Talk of East Texas

By vg

July 22, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this

Ok here is my opinion.There are more than enough Chinese/Asian restaurants in Longview. The bulidngs changing owners frequently has nothing to do with the location. It is the owners.When I walk in a place .I am wanting a nice greeter. waitsatff, good prices and friendly all around atmosphere.Plus when they open a Restaurant that should keep it up. They open it and never do anything else to it. The booths are sunk in . the walls are dirty I went in the crazy buffet One time. The waiter was on the phone all the time.(no smile) I ask is they would take a check and they panicked Like I was going to run out or something. They were the most antisocial people I have ever met. I knew the food was not up to par, But the owners and staff were even worse. We just need good wholesome friendly people in the bussiness. Like me..haha.. I expect the best .I give the best . With prices so high these days, We have to enjoy our dining experience or we will not patronize that place again. The rib place? Hello?? Bodacious is all over thet dang place.People are devoted. Not me but others.So make it delicious! Make it Friendly!!! Make it reasonably priced!! Keep it clean….and watch it flourish..

By MM

July 21, 2008 7:56 PM | Link to this

I have never heard of a building changing it’s name. Possibly, different owners of a business changed the name.

Again food quality, undercapitalizaion, concept, building cost, expenses, labor problems, management experience, pricing, etc., all factor into a restaurants success.

It is very seldom due to location. Country Tavern is a good example of an interesting location. Some would say it is perfect, others would say it is horrible. Most agree it is a very successful restaurant.

By cm

July 21, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this

location helps, but if a building keeps changing names every 3-6 months maybe they should consider getting new employees! thats if there under the same managment. I wish the management of all places where food is served, make sure there employees have proper hygiene and provide gloves for them to handle food!

By cm

July 21, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this

location helps, but if a building keeps changing names every 3-6 months maybe they should consider getting new employees! thats if there under the same managment. I wish the management of all places where food is served, make sure there employees have proper hygiene and provide gloves for them to handle food!

By leeroytull

July 21, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

If you build it they will come… That is one of the greatest parts of longview. We are still small enough a town that word or mouth can still make or break a place of buisness. It is true that city ordinance, or the dry county aspect can have an effect on how much a local food place can pull. But me and mine will often drive to Gilmer, New Diana, or Gladewater for a particular restaurant. IMO it is the service, and quality of food, that will dictate how long a buisness will be open….. And that is not to bash any good citezen who made a valiant attempt to make it in our fair city. On the contrary buisness is tough no matter where you go. God Bless an America where we can all still try.

By MAllen

July 20, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this

Poor taste of printing an article like this. If I was the owner of Herbert’s I would be ticked at the News-Journal.

Here you have people that invested their life savings in a small business only to have the local newspaper trash them by printing and distributing to thousands of people in East Texas that they are located in a bad location.

Shame on you Cox news.

By Shea

July 20, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this

Im all over the second IHOP idea, this town could support two, no doubt. I live on the east side of town tho and I like some of the restaurants on the west side, but hate driving over there. A Wing Stop and a Schlotzsky’s on the east side would be great. As for certain locations, its the food and service that will keep people coming back, not the location. Just think about when you had to drive to the only David Beards up by the lake.

By JA

July 19, 2008 6:50 PM | Link to this

Part of the problem in some of these areas is the fact that they are in a dry part of the county and cannot serve alcohol. Like it or not, the ability to sell alcohol draws the chain restaurants and that in turn attracts more eateries, more businesses, and not just those that sell alcohol. Several businesses declined to come to Longview when Prop 7 (or whatever it was) did not pass. This is also one of the reasons the Albertson’s on Gilmer/Loop is still vacant.

By Murray Moore

July 19, 2008 4:16 PM | Link to this

More research should of been done on this story. Some of the buildings mentioned, or the innuendos towards buildings, are not for sale and the owners do not care if they are leased or not. Many national companies or the larger restaurateurs want to own the buildings and some of most of the buildings mentioned in the article are not for sale. Some are bought to be demolished so another structure can be built.

The former “rib place” has been leased to new people as of last week. It will be called China Wok Buffet, or somthing like that. The old Crazy Buffet will open in a couple of weeks with new owners.

The buffets are very popular, whether people like them or not.

So numerous factors cause a restaurant to make it or fail. It could be food quality, undercapitalizaion, concept, building cost, labor problems, management, pricing, etc. It is very seldom due to location.

A good example is the City Diner on Hwy 80. Many people have said that it is in a bad location, but from 7 am to 3 pm they are packed seven days a week. The service, price and food quality are excellent.

By Shawn

July 19, 2008 4:05 PM | Link to this

MM if you drive down the area it sits on there is still the sign that is still up. The old Krystal Burger was going to be a Taco Casa, but the man that owns the property wanted $750,000. Now there is going to be a Taco Casa over behind The Exxon/Grandys on Eastman Rd. What Longview needs is more modern plaes to eat like there is in Shreveport,Dallas and Houston. Let the churches protest if they want, if the people dont like it they dont have to eat there.

By Eric

July 19, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this

There was a Denny’s as well, but it was out by I-20. It closed several years ago. I agree we do need another down that way. But, all of the new growth is outside of the City Limits due to property taxes and city ordinances right now, so the growth begins at the city level. IF they want new businesses. That and the people actually welcoming new businesses, instead of pushing them away just because a select few disagree, like they did with Hooters. Other businesses see that and think twice about coming into the city.

By Eric

July 19, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

We have enough buffets in town. The Pine Tree side of the Loop needs more decent restaurants. Taco Bueno would do wonders on this side of town. As would an IHOP. And, yes that building is up for sale/lease again. The steakhouse/rib joint/supposed Asian place didn’t make it, just go drive by it on McCann, it’s next to CPU. The problem with the Loop down around Super1 is that there aren’t enough big draw businesses down there to get people.

The only “big draw” they have is LBT and PTMS in the area. It would do good to have some major retailer come in down there and take up the building that Wal-Mart abandoned.

By G. Russell

July 19, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

The location doesn’t always matter. If the food is real good people will come to eat. We need another good and reasonable priced steak house. We also need a Denny’s or a second Ihop.

By Cyndi Adams

July 19, 2008 6:50 AM | Link to this

Well, I live over in the area where these buildings have tried over and over to get business. Glad Heberts is doing well but, I am not attracted to going and buying meat that they have seasoned.

What we need over in this area is either another Texas Road House or some kind of steak house. But, the one thing I would really like to see is a breakfast buffet. Even another IHOP, mexican restaurant, or a steak house would make it!!! I would love to see another ElChicos in town too.

These people that put in these restaurants need to do a poll with people from the Pine Tree area in order to know what type of business will make it.

Any questions, please contact me.

Cyndi Adams

By mm

July 19, 2008 2:23 AM | Link to this

The steak place that became a rib place that was supposed to be an Asian place that’s now empty. How do you know this? Have you been inside? If so, who? when?

I hope a chinese buffet will go in there, we need more buffets in Longview.