Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
Serious question, but how do you know? For a lot of customers, if its difficult to find parking they will go somewhere else.
But I agree, we're going to see a lot more of these stories and its really going to accelerate at the start of next year.
I know when I go downtown for meetings, its a ghost town compared to what it used to be.
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I would argue that if a downtown restaurant hinges on people finding parking in the same block then it must not be a very good restaurant. Especially given that tens of thousands of people work in the vicinity within walking distance. State and Main isn't closing it's doors. Neither is Masters. Neither is The Black Cat. Neither are any of the many restaurants on Stephen Avenue where there has never been a big focus on parking.
I don't disagree that we will see more high end restaurants closing their doors in the near future. But to insist that bike lanes have anything to do with it is simply a lazy excuse to get a dig in at said bike lanes.
IMO the biggest reason high end restaurants are going to shut their doors is they don't have the corporate money to pay for all the customer's high priced meals. Escoba's owner referencing a 45% drop in sales due to the downturn? That seems like a no brainer. Referencing the increase in property taxes on top of that? Absolutely. The proposal to increase minimum wage on top of that? It's a stretch, but absolutely.
But bike lanes? Give your head a shake