Sbraga & Co Closes Abruptly

[sean]

Hmm... what a crappy way to let your employees & vendors know!


http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/07/18/220-riversides-sbraga-company-abruptly-closes.html?ana=e_jac_bn_breakingnews&u=tVR3HgRXhV5dp%2FXF%2FTB1Ew054a8ad2&t=1468855521&j=74942372


Maybe the fix was in from the get go?

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2015/08/25/restauranteur-behind-sbraga-co-gets-hit-with.html

[FlaBoy]

 

[camarocane]

Can't say I'm surprised. Every time I was over there, that place was dead. 

[thelakelander]

Dinner business had been running smoothly, the employee said. The restaurant had, however, quietly closed its lunch business earlier in the year due to low foot traffic in Unity Plaza.

Low lunch foot traffic would be a result of not enough density in the immediate vicinity. That's pretty much the opposite of lunch traffic in the Northbank, where buildings are surrounded with other buildings and people (at least during office hours) as opposed to six lane streets, vacant lots and large surface parking lots.  If we don't screw up Brooklyn's redevelopment by making it too autocentric at the pedestrian level, this issue should resolve itself as the area redensifies.

[BoldCityRealist]

Dinner business had been running smoothly, the employee said. The restaurant had, however, quietly closed its lunch business earlier in the year due to low foot traffic in Unity Plaza.

Low lunch foot traffic would be a result of not enough density in the immediate vicinity. That's pretty much the opposite of lunch traffic in the Northbank, where buildings are surrounded with other buildings and people (at least during office hours) as opposed to six lane streets, vacant lots and large surface parking lots.  If we don't screw up Brooklyn's redevelopment by making it too autocentric at the pedestrian level, this issue should resolve itself as the area redensifies.

Every time I go for a run or bike ride on Riverside Ave I am totally flabbergasted that there's this ridiculously absurd six lane road ripping through Brooklyn. Terrible. Hopefully whatever is built back up on those empty lots is urban and not like the Fresh Market or Gate Station, i.e. suburban style developments.

[UNFurbanist]

WTF? This was quick. I didn't even get to try it yet. Tough blow to the redevelopment of Brooklyn :/ But totally agree that this is a horrible way to let employees know.

[Tacachale]

Dinner business had been running smoothly, the employee said. The restaurant had, however, quietly closed its lunch business earlier in the year due to low foot traffic in Unity Plaza.

Low lunch foot traffic would be a result of not enough density in the immediate vicinity. That's pretty much the opposite of lunch traffic in the Northbank, where buildings are surrounded with other buildings and people (at least during office hours) as opposed to six lane streets, vacant lots and large surface parking lots.  If we don't screw up Brooklyn's redevelopment by making it too autocentric at the pedestrian level, this issue should resolve itself as the area redensifies.

The lunch business isn't suffering in other parts of Brooklyn which have the same density and foot traffic. There's something else going on here.

[Steve]

I don't know that traffic near there is as much of an issue as:

- Visibility; they two back places have a tough time. Brixx on the other hand is visible from Riverside. This combined with....
- Style of Place: They focused on small plates, which can work (just ask 13 Gypsies), but truthfully while the food was good, I wasn't dying to get back there. I can't really put my finger on it, but while I love dining out and live in the area, I never was overwhelmed with this place, which I feel like you have to be to go to a place at this price point.

[Steve]

Dinner business had been running smoothly, the employee said. The restaurant had, however, quietly closed its lunch business earlier in the year due to low foot traffic in Unity Plaza.

Low lunch foot traffic would be a result of not enough density in the immediate vicinity. That's pretty much the opposite of lunch traffic in the Northbank, where buildings are surrounded with other buildings and people (at least during office hours) as opposed to six lane streets, vacant lots and large surface parking lots.  If we don't screw up Brooklyn's redevelopment by making it too autocentric at the pedestrian level, this issue should resolve itself as the area redensifies.

The lunch business isn't suffering in other parts of Brooklyn which have the same density and foot traffic. There's something else going on here.

It doesn't help, but agreed - the lower end places do just fine over there.

[camarocane]

Dinner business had been running smoothly, the employee said. The restaurant had, however, quietly closed its lunch business earlier in the year due to low foot traffic in Unity Plaza.

Low lunch foot traffic would be a result of not enough density in the immediate vicinity. That's pretty much the opposite of lunch traffic in the Northbank, where buildings are surrounded with other buildings and people (at least during office hours) as opposed to six lane streets, vacant lots and large surface parking lots.  If we don't screw up Brooklyn's redevelopment by making it too autocentric at the pedestrian level, this issue should resolve itself as the area redensifies.

The lunch business isn't suffering in other parts of Brooklyn which have the same density and foot traffic. There's something else going on here.

"The upscale southern restaurant has been open for less than a year, opening its doors last November. It was Sbraga's first restaurant outside of Philadelphia, and it wasn't the first closure for the Top Chef winner. A restaurant that he had opened in Philadelphia after Sbraga and the Fat Ham, Juniper Commons, closed after six months in late May of last year."

You may be correct.

[thelakelander]

Dinner business had been running smoothly, the employee said. The restaurant had, however, quietly closed its lunch business earlier in the year due to low foot traffic in Unity Plaza.

Low lunch foot traffic would be a result of not enough density in the immediate vicinity. That's pretty much the opposite of lunch traffic in the Northbank, where buildings are surrounded with other buildings and people (at least during office hours) as opposed to six lane streets, vacant lots and large surface parking lots.  If we don't screw up Brooklyn's redevelopment by making it too autocentric at the pedestrian level, this issue should resolve itself as the area redensifies.

The lunch business isn't suffering in other parts of Brooklyn which have the same density and foot traffic. There's something else going on here.

For what it's worth, other than Hobnob, you can see the rest from the street pretty easily. So visibility is another element to consider.

[Jagsdrew]

Can't say I'm surprised. Every time I was over there, that place was dead.

I went there this past Friday night for a birthday dinner and I said to myself, "this place is dead tonight".  It was about 50% occupied with patrons.

I think it suffered from a few things, low visibility, density and proper street parking.

[ben says]

1. They've known they were closing for at least 3 weeks (I knew about this almost a month ago). Surprised nobody else knew, as it was sort of a 'known secret' amongst the industry and the neighborhood.

2. It'll be reopening under a new name/new menu. Spraga himself is out.

[Josh]

So much for beating Orsay.

[Sentient]

1. They've known they were closing for at least 3 weeks (I knew about this almost a month ago). Surprised nobody else knew, as it was sort of a 'known secret' amongst the industry and the neighborhood.

2. It'll be reopening under a new name/new menu. Spraga himself is out.