Restaurant closings

[TheTravellers]

1/14/20:

Buttermilk Sliders

This is perfect timing, we went Saturday and the food was crap, decided to never go there again, it had been going downhill each time we went. Shame about Maples, though.

[The Shadow]

1/14/20:

Buttermilk Sliders
Maples

Might have a little something to do with....Farmer's Bank.

[barrettd]

I still regret never getting over to Maples. Oh well.

[Pete]

Think about putting in hundreds of thousands if not millions then relying on staff that can be very hard to recruit and maintain.

One of my restaurant friends says, "We audition every 10 minutes. And it's always done by someone I have to trust to represent me personally".

In the end, the success of any place is probably more on the front of the house than the back (chef/prep/etc).

[TheTravellers]

Think about putting in hundreds of thousands if not millions then relying on staff that can be very hard to recruit and maintain.

One of my restaurant friends says, "We audition every 10 minutes. And it's always done by someone I have to trust to represent me personally".

In the end, the success of any place is probably more on the front of the house than the back (chef/prep/etc).

I'd agree with this. If you have great food and bad service, I probably won't go back, but if your food is just pretty good/decent, but the service is excellent, I'll be back (hoping for improvement of the food next time, of course ). Of course, great food *and* service is the home run, but there aren't tons of places that get to that level.

[Rivalyn]

I'd agree with this. If you have great food and bad service, I probably won't go back, but if your food is just pretty good/decent, but the service is excellent, I'll be back (hoping for improvement of the food next time, of course ). Of course, great food *and* service is the home run, but there aren't tons of places that get to that level.

Having had someone move up here in the service industry from the Dallas area it's been eye popping in terms of seeing how some of these people handle personnel. Everything from keeping 3 times as many people as needed on staff and cutting people frequently to promising certain hours to get someone on board and then the reality being starkly different. Granted it's a bit limited but if this is any sort of indicative of the industry as a whole in OKC, it's a wonder any place manages to maintain good service. I swear every time I hear a story about food service staff it makes me wonder why these managers don't all go grab some HR/staffing training because oftentimes it seems they're shooting themselves in the foot.

[TheTravellers]

^^^ Yep, as chuck5815 said, there are folks getting into the restaurant business that don't have the experience and/or training to do it right. Dunno why so many places/people in OKC think they're the first ones to ever do things and can't go outside of their own heads to get training/education/help/knowledge (streets, crosswalk paint, Skydance Bridge planking, P180, restaurant staffing, restaurant cooking, retail sales in almost any sector). Having said that, yes, there are lots that do it right, and those are the places we try to patronize.

[Pete]

Simply the maturation of our dining scene, whereby there is lots more competition and only the strong will survive.

It sucks for the people who have to close down, but the quality of dining in OKC has gone up quite a bit in just the last few years, and that's across the board from high-end to fast casual and bars.

All these trends will continue for some time and I've said all the way along that shakeout is coming. And at the same time, there are still a bunch of new places in the queue.

[Richard at Remax]

Poke Loco on north Penn has closed

[jbkrems]

Yeah Poke Loco (sp?) has been closed for several weeks.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

Smokey's Midnight Express on Coltrane is closed. They were the ones doing 7pm to 2am delivery or carryout. A marijuana dispensary went in next door to them, which I figured could only help them. Maybe they were too far away from any universities. College students love late night snacking.

[SEMIweather]

Smokey's Midnight Express on Coltrane is closed. They were the ones doing 7pm to 2am delivery or carryout. A marijuana dispensary went in next door to them, which I figured could only help them. Maybe they were too far away from any universities. College students love late night snacking.

This was an interesting concept, and the reviews seemed good, but just what an absolutely baffling location for what they were offering.

[Pete]

Ur/bun has been closed for a few weeks.

Hunny Bunny is expanding into their space.

[mugofbeer]

Ur/bun has been closed for a few weeks.

Hunny Bunny is expanding into their space.

Sorry, out of towner question....the one on 23rd St.?

[okatty]

Republic in Chisholm Creek closed last night it appears.

[CloudDeckMedia]

Republic in Chisholm Creek closed last night it appears.

Republic Gastropub, the same guys at Classen Curve?

[Pete]

^

Yes, I can confirm this.

[Pete]

[Thomas Vu]

Correct.

[Pete]

Sandwich Club's last day will be Jan. 31st.

[BBatesokc]

Planet Sub in downtown OKC (200 N. Harvey) is permanently closed.

That's a shame. I'd get a sandwich there regularly during trial weeks.

[Pete]

Feb. 1: Anatomy Wine Club

[RaRaRyan]

Hearing of Scottie’s Deli closing in about 2 weeks from people that work there.

[TheTravellers]

Hearing of Scottie’s Deli closing in about 2 weeks from people that work there.

Shame if it's true. Started out great, but the last couple of times they kinda sucked, so honestly I won't be surprised if they do go...

[BBatesokc]

Hearing of Scottie’s Deli closing in about 2 weeks from people that work there.

I better use up my Gift Certificates!