OT - Smylie Brothers Closed
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Smylie Brothers Brewing Co - Evanston, IL
Specialties: We offer skillfully crafted, in-house brews which exemplify and experiment with classic styles; alongside Texas inspired BBQ, wood-fired pizza, and regional American cuisine. Established in 2014. Smylie Brothers Brewing Company is a craft brewery and smokehouse born out of years of...
While I am no expert in the hospitality business, I think the biggest - almost unsurmountable - problem for almost all "we brew our own beer here" pubs is that they want to be in a place where people can stroll in after, say, a day downtown or at "the" big mall just outside town. They compete with places/chains like the Hard Rock Café and Cheesecake Factory for drop in guests so they want prime real estate.
But then half of this real estate, which will almost certainly be expensive, is taken up by the brewery operation. They end up paying downtown real estate rates to produce a product that really should be manufactured 100 miles out of town where things are cheaper and then trucked in. And they can't charge 50 dollars for a burger to make up for the lost tables and bar stools taken up by the Vats of beer. Hate to be crass but why do you think so many bars and pubs have tiny bathrooms? To leave more space for tables and the kitchen.
Just look at the size of the place that closed in Evanston and the non-revenue generating area. Granted this was apparently taken during off-hours clean up but you can see the big manufacturing in the back and clearly even when arranged it doesn't look like a place that is designed to hold a ton of diners and drinkers at the same time.
I have always thought that would be a problem for this type of place.
Plus I have never been in a brewery-pub that wasn't a bit too damp and cold. I always thought they had to keep it that way to make the beer, who knows?
Add Covid issues on top and people not going out less nowadays - not good!
But again, it's not my area, maybe someone with more expertise will chime in.
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Warehouse in Manhattan, Kansas - no cost issue. Warehouse in Manhattan, NY - cost issue. Call in "Bar Rescue".
Love that show with all the manufactured drama and the Come to Jesus moment that happens about halfway in.
My reality TV nirvana is Chip and Joanna opening a Hooters with the Kardashian girls in Waco, having it tank, and then bringing in Bar Rescue to sort through all the “issues.”
One thing Tapper wouldn't have to do is redecorate. Might have to put some clothes on the waitresses, however.
Very astute analysis. Thanks.'Smylie Brothers Brewing Co - Evanston, IL
Specialties: We offer skillfully crafted, in-house brews which exemplify and experiment with classic styles; alongside Texas inspired BBQ, wood-fired pizza, and regional American cuisine. Established in 2014. Smylie Brothers Brewing Company is a craft brewery and smokehouse born out of years of...www.yelp.com
While I am no expert in the hospitality business, I think the biggest - almost unsurmountable - problem for almost all "we brew our own beer here" pubs is that they want to be in a place where people can stroll in after, say, a day downtown or at "the" big mall just outside town. They compete with places/chains like the Hard Rock Café and Cheesecake Factory for drop in guests so they want prime real estate.
But then half of this real estate, which will almost certainly be expensive, is taken up by the brewery operation. They end up paying downtown real estate rates to produce a product that really should be manufactured 100 miles out of town where things are cheaper and then trucked in. And they can't charge 50 dollars for a burger to make up for the lost tables and bar stools taken up by the Vats of beer. Hate to be crass but why do you think so many bars and pubs have tiny bathrooms? To leave more space for tables and the kitchen.
Just look at the size of the place that closed in Evanston and the non-revenue generating area. Granted this was apparently taken during off-hours clean up but you can see the big manufacturing in the back and clearly even when arranged it doesn't look like a place that is designed to hold a ton of diners and drinkers at the same time.
I have always thought that would be a problem for this type of place.
Plus I have never been in a brewery-pub that wasn't a bit too damp and cold. I always thought they had to keep it that way to make the beer, who knows?
Add Covid issues on top and people not going out less nowadays - not good!
But again, it's not my area, maybe someone with more expertise will chime in.
Supporting the hypothesis are comparing two such brew places in my community. The one is downtown with all the brewery equipment on site. The other is in midtown (also high priced real estate, even though less than that downtown) but they chose to separate the eatery from the brewery which is located in some low rent district.
Both are successful but clearly the one in midtown is more successful. Always a long waiting line to get in for the later although the downtown competitor does keep busy during the tourist season. Biggest difference though is the pricing. A Pizza at the midtown location is two third's the price of one offered at the downtown brewery/eating establishment where higher prices are needed to pay the higher "rent"/taxes since I assume both are owned by their proprietors.
By the way, if you ever make it to Anchorage I definitely recommend the midtown one know as "Moose's Tooth," Now that I think of it, maybe I should order some Pizzas from the location on game day to bolster the Moose Karma. (IMHO their Wild Mushroom Pizza and home crafted root beer are the best in the U.S.)
(The downtown competitor is known as the Glacier Brewhouse. There are also two other "also rans" which are less prominent, The 49 State Brewing [also downtown] and Matanuska Brewing Midtown.")
If I am in Alaska I think I will be getting in touch with a certain someone before hand for the most up to date places and seeing if a few drinks can be worked out. Some guy I know from the internet.
Thanks Alaska!
🍺 🍺
Thanks Alaska!
🍺 🍺
I enjoy that Tapper is able to squeeze in 12 sponsors/partners/providers/whatever in his three minute reveal. “We’ve renamed your Savannah sports bar Willie’s Ghost Palace, and look at the new logo designed by Swamp Graphixx.”
The local contractors/small biz that they use are just wonderful.
Tapper is angry as effff, but I prefer when my wife watches him to when she watches some murder show (it was the spouse? and things weren’t what they seemed? Wow! I wonder what their former neighbor thinks). Always need to lower the volume when Tapper is on.
Barbecue joints should be barbecue joints. No pizzas. Smoked meat tacos are acceptable.
