Il Desco Closed; Effective Immediately

[BenderRodriguez]

http://jacksonville.com/business/food-and-dining/2018-01-22/italian-restaurant-abruptly-closes-jacksonville-s-riverside?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=TheFloridaTimesUnion-SND

Seems they're having a hard time keeping places open...

[acme54321]

What's the over/under on Cowford?

[copperfiend]

Went there twice and it just wasn't that good.

[BenderRodriguez]

What's the over/under on Cowford?

I've got my ticket right at 2 years. Seems to be the sweet spot.

[RiversideRambler]

Went there twice and it just wasn't that good.

Il Desco or Cowford? Il Desco never fit the neighborhood and the food didn't live up to the price point either. I never had a great meal there but it's a shame to see any place close. Very interested to see what takes its place.

[JaxAvondale]

Went there twice and it just wasn't that good.

Il Desco or Cowford? Il Desco never fit the neighborhood and the food didn't live up to the price point either. I never had a great meal there but it's a shame to see any place close. Very interested to see what takes its place.

Agreed!

[remc86007]

It definitely didn't fit the neighborhood. I had some great meals there and some average meals. The prices definitely didn't help things. I wonder why they didn't try moving down market a little?

[MusicMan]

Been a handful of closings lately including this one and Hob Nob.  A handful of openings including River and Post and Cowford.

Riverside Avondale hipsters can only keep so many places open.  The average income per person there cannot top $30,000 can it?

[copperfiend]

Went there twice and it just wasn't that good.

Il Desco or Cowford? Il Desco never fit the neighborhood and the food didn't live up to the price point either. I never had a great meal there but it's a shame to see any place close. Very interested to see what takes its place.

Il Desco. Last time my wife and I went there was for lunch last summer on a Sunday and it was nearly empty.

We live in the area and love to support locally owned businesses but we just never had a good meal there.

[ben says]

I think they failed because the food sucked. Period.

[riverside_mail]

No surprise here. I took my wife here once for dinner and we found it noisy (no soft surfaces to absorb the noise) and pretentious. The food was not as good as what they were aiming for.

[acme54321]

Riverside Avondale hipsters can only keep so many places open.  The average income per person there cannot top $30,000 can it?

Are we talking about the same neighborhoods?

The only way anyone making $30k can afford to live in Riverside or Avondale would be to have 4 roommates.

[MusicMan]

Just drive through it.  It's pretty obvious.  There are still LOTS of slumlords making bank throughout Riverside....  I know several.

Look for multiple cars parked on the lawn or easement....  At night. 
People will pay a larger portion of their income to live in the trendy neighborhood.

Of course there are also cute flips where people paid several hundred thousand dollars as well.  Saw one on Myra that sold for $450,000...


$30,000 a year is $600 per week.  Two people paying $1100 for a 2 bedroom duplex will pay around $600-700 apiece for rent plus utilities.

Agree, Avondale not so much.

However budgeting this much for rent does not leave a lot of room for moderately expensive dining out. You'll find Burger King, and many other less expensive choices on King Street doing just fine.

[remc86007]

^I think that was part of the problem with Il Desco, many people that have the money to patronize such a place wouldn't necessarily drive down King St frequently enough to keep it in the forefront of their mind. It might have done better on St. Johns Ave but the rent would definitely have been higher...or do they own the building? If the latter, what do you think they'll try next?

[MusicMan]

I am near certain they do not own it. I helped Pele's get their lease several years back.....

However he does own some cool old industrial stuff across from Unity Plaza that is undergoing serious work and being converted into a bar and distillery.