Escoba Bistro is Closing Down

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Seriously? You have no idea what someone has or hasn't done to save their business.

We take clients to this restaurant on the regular and are pretty familiar with the situation. This guy has done everything to save his business. Reduced prices, a whole list of specials, cutting the dining room in half at night, all while keeping his senior servers employed. It was a very sad downwards spiral, because it had nothing to do with the food, the service, or his restaurant (all top notch) and this outcome was inevitable.

You might want to keep your moronic opinions to yourself. A local businessman has lost his business and quite a few people lost their jobs along with it.

It was clearly sarcasm.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

So isn't this just the free market being exercised?

I don't see the problem. It's not like every other restaurant that no one ever goes to closed up. Dog eat dog world man.

What are you talking about?

well hats off to macdonalds and wallmart then, they kept their revenues high by keeping employee's wages low to survive. Exactly what your left wing economics is against. Dog eat dog world man.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

What are you talking about?

well hats off to macdonalds and wallmart then, they kept their revenues high by keeping employee's wages low to survive. Exactly what your left wing economics is against. Dog eat dog world man.

When have I ever stated I'm "for" left-wing economics? You guys have just painted me with a brush that suits your narrative, so kudos on pigeonholing someone I guess.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by East Coast Flame

I walk by that place every day and there is literally no difference between the parking pre and post bike lanes.

http://imgur.com/BGiRLjK

I found a google picture before the bike lane. Seriously? That is half the parking? What a BS quote totally designed to rile up all the anti-SPENDSHI crowd...looks like it's working too.

Yup. The number of spots is nearly identical. In fact, there was always a bike lane on this street. They just moved it from in-between the traffic lane and the curb parking and isolated the lane next to the curb.

This is a tough block for restaurants. They make their nut at lunch and there's not a lot of people doing lunch. Downtown food closed. The Belfry is renovating or something. Garden Restaurant > Eldorado > The Derrick. Chicago Chophouse moved.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

I read his post as green text...

If it was, I apologize. There just seems to be some internet warriors on here that clearly have no understanding of business or economics, and in general just seem to be a bunch of heartless people.

This isn't a restaurant that fell out of favour or let its standards fall so people starting going elsewhere. This was thriving local business that was at capacity most of the time until the price of oil dropped off the face of the planet and to make things worse, got kicked over and over again by all levels of government.

This is just one of many local businesses that are going to be suffering the same fate. People were still going to these places because they got decent severances and I don't think they realized they were going to have to make them last.

Very sad situation around Alberta these days. People should be a bit more careful about running their mouth about the misfortune of others. They could quickly find themselves in the same boat.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

It was clearly sarcasm.

I can tell that now. Hard to tell with people like Psynet posting.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Very sad situation around Alberta these days. People should be a bit more careful about running their mouth about the misfortune of others. They could quickly find themselves in the same boat.

I think what's missing here is that we do feel empathy for those who have lost their jobs, homes, businesses etc. I'm not a monster.

That said, this guy opened himself up to scrutiny by parading around in the media carving up all levels of government and martyring himself, like he's the only guy going through this stuff. He's a known rabblerouser who even just last year spent a considerable amount of facetime fighting the municipal government over his tax bill.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

The restaurant industry is hard. Businesses close all the time. The rhetoric this guy is spewing makes his agenda obvious, and he's deflecting blame for his failure elsewhere. Sounds like someone needs to a take a lesson in personal responsibility.

So the 16 year old dishwasher is now making 15 bucks an hour - forced by the government

the 22 year old culinary arts grad in his first job working the line was making 15.00 an hour.

Who gives the line cook his raise as market forces says he should be paid more due to his education and experience. Does the restaurant bump him up to $22.50 as the market forces used to dictate

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

If it was, I apologize. There just seems to be some internet warriors on here that clearly have no understanding of business or economics, and in general just seem to be a bunch of heartless people.

This isn't a restaurant that fell out of favour or let its standards fall so people starting going elsewhere. This was thriving local business that was at capacity most of the time until the price of oil dropped off the face of the planet and to make things worse, got kicked over and over again by all levels of government.

This is just one of many local businesses that are going to be suffering the same fate. People were still going to these places because they got decent severances and I don't think they realized they were going to have to make them last.

Very sad situation around Alberta these days. People should be a bit more careful about running their mouth about the misfortune of others. They could quickly find themselves in the same boat.

I responded to Psycnet's idiotic post.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

I can tell that now. Hard to tell with people like Psynet posting.

Actually I think the main issue is you are emotionally attached to this restaurant, so you feel the need to protect it's name.

There have been/will be many well run businesses that fall victim to the economic climate, and a lot of them won't get the chance to go to the paper like this owner did. It's unfortunate but that's the nature of being heavily reliant on oil.

[PsYcNeT]

I like how the only appropriate response in a thread like this is to join the circlejerk lubed up by the tears for a bygone era that no longer exists because of the 3 levels of oppressive government we live under the thumb of.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

That said, this guy opened himself up to scrutiny by parading around in the media carving up all levels of government and martyring himself, like he's the only guy going through this stuff.

