Mellow Mushroom Avondale meets the Parking Requirement

[Captain Zissou]

Why is the Brick and Bluefish so afraid of Mellow Mushroom? For the most part it's a pizza place, is it the bar that has the other Avondale restaurants up in arms. Mtrain you say you want the MM but some how I really can't believe you do?

I really do want MM, but put yourself in the shoes of the other restaurants. Why should they give MM a competitive advantage of a newer look, newer design, when they had to work within the spaces they had to begin with at their addresses? The newest kid on the block, Mojo's, is already taking business away from each, no matter what they say, and the belief with the restaurants is that Mojo lied about their original design and built something bigger than the original plans. They did take 2 physical shops (3 if you count that one was already 2 shops combined) and consolidate into 1 space.

Think about if you had an established business, played by the rules, and someone on the block had the desire to trump you with new plans for a new design and new neon and new items that you could not have because you played by the rules, you'd be apprehensive as well. Blame Rap, blame WLA, blame me, but the fact that MM wants to do something new, is the driving factor here. Maybe a 7-11 would have been a better deal for that corner? Still might be.....

Again, nothing says MM cannot live within the space at 'town/Benham's right now. They could do as all the other restaurants have done and work within their existing space, or continue down this path and hope for a compromise. I want MM, I still think it will happen, just a question of when.

I agree with Pinky and I would take it further to say that this is worse than the Bostech rants of old.  This is the most moronic grouping of letters I have ever seen a poster try to submit as logical thought in my entire life.  This represents the arrogance and the laziness of WLA. They think they can serve up unfounded, unclever, and just plain idiotic lies and nobody will try to stop them.  You do realize what you're advocating is socialism, right?

The fact that you actually said that being newer is a competitive advantage shows your ignorance.  What restaurant has won awards for simply being new?  Being new gets you nowhere, but having a quality product does.  If Mellow offers a superior product to the Brick, that is the Brick's fault, not MM.  If the Brick is scared that Mellow will have a better product, they should step up their game.  There is nothing preventing them from improving except for their own laziness.  Improving their product would actually be easier than engaging in this legal he said she said BS. 

[thelakelander]

I find it funny that these guys are afraid of a pizza restaurant.  Has the product served dropped that low that they don't have confidence in their own abilities?

[acme54321]

The Brick must know they are over rated.  Now they are scared to death. 

[If_I_Loved_you]

Why is the Brick and Bluefish so afraid of Mellow Mushroom? For the most part it's a pizza place, is it the bar that has the other Avondale restaurants up in arms. Mtrain you say you want the MM but some how I really can't believe you do?

I really do want MM, but put yourself in the shoes of the other restaurants. Why should they give MM a competitive advantage of a newer look, newer design, when they had to work within the spaces they had to begin with at their addresses? The newest kid on the block, Mojo's, is already taking business away from each, no matter what they say, and the belief with the restaurants is that Mojo lied about their original design and built something bigger than the original plans. They did take 2 physical shops (3 if you count that one was already 2 shops combined) and consolidate into 1 space.

Think about if you had an established business, played by the rules, and someone on the block had the desire to trump you with new plans for a new design and new neon and new items that you could not have because you played by the rules, you'd be apprehensive as well. Blame Rap, blame WLA, blame me, but the fact that MM wants to do something new, is the driving factor here. Maybe a 7-11 would have been a better deal for that corner? Still might be.....

Again, nothing says MM cannot live within the space at 'town/Benham's right now. They could do as all the other restaurants have done and work within their existing space, or continue down this path and hope for a compromise. I want MM, I still think it will happen, just a question of when.

Are you telling me if bluefish wanted to change his front facade he couldn't. I don't buy this for a second and why didn't someone else buy the old gas station, to me this would have been a No Brainer. And just because you have an established business doesn't give you the right to be a BULLY! And playing by the rules is this what Avondale is doing give me a break. If Mellow Mushroom gets to build what it wants the owner is going to have to make a lot of money to keep himself afloat. Avondale is a lot like the City of Jacksonville you can't call both sides of the coin?

[Captain Zissou]

BTW- The "Support the 'Shroom" page has gained over 1000 likes in the past few hours today.  They haven't slandered anybody, they haven't spread any lies, they just asked for support and the community has given it to them in overwhelming numbers. 

[Pinky]

I find it funny that these guys are afraid of a pizza restaurant.  Has the product served dropped that low that they don't have confidence in their own abilities?

See that's where I get the most confused...  The Brick turns out a good meal.  It's a nice place, with a good wine list, good servers and a decent vibe.  It's completely different than a pizza place.  Same goes for Bluefin.  Good solid place, nothing like a pizzeria.  Biscottis has amazing deserts, and while I'm not a huge fan of their food, I know many people who find it excellent.  The Fox is a Jacksonville institution which, in spite of it's annoying owner, turns out a decent breakfast.  None of them are anything like Mellow Mushroom, nor is Mellow anything like them, and that's why I'm so baffled as to why they're so clearly freaked-out by Mellow coming to the hood.  It just makes no sense to me.  The folks who are going to grab a pizza or watch a football game at Mellow would not have been going to The Brick, or Bluefish, or Mojo or The Fox..  The folks who want to listen to a jazz combo, have a steak and a few bottles of wine at the Brick or Bluefish are not going to go over to Mellow instead for pizza and Tom Petty. 

