OT - Anyone here own a restaurant?

I've worked in my family's bakery, been a short-order cook and
a bartender. What you're proposing sounds fantastic...if it weren't
in Iowa, away from the mountains (75 min. door to door for skiing)
I'd be there post-haste!

Yes, you need the banquet space.

Start with breakfast & lunch OR only lunch & dinner. Once business gets
established, then go for more.

Don Tuite wrote:
Jay needs to schedule a survey flight. In California, I'd recommend
the restaurants at Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Carlos (open
for breakfast and lunch only), and Petaluma. Any others?

The ones at SNS, MYF and CRQ for good food and a good view.

The one at CNO for huge portions of average food.

The one at CMA for good food and so-so view (you can view the ramp but
the runway is a ways away).

-jav

A previous poster said the fly-in crowd isn't enough. True, you'd need
a location with a fair-sized population to support you during the week
when we (pilots) aren't looking for $100 pancakes. IMO, a properly
marketed restaurant with good food & decent portions should do OK at an
airport with a large local population. It might take a bit to get the
word out though, and you'd need to be properly funded for that or risk
folding.


Wooly

Resturant name:

Hawk's Nest Resturant, bar is the Crow's Nest. :-)

Best regards,

Jer/ "Flight instruction and mountain flying are my vocations!"
--
Jer/ (Slash) Eberhard, Mountain Flying Aviation, LTD, Ft Collins, CO
CELL 970 231-6325 EMAIL jeratfrii.com http://users.frii.com/jer/
C-206 N9513G, CFII Airplane&Glider FAA-DEN Aviation Safety Counselor
CAP-CO Mission&Aircraft CheckPilot BM218 HAM N0FZD 235 Young Eagles!

Montblack wrote:
("George Patterson" wrote)
But *your* customer base is mostly from elsewhere and doesn't fit that
profile.


I suspect 83% of his restaurant traffic will be local townsfolk.


I suspect you're either right, or slightly underestimating the
number. There are numerous airport restaurants that I visit in AZ and
the locals usually outnumber the pilots 10 to 1. The big draw for the
locals is the getting to watch the airplanes as they eat.

Some airport restaurants are so popular with the locals that it's
difficult for a visiting pilot to get a table.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

Did you get a chance to eat at 94th Aerosquadron while you were out
here in DC Metro? Sort of a Alexis Inn version of restaurants.

The Monk

Thank you Montblack. Have you ever eatten at 94th Aerosquadron?
There's one in College Park Airport near DC. Great aviation
theme(WWII) restaurant.

The Monk
""There is pleasure when a sore is scratched,
But to be without sores is more pleasurable still.
Just so, there are pleasures in worldly desires,
But to be without desires is more pleasurable still."

"Jay Honeck" wrote

Strangely, no. The only place in town that serves steaks is for sale
right now.

Remember, Iowa City is the "anti-Iowa". Everyone here (thanks to the U of
Iowa) is young, wealthy, and active. Places that serve healthy food
(read: small portions) are plentiful. Places that serve a good slider and
eggs are non-existent.

I personally think that, given that market hole, a restaurant that filled
that niche would be a runaway hit. Especially with the Wal-Mart crowd.
\
There you go! You have just identified one of your major target groups.
Now make sure this fits in with the "travelers and luxury in the hotel"
crowd, and you have it covered.

Family style, perhaps? Big bowls of the mashed potatoes and green beans
passed around? It is popular around here. I know of some in our group of
friends that take a couple of van loads, 50 or 60 miles, up the mountain to
go to a place like that. It has the huge portions and delicious food. It
draws for miles around, and that is part of what you should aim for. It
just might draw for even more "airplane miles," and end up with an overnight
stay in some fleabag hotel, somewhere! grinning, ducking and running
--
Jim in NC

Thank you Montblack. Have you ever eatten at 94th Aerosquadron?
There's one in College Park Airport near DC. Great aviation

I know the standard response is. google it, but does anyone know if
Talichet (sic) still owns the chain?

Our restaurant is just a convenience to our customers as well. Like I said
it is not a big money maker but it is just another nice perk for our
customers.
There is a really nice restaurant at MIE (Vince's if I recall correctly)
that gets more local non-aviation folks as customers than anything else. It
is an upscale dinner restaurant that really seems to work well with lots of
old aviation memorabilia.

I have been going to Vince's off and on for over twenty years. It is
80nm west of KOSU/Don Scott Field, Columbus OH. It has changes hands
more than five times that I know of in this time.
They do a lot of business with the Ball State University students.