http://www.actionnewsjax.com/content/topstories/story/Whisky-River-closes-abruptly/MPYCjc1beUWbc5GeuQ9ndQ.cspx
QuoteJACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- WOKV has learned Whisky River in Jacksonville is closed.
The restaurant and club located in the Markets at the St. Johns Town Center was empty when we checked out the location today after they were supposed to be open. One employee trying to enter the building told us she wasn't informed the restaurant would be closed. Several customers also tried to get in, but could not.
Too bad. For me the food was okay, nothing to go crazy over. Hopefully another restaurant take it's place not too long from now.
Hmm, I never stepped foot in the place. Did I miss anything?
Quote from: thelakelander on January 17, 2014, 07:14:24 PM
Hmm, I never stepped foot in the place. Did I miss anything?
Let's put it this way: Nope .
^^^I tend to agree. I just got some typical bar food (like wings and fries) to go. The racecar & country themed ambiance of WR seemed pretty cool, but the food was 'eh'.
Damn, where's the Public Defender's office gonna go for new steno pool hires now?
Time to just declare the Town Center as Regency 2.0
^^^I know that you probably hate the suburban SJTC and all, but that's an overreaction.
Quote from: I-10east on January 17, 2014, 08:10:06 PM
^^^I know that you probably hate the suburban SJTC and all, but that's an overreaction.
Times like this makes me wish MJ had some kind of sarcasm font
^^^ It still wouldn't matter.
Quote from: FSBA on January 17, 2014, 08:59:19 PM
Times like this makes me wish MJ had some kind of sarcasm font
So just spout off any mindless negative drivel; That equals to very funny 'sarcasm'. Okay, I'll be wary next time...
According to actionnews, WR closed because a deal couldn't be reached when the lease ran out. Suite's (owned by the same company as WR) lease is up in two years, and it could face a future closure also.
Shocked and disappointed. I loved Whisky River. Obviously it was sudden as they were just taking Super Bowl reservations last week. Always a shame to see a place close down, and it usually had good crowds for football and theme nights. Thankfully Suite is still around, that's the closest thing Jax has to the nightclub scene offered in MIA and NYC
Yeah this was a shock when I heard this afternoon, and I attended an event there just last night!
To be totally honest, I never really liked the place. But I interacted quite a bit with the staff for various reasons and always felt they were really nice and accommodating people. I feel bad that none of them received any notice or warning.
As a Public Service announcement for the young ladies who lost their jobs at WR, Hooters and The Gold Club are offering employment.
Quote from: JayBird on January 17, 2014, 10:46:27 PM
Shocked and disappointed. I loved Whisky River. Obviously it was sudden as they were just taking Super Bowl reservations last week. Always a shame to see a place close down, and it usually had good crowds for football and theme nights. Thankfully Suite is still around, that's the closest thing Jax has to the nightclub scene offered in MIA and NYC
Chalk up the end of a night scene in Southside if WR and Suite go under. The Beaches and Riverside are the gold standard for going out in Jax which is why most young people are seeking living arrangements in both locales. Maybe Riverside and downtown can capitalize on this to make the core more desirable?
Quote from: For_F-L-O-R-I-D-A on January 21, 2014, 05:02:42 PM
Chalk up the end of a night scene in Southside if WR and Suite go under. The Beaches and Riverside are the gold standard for going out in Jax which is why most young people are seeking living arrangements in both locales. Maybe Riverside and downtown can capitalize on this to make the core more desirable?
The beaches? Don't they shut down at like 1am now??? And don't even mention the cops...
I agree though, Southside doesn't have a great nightlife, unless you want to count chilis :o
I'd say downtown and riverside more than the beaches and riverside are the gold standard, IMO.
Honestly, Whiskey River seemed to attract a bad element .. crowds, frequent fights, etc. I truly wonder if forcing WR out wasn't a prudent move from a landlord/developer viewpoint as they try to bring in more fine dining, i.e. Seasons 52 and Moxie.
QuoteMaybe Riverside and downtown can capitalize on this to make the core more desirable?
220 Riverside is trying to catch this wave of interest. Hopefully more infill continues in the area to where it can become a model for other areas of town. Communities shall thrive again!
Viable alternate? Wild Bill's Saloon on Tallyrand!
Why is it that restaurants often close with no notice?
This is from facebook:
(http://i.imgur.com/OijwcWR.png)
A little more light:
QuoteLawsuit: Whisky River evicted
QuoteBy Mark Basch, Contributing Writer
The Whisky River restaurant at The Markets of Town Center, which closed abruptly last month, was shut down because the operators had not paid the rent for six months and were evicted, according to a lawsuit filed in Duval County Circuit Court.Representatives of the owners issued statements to several local news outlets last month saying they had decided to close the restaurant.
However, according to an amended version of the original complaint, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office "executed a Writ of Possession removing Tenant from, and delivering to Landlord, possession of the premises" on Jan. 17.