It's weird. 

[mtraininjax]

Call the issue what you want, the fact that MM wants to build a new pyramid with racing stripes is what is the real issue here. Jump up and down, scream life is not fair, cause we know its not. Really?

Again, those opposed are opposed to the design that MM is trying to push down onto the community. They can always go back and open up in the 6000 square feet they have in the 'town/benham space and move forward. I like the new designs, but I think there is no way they can get them approved, not now.

Put yourself in the MM shoes, how long can you afford to wait? You have an $800,000 non performing asset that costs taxes, maintenance and is bringing in no money. How long would you wait?

[acme54321]

So how would that change the non performing asset situation?  They would still have an abandoned gas station next door.  Do you suggest that they let people continue to park there for free?  I'd rather see them fence it off and leave it the abandoned eyesore that it is to piss RAP and WLA off.

[Pinky]

Call the issue what you want, the fact that MM wants to build a new pyramid with racing stripes is what is the real issue here. Jump up and down, scream life is not fair, cause we know its not. Really?

Again, those opposed are opposed to the design that MM is trying to push down onto the community. They can always go back and open up in the 6000 square feet they have in the 'town/benham space and move forward. I like the new designs, but I think there is no way they can get them approved, not now.

Put yourself in the MM shoes, how long can you afford to wait? You have an $800,000 non performing asset that costs taxes, maintenance and is bringing in no money. How long would you wait?

Dude, seriously?  "A pyramid with racing stripes"??  Seriously?

"The design MM is trying to push down onto the community"?!??  It's a design the community pushed down onto Mellow Mushroom!! 

You say some wacky stuff Bro. 

[Pinky]

So how would that change the non performing asset situation?  They would still have an abandoned gas station next door.  Do you suggest that they let people continue to park there for free?  I'd rather see them fence it off and leave it the abandoned eyesore that it is to piss RAP and WLA off.

I'd prefer a combination Adult Novelty/Smokers Supply store, or as a good friend of mine called it, "Dongs and Bongs". 

[thelakelander]

Here's the latest Mellow Mushroom design.  It appears they are trying to make the facade the same general scale of the properties surrounding it.

[If_I_Loved_you]

Call the issue what you want, the fact that MM wants to build a new pyramid with racing stripes is what is the real issue here. Jump up and down, scream life is not fair, cause we know its not. Really?

Again, those opposed are opposed to the design that MM is trying to push down onto the community. They can always go back and open up in the 6000 square feet they have in the 'town/benham space and move forward. I like the new designs, but I think there is no way they can get them approved, not now.

Put yourself in the MM shoes, how long can you afford to wait? You have an $800,000 non performing asset that costs taxes, maintenance and is bringing in no money. How long would you wait?

Life isn't fair sometimes that's why God made Lawyers!

[Pinky]

Here's the latest Mellow Mushroom design.  It appears they are trying to make the facade the same general scale of the properties surrounding it.

Looks exactly like the rest of Avondale if you ask me...  Matter of fact, given that the Mellow boys are so clever, I'd be willing to wager that they researched the appearance of the original building that occupied the gas station property before 1950 and designed the new structure to mimic it...

Just a hunch of course...

[mtraininjax]

Life isn't fair sometimes that's why God made Lawyers!

And Bankers, all those credit default swaps, they got paid already for bad risks which they made and insured themselves on default. Now the greedy bastards are holding onto properties trying to get top dollar, gravy, on foreclosures, while neighborhoods deteriorate. Bankers are worse than lawyers.

The 'town/Benham storefront is fine for MM, but when you add a storefront in and around the garage, that is new and that is an issue with many in the shops area. It does not matter if you create a lovely facade of bricks and mortar, its still new and it smacks in the area of a Mojo expansion.

I've yet to have anyone argue, successfully, why MM cannot survive in the 6000 square feet of space they have now with the building at 'town/Benhams? That square footage is in line with what MM considers for their franchises.

[If_I_Loved_you]

Life isn't fair sometimes that's why God made Lawyers!

And Bankers, all those credit default swaps, they got paid already for bad risks which they made and insured themselves on default. Now the greedy bastards are holding onto properties trying to get top dollar, gravy, on foreclosures, while neighborhoods deteriorate. Bankers are worse than lawyers.

The 'town/Benham storefront is fine for MM, but when you add a storefront in and around the garage, that is new and that is an issue with many in the shops area. It does not matter if you create a lovely facade of bricks and mortar, its still new and it smacks in the area of a Mojo expansion.

I've yet to have anyone argue, successfully, why MM cannot survive in the 6000 square feet of space they have now with the building at 'town/Benhams? That square footage is in line with what MM considers for their franchises.

No one has to argue why MM could or couldn't survive in the 6000 square foot space, that's life. I haven't heard much about what went on during the Jacksonville Historical Preservation Commission meeting I was busy. Did MM win this round?