I mean, first, why shouldn't he complain if he feels aggrieved. Why is the right course to keep his mouth shut?

Second, isn't the whole point that he's probably not the only guy going through this stuff, and that these issues may be also putting added pressure on other local businesses?

Seriously I'm not even necessarily on his side but you seem determined to utterly miss the point.

[polak]

Owning a business isn't some right and Alberta went from the lowest taxed jurisdiction in the country to tied for the 2nd lowest. Seriously going to blame the government here for the short sightedness of the business owner?

Was everyone operating on the assumption that the Oil boom would last forever? That Alberta will always have the lowest taxes in the country?

Sucks but this entire economy is based on Oil. When that falls it all will crumble and only the strongest businesses will survive.

This what happens people think the ride will never end and let costs get out of control.

As for the minimum wage, it's only gone up a dollar. Solid business model he has if he can't handle $1.00 raise for his employees. I don't believe that the minimum wage had that big of an impact. It's just super convenient to blame the NDP for everything right now because it easy for people to blame someone else for their own short sightedness.

"Oil will never go down"

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I mean, first, why shouldn't he complain if he feels aggrieved. Why is the right course to keep his mouth shut?

Second, isn't the whole point that he's probably not the only guy going through this stuff, and that these issues may be also putting added pressure on other local businesses?

Seriously I'm not even necessarily on his side but you seem determined to utterly miss the point.

That's the thing, it is affecting other businesses. A good friend of mine owns a restaurant on 17th and was slammed with a bill increase, but he didn't throw his hands in the air, give up, goto the media and blame global warming and the minimum wage. He worked harder, started more advertising, worked on growing his base on weekends and evenings, and is still doing well.

There's such a sense of entitlement among some owners it's baffling.

[jammies]

Restaurants fail all the time, but at least this one failed at the proper time to reinforce ideologies. Kudos, Pablo Escobar Bistro and Shootery: kudos.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

When have I ever stated I'm "for" left-wing economics? You guys have just painted me with a brush that suits your narrative, so kudos on pigeonholing someone I guess.

Weren't you the one arguing that the government should fund the development of our renewable energy industry?

[taco.vidal]

There are thousands of jobs lost downtown. The Tim Hortons near my building used ti have 15 minute lineups in the morning. Now you can walk straight up to the counter most mornings and rarely is the line more han a handful of people deep. And thats for a coffee for under $2.

When all those jobs disappeared so did a lot of high salaries, big bonuses and a lot if disposable income. On top of that, a lot of corporate expense accounts disappeared. Blaming bike lanes is a joke.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by heep223

Weren't you the one arguing that the government should fund the development of our renewable energy industry?

Nope. I do think they should subsidize it, but fully funding is ludicrous and unrealistic. That said, that ship has sailed as they are no longer running a massive surplus of Ralphbucks that would have been better saved on a real Heritage Fund.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Actually I think the main issue is you are emotionally attached to this restaurant, so you feel the need to protect it's name.

There have been/will be many well run businesses that fall victim to the economic climate, and a lot of them won't get the chance to go to the paper like this owner did. It's unfortunate but that's the nature of being heavily reliant on oil.

Do I like the restaurant, yes. Emotionally attached, I wouldn't say so, but that's my own biased opinion.

I have no problems with restaurants closing, it happens all the time. Just a brutal industry What upsets me is that is a locally owned business was forced to closed because of on top of having to weather an economic downturn, they had to weather of other factors brought on by all levels of government (Federal/Provincial/Municipal) at a time when they should have been lending a helping hand to keep those doors open, and when the owner speaks out we have a bunch of people telling him to "take some responsibility" or "Should have worked harder" because it doesn't fit with their own personal objectives. Be it NDP, bike lanes, minimum wage, etc.

This was a local business owner who ran a top of the line restaurant for over 20 years. Maybe you might want to listen to what he has to say rather than throwing stones or casting judgement. Many more stories like this are coming.

[polak]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

Do I like the restaurant, yes. Emotionally attached, I wouldn't say so, but that's my own biased opinion.

I have no problems with restaurants closing, it happens all the time. Just a brutal industry What upsets me is that is a locally owned business was forced to closed because of on top of having to weather an economic downturn, they had to weather of other factors brought on by all levels of government (Federal/Provincial/Municipal) at a time when they should have been lending a helping hand to keep those doors open, and when the owner speaks out we have a bunch of people telling him to "take some responsibility" or "Should have worked harder" because it doesn't fit with their own personal objectives. Be it NDP, bike lanes, minimum wage, etc.

This was a local business owner who ran a top of the line restaurant for over 20 years. Maybe you might want to listen to what he has to say rather than throwing stones or casting judgement. Many more stories like this are coming.

Hard to lend a hand when you have no money thanks to the previous regime.