The landlord is Hines Global REIT Inc., a Houston-based real estate investment firm. Hines acquired The Markets of Town Center, the shopping area adjacent to the St. Johns Town Center, from Pinehill Markets Operating LLC in July 2013.
According to the lawsuit which was originally filed by Hines in December, the operators of Whisky River never made any of their required monthly rental payments after Hines took over the property. The restaurant owed a total of $226,312 in rent as of January.
Duval County Circuit Judge Lawrence Haddock entered a judgment Jan. 3 in favor of Hines, giving it possession of the premises because the restaurant owners were in default.
Hines' amended complaint against the Whisky River owners said the landlord has been taking care of the premises since taking possession Jan. 17 and "has made and continues to make a good faith effort to re-let the premises on Tenant's behalf in order to mitigate damages accruing to Landlord under the lease."
Whisky River opened in 2010 to great fanfare, in part because of its association with NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has often been described as the owner or majority owner of Whisky River.
Earnhardt is not mentioned in the lawsuit filed by Hines. The lawsuit lists SJTC III LLC as the tenant holding the lease on the restaurant and Hammer Flo LLC as subtenant.
Florida corporate records show that SJTC and Hammer Flo both have the same address in Plantation under a registered owner called CT Corp. A representative of CT at the office in Plantation said the company just handles registration for corporations and is not otherwise affiliated with the businesses.
Whisky River still has a restaurant in operation in Charlotte, N.C. The website for the Charlotte restaurant has an email address for a corporate office, but there was no response to an email sent to that office Thursday.
Telephone calls to Bar Management Group, a Charlotte company listed in some news reports as the operator of Whisky River, were not answered Thursday.
Court records show no responses made by Whisky River's owners to the lawsuit filed by Hines.
mbasch@baileypub.com
(904) 356-2466
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=542193
Talking about walking away. This bar was so layered in LLC's and contract management they probably think they can just dump it.
Bar Management LLC ran the bar/food operations (who got locked out)
SJTC III LLC was the property rental vehicle (who didn't pay the rent)
Hammer Flo LLC was the franchise management entity (who isn't returning the calls)
Hammerhead LLC provided the dough to Hammer Flo LLC (oh yeah, you can find the owner in Daytona in a few weeks, maybe he will get served!)
Club Paris 2.0?
Quote from: spuwho on February 07, 2014, 08:26:35 PM
Talking about walking away. This bar was so layered in LLC's and contract management they probably think they can just dump it.
Bar Management LLC ran the bar/food operations (who got locked out)
SJTC III LLC was the property rental vehicle (who didn't pay the rent)
Hammer Flo LLC was the franchise management entity (who isn't returning the calls)
Hammerhead LLC provided the dough to Hammer Flo LLC (oh yeah, you can find the owner in Daytona in a few weeks, maybe he will get served!)
Didn't DJ win the 500? Whoops?
Looks like the space is to become
Cooper's HawkQuoteEarlier this year, right around the time that Whisky River closed abruptly, Dee casually asked his broker if he knew of any availabilities in the area. The broker — Marc Offit, CEO of Sierra U.S. Realty in Chicago — had represented REI in its lease in the Markets.
"He leaned back and reached out on his desk and pulled out the site plan [for the Whiskey River site]" said Dee, "and said, 'This is available right now. Do you want it?'"
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/morning-edition/2014/05/exclusive-behind-the-scenes-of-the-coopers-hawk.html
https://coopershawkwinery.com/
Cooper's Hawk will bring an alternative to Ovinte, which is right across the street.
That could go either way, admittedly.
We have a Coopers Hawk across the parking lot from our office in Tampa. I am not impressed.
Quote from: blizz01 on May 30, 2014, 03:34:47 PM
Looks like the space is to become Cooper's Hawk
QuoteEarlier this year, right around the time that Whisky River closed abruptly, Dee casually asked his broker if he knew of any availabilities in the area. The broker — Marc Offit, CEO of Sierra U.S. Realty in Chicago — had represented REI in its lease in the Markets.
"He leaned back and reached out on his desk and pulled out the site plan [for the Whiskey River site]" said Dee, "and said, 'This is available right now. Do you want it?'"
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/morning-edition/2014/05/exclusive-behind-the-scenes-of-the-coopers-hawk.html
https://coopershawkwinery.com/
Simms,
Take a look at that story about how they closed the deal so fast and let me know what you think.
Quote from: tufsu1 on May 30, 2014, 07:48:17 PM
We have a Coopers Hawk across the parking lot from our office in Tampa. I am not impressed.
I am beginning to worry about market saturation now. How many "upscale" places do they think they can cram into that area? The over $20 per entree market is filling up fast.
Yeah, everyone is doing above average sales per sq ft., but that won't last if everyone keeps crowding in and saturating. Someone is going to lose.
^SJTC is a shopping Disney World. It just keeps on rockin'. Looking at it now, I wish that central area with the small grassy park and the bridge was much larger. Could be a great presentation and entertainment area.