, we'd invest in an isolated overpass in the Southside and use it to develop a starter transit line that ties Riverside and Springfield together, which downtown having a couple of stops along the way. Also find a way to get the skyway across the FEC and down to Atlantic Boulevard in San Marco. Speaking in Jacksonville terms, what you'll develop is a transit highway that provides high access and visibility for properties adjacent to the corridor, creating an environment for market rate mixed-use infill.
Quote from: Dapperdan on September 05, 2012, 09:02:32 AM
Something very strange is going on with the whole Urban Flats thing. When a company suddenly shuts its doors without letting employees know until they come to work, then something is seriously wrong. Plus with the employees not getting paychecks, that is also worriesome. I have a feeling the Riverside location may not happen after all.
Totally. Are the Jacksonville locations all owned by the same franchisee, multiple franchisees, or corporate?
Well hear it is.. They are not paying ANYONE!
Quote
Urban Flats in Tinseltown closes, doesn't pay employees
11:15 AM, Sep 5, 2012 | 0 comments Tweet
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Urban Flats describes itself as a refined casual restaurant and wine bar. There are several locations, but the Tinseltown location closed abruptly after serving a number of employees worthless checks.
The facility has been closed for more than a week and the workers are asking "where is my money" and "can anything be done?"
First Coast News met with five of those workers at the now abandoned looking Touchton Road restaurant. They are still hoping someone from the Florida-based company would give them some answers.
The company was formed in 2004 and is headquarters in Ocoee, near Orlando. The owner filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2011. These workers say they knew the restaurant was in trouble financially, but had no idea it would affected them the way it has.
"It wasn't just employers, it was distributors, DJs -- they didn't get paid either," said former employee Hunter Sparks. "It was the past couple of months, employees would go to deposit their checks it would bounced after a couple of days, or they would go to a Publix or check cashing place the cash checking place sent it back and they would tack on a fee."
"The company knew that they were closing because the night before, they came with a U-Haul and took all the tables and from the bar and we haven't been paid either so it is an awful situation," said Sherry Goldberg, another former employee.
Jerimiah Hersey, another former employee, said the company still owes him about $800.
Last year, the company filed Chapter 7, and the case was closed in February of this year, according to court records. The company said its assets were $0 to $50,000, but it owes more than $1 million.
Quote from: BeachBum924 on September 04, 2012, 07:09:52 PM
This company has no business opening up anymore locations. I am a previous employee of the Jax Beach location. They don't pay their employees yet are coming up with money to pay nightly entertainment. Tinseltown closed and atleast a dozen of those employees are looking for paychecks. They keep deferring employees to the higher ups yet no one can get in contact with them. The labor board has been called and they have even caught the media's attention. They also filed chapter 11 once before.
I know the beach location was in the "Coming Soon" stages for over a year and just opened a few months back. Is it still open?
yes...the jax beach location is open...but ponte vedra is closing
Quote from: spuwho on September 04, 2012, 10:25:36 PM
Quote from: urbaknight on August 30, 2012, 11:49:09 AM
Yes! And soon after that, the residents will also return.
You have it backwards. Bring back the people, then the stores will come, not vice versa.
COJ already tried the "stores first" approach with the Landing. I think you know what that turned into.
Increase the downtown population again, and the stores WILL come.
I do agree with you, but it seems more feasible to bring more businesses in first. Feasible in this case meaning more likely to happen than apartments. Developers just don't seem all that interested in building DT apartments.
I'll say it here first. (and I'm not being sarcastic at all) If I ever become wealthy enough, I'll buy one of these empty buildings and convert them into some kind of living space. It might just be a few units, it might even be a boarding house. But if I can do it, I promise I will.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1824492958001
Click for video. Urban Flats in Jax Beach opened the first week of August. They had no marketing or advertising and NO sign even on the front until a few weeks later so alot of people did not know about it. It's really sad because it has such potential, however they have horrible business practices. I have already emailed First Coast because it is not just tinseltown employees, it is also servers and bartenders at Jax Beach that either aren't receiving checks are they are bouncing. The word needs to get out and no one should visit this establishment, I see pictures on their facebook of new couches and various entertainment that they are obviously allotting money for, but are not paying their workers. All locations should cut ties with this brand! Ponte Vedra location is doing this, and opening with a different name as well as a location in Nashville now called Music City Flats.