Where to Locate?

When one opens their own business, there really are two questions to ask: what and where?

Over the last three years in deciding to open restaurant, the question was never so much what, but more so where? In building one independent restaurant, or many concepts, I want to be in good company. I want to open where people want unique and original, not uniform and cookie cutter. Indianapolis is not exactly known as being fertile ground for independent restaurants, and has more than its fair share of chains.

So my wife and I sat down to discuss where we might like to move, that would be an ideal launching point for the Barrelhouse concept. A few cities I like that she dismissed almost instantly for various reasons - Portland, Austin, Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Denver.

But, there were so fantastic finalists in the discussion -Chicago, Charlotte, Louisville, Columbus, Charleston, Savannah, Pittsburgh. All unique in their own right and desirable for entrepreneurs and aspiring restaurateurs. All could be considered restaurant towns and have great support for local business. All could potentially be home to a Barrelhouse concept.

But, my thinking kept bringing me back to Indianapolis. Sure, there are A LOT of chains here. And, to be honest, there is not a lot of support or encouragement for local business as other cities have. (Louisville, Columbus, Charlotte for example). Also, there are some great local restaurants in Indianapolis, and some fabulous restaurateurs such as Craig Huse, Scott Wise, Neal Brown, Martha Hoover, Brad Cohen, Hal Yeagy, and others I am leaving out.

My thought is, that together with these other great visionaries, Indianapolis can be a great restaurant town. First, we need great restaurants and great leaders. Second, we need a strong campaign supporting and promoting local business.

Independent restaurants should feed off of each other, not compete. The real competition that threatens our existence are chains and lack of education for our citizens who spend their money in the community.

For this reason, I am choosing to stay here to launch my first restaurant. I challenge all takers to try us our when we open, as well as to try someplace local that you've never been. I recommend this blog - http://indyrestaurantscene.blogspot.com -as a guide if your curious of local dining destinations.

Till next sign,

Ryan

Thoughts on Restaurant.com

As a Consumer:

WOW! This has to be the best deal of all time. I paid $3 for a $25 gift certificate from Mo's Irish Pub last week. Essentially, I am receiving $22 free from this restaurant and I can print the coupon from my personal computer, saving me a trip out to make the purchase.

The offers vary according to the stipulations of hundreds of restaurants to choose from including time and day restrictions, and minimum purchases. But the idea is the same: huge discounts!

From sports bar Blue Crew to upscale-casual Mudsocks Grill in Noblesville to Peterson's steakhouse, I will never have to pay full price again.

As a an Owner:

In regards to restaurant.com, all I have is questions.

I think the point is to get patrons in the door, but how on earth do I make money? I understand the idea of more volume, but are my food costs shot to hell? Who benefits in this relationship: my establishment or restaurant.com? Am I not better off offering these promotions independently? Is there any kind of kickback for my restaurant?


As a consumer, I feel no shame in taking advantage of deals this good. As a potential restaurateur, I see no benefit in partnering with an outside agency to offer promotions and discounts that I myself can offer. I think this may be good for chains and, forgive me as I do not mean to judge, lower end restaurants.

But, seeing Mudsocks and Peterson's - as only two examples - offering these discounts makes me think two things: they are either hurting tremendously for business or maybe they do not deserve the reputation of a top independent restaurant in our city.

If I am off base, please enlighten me. I feel the strength of a great independent restaurant is the business it generates through word of mouth, grass roots, and social media promotion.

A couple of places that do a great job of this are Scotty's Brewhouse and St. Elmos. While both have established themselves as Central Indiana's own and have brand power, both Scott Wise and Craig Huse use minimal adverting, are current on social media (facebook, twitter), and use in-house promotions, if any, to their advantage.

Owners and Consumers:

I would love to get some feedback regarding restaurant.com and other promotional vehicles for your restaurants, as well as how they have worked or not worked.


Till next Sign,

Ryan

Jimmy V Week

One of my favorite events during college basketball season returns tomorrow in Jimmy V Week. The week long initiative to help raise cancer awareness runs December 3-9 and culminates with a doubleheader of great college basketball in Madison Square Garden, New York City.

It doesn't hurt that this year the event features two local teams as Butler takes on Georgetown and Indiana battles Pittsburgh.

We all have our preference for charities and raising awareness, but this is my personal favorite for various reasons. Jim Valvano-the man and coach. Visibility of the mission. The way funding is collected and distributed. Read more about the Jimmy V Foundation.

www.jimmyv.org

This morning ESPN featured a story on Jake Olson, a young boy who suffered from cancer of the eye since the age of one. His dream was to see the USC football team in person. Coach Pete Carroll invited him in and he essentially became an honorary captain of the team.

The story was very real and very moving. The kind of story to make you tear up before you know how it ends, because you can probably guess how it ends. The kind of story that makes you stop and think about your own life, what you've done, and where you are going.

These are hard times for a lot of people, especially going into the holiday season. But our situation could be worse. Too often, we take things for granted. Please take a moment and watch the story in the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyHEifZ4IEQ

Ryan

"Don't give up, Don't ever give up."

~Jim Valvano

Why Barrelhouse?

bar·rel·house (brl-hous) n.

1. A disreputable old-time saloon or bawdyhouse.
2. An early style of jazz characterized by boisterous piano playing, free group improvisation, and an accented two-beat rhythm.


This is my first attempt at blogging and hopefully not my last. The purpose is to try and document my struggles and attempt to launch my own restaurant. And hopefully the first restaurant will be the first of many.

I've had a passion for business and entrepreneurship for a long while now. As 2009 comes to a close I figure its time to get off my ass and make dreams come to reality.

A realistic goal is 2011, but there is much work to be done. Many ideas and concepts have been floating in my brain for quite a while. And anyone who knows me knows that I have the attention span of a 5 year old on crack.

So, off we go on this adventure and trying to make Barrelhouse Restaurant Group a reality!

(Can it really be called a restaurant group, if thus far there are zero restaurants and one employee?)

Ryan