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Author Topic: Swim Two Birds - Where We're At  (Read 7658 times)

Offline MinorIon

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #30 on: November 19, 2016, 07:28:48 AM »
The owners were so obnoxious here and elsewhere that I never would've patronized their restaurant. But I still hope they succeed.
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Offline Palermo

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #31 on: November 19, 2016, 08:43:38 AM »
Quote from: sl on November 16, 2016, 07:25:19 AM
I guess it's very difficult to open a non ethnic restaurant in JH

Does a Colombian consider a restaurant that serves Colombian food ethnic?
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Offline dssjh

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #32 on: November 19, 2016, 07:03:43 PM »
in Colombia, Colombian food is just called "food."

Quote from: Palermo on November 19, 2016, 08:43:38 AM
Quote from: sl on November 16, 2016, 07:25:19 AM
I guess it's very difficult to open a non ethnic restaurant in JH

Does a Colombian consider a restaurant that serves Colombian food ethnic?
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Offline Jeffsayyes

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #33 on: November 20, 2016, 05:41:52 AM »
How about something not ethnic? Like a nice Italian restaurant!
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Offline Palermo

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #34 on: November 22, 2016, 07:32:29 AM »
Quote from: Jeffsayyes on November 20, 2016, 05:41:52 AM
How about something not ethnic? Like a nice Italian restaurant!

Oh that's gonna cause some headaches for the boys down at the Bureau of Urban Restaurant Placement.  The Anti-European Food Mafia will fight pretty hard on that.  Just to get Sac's in, we had to trade away Due Fratelli and a 2nd Round draft pick.  I know the DOJ is looking into RICO charges against landlords willing to give up extra money by offering discounts to 99 cent stores and ethnic eateries just to make sure European foods don't get in, but I don't know how far they will get with it.
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Offline jeanette

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #35 on: November 22, 2016, 09:22:11 AM »
Palermo, sarcasm aside: "...DOJ is looking into RICO charges against landlords willing to give up extra money by offering discounts to 99 cent stores"

just what possible other explanation would there be for the long-term existence of these relatively huge stores in an area with sky-high rents? 

I'm open to hearing some other explanations.

The newest 99+ shop that replaced Italian Farms has to be premium rent. It's literally stocked with junk. I looked and couldn't find anything worth purchasing.
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Offline dssjh

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #36 on: November 22, 2016, 12:05:45 PM »
"couldn't find anything worth purchasing."

you know, i bet a recent immigrant from Nepal/Honduras/Mongolia living on a fixed income could say the same about Lockwood or Pauglina.
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Offline Benoit

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #37 on: November 22, 2016, 02:37:08 PM »
I'm not from any of those places and I can still say the the same about Lockwood and Paulina.
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Offline CaptainFlannel

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #38 on: November 22, 2016, 04:54:36 PM »
When I first got out of school and had my first post-college job, with no financial support from my folks, shopping at the 99 cent  store kept me afloat. Heck, I still have some of those cooking utensils. Don't knock the 99 cent store and the people who need to shop there.
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Offline lalochezia

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #39 on: November 22, 2016, 06:54:30 PM »
Everyone agrees that 99c stores, nail salons and pharmacies are important and serve needs.

I think the problem here (by here I mean on this board) is people simply don't understand the basic financial viability of a 99c store on every other block,  a nail store on every other block, and a pharmacy on every other block, when so many other stores - which have a natural constituency in JH -  cannot get a foothold AT ALL because of high rents or some other reason.
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Offline jeanette

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #40 on: November 22, 2016, 08:07:21 PM »
Quote from: lalochezia on November 22, 2016, 06:54:30 PM
people simply don't understand the basic financial viability of a 99c store on every other block,  a nail store on every other block, and a pharmacy on every other block

A few folks, kind people surely, are in denial.

Btw, I am on a fixed income. I do shop at the 99 cents+ stores. The discussion is how do they survive, not who hates whom. Can we stay on subject?

In their defense, nail salons likely pay their own way. Their price point is relatively high and turnover is generally good. Plus the business model may be independent contractors paying to have a chair and/or splitting income.
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Offline jeanette

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #41 on: November 22, 2016, 08:35:29 PM »
Quote from: dssjh on November 22, 2016, 12:05:45 PM
i bet a recent immigrant from Nepal/Honduras/Mongolia living on a fixed income could say the same about Lockwood or Pauglina.

I give the N-H-Ms among us more credit than you. They don't want that junk either.

I can float one idea that may explain their ability to survive, and that is one of big business owning or somehow controlling a group of stores, similar to the street vending carts model. That would also explain the new stores popping up everywhere as a new enterprise-new investment-promise of jobs, and may extend tax breaks or affect loan terms.

I don't know, I'm just conjecturing.
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Offline Jeffsayyes

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #42 on: November 22, 2016, 11:16:16 PM »
Not sure I should give away my newest best kept secret BUT the 99 cents stores sometimes stock incandescent bulbs. This is an amazing revelation for people like me who get headaches from LEDs. They usually say "Not for sale in USA" haha.
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Offline CaptainFlannel

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #43 on: November 23, 2016, 08:21:21 AM »
Quote from: lalochezia on November 22, 2016, 06:54:30 PM
Everyone agrees that 99c stores, nail salons and pharmacies are important and serve needs.

I really have a hard time believing the person who said he/she couldn't find anything worth buying in a 99 cent store agrees that they are important and serve needs.
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Offline queenskid2

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Re: Swim Two Birds, the final chapter?
« Reply #44 on: November 23, 2016, 10:06:50 AM »
Is there any proof that landlords favor so-called "ethnic" restaurants over so-called "euro" eateries?  In my experience, landlords only favor those who can pay the most rent.  Part of Swim Two Birds problem was the application for a liquor license.  Also, the owners had a less than cordial relationship with the local Community Board which has to sign off on such a permit.  More importantly, if it's the landlord's fault then how come Swim Two Birds was able to sign a lease?  Where's the bias?

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