Thread of local businesses that don't survive the coronavirus

[Not a cat 5719]

1 minute ago, Zombie said:

I just did the same for my tenants. It builds a lot of tenant loyalty and goodwill, though doing it because it's the right thing is the main reason to do it. I hope commercial lenders will voluntarily forbear or be forced to by law if this mess stretches out more than a couple months. 

Not sure they can be forced by law to do it under the takings clause of the 5th amendment, but I'm sure more knowledgeable folks will chime in if I'm wrong.

Note, I'm not saying they should or shouldn't waive the rent, just talking about whether they can be forced to by law.

[VelvetFreeze 114]

Has it not dawned on restaurants that this alcohol delivery is irresponsible?  Alcohol weakens the immune system.  And why gouge people on the prices? Customers will soon want to save money.

[StruggleBus 3922]

47 minutes ago, VelvetFreeze said:

Has it not dawned on restaurants that this alcohol delivery is irresponsible?  Alcohol weakens the immune system.  And why gouge people on the prices? Customers will soon want to save money.

The fuck is wrong with you

[Js1 85605]

Just now, StruggleBus said:

The fuck is wrong with you

Found the prohibitionist Southern baptist. 

[Hefeweizen 5335]

1 hour ago, VelvetFreeze said:

Has it not dawned on restaurants that this alcohol delivery is irresponsible?  Alcohol weakens the immune system.  And why gouge people on the prices? Customers will soon want to save money.

You’ll pry my booze from my cold dead covid hands.

[Samson's Wig 3194]

1 hour ago, Js1 said:

Found the prohibitionist Southern baptist. 

Nah, all Southern Baptists secretly drink when they're not around other Southern Baptists.  Home booze delivery is a godsend to those folks.  No more awkward moments at the liquor store.

[Guest Lobo]

"Hey Velvet, been noticin' that delivery vehicle in front of your house an awful lot lately.  You wouldn't be ordering any of the Devil's Water, would ya?"

"What, that?  No...I was just ordering in some fish for you, and my wife, and uhhhhh.  Audrey.  Sure, sure."  

[Hagbard Celine 10936]

5 hours ago, Lobo said:

I'd be curious to hear from some higher-up at place like Sysco, Ben E. Keith, et. al.  They have a shitload of inventory and supply chain volume.  What happens to all that food?  

A few weeks ago, was talking about how do you divert the supply chain at the juncture where it goes to the restaurant business vs. the grocery business.  The raw materials are the same, but the split in the supply chain takes place way way way upstream, basically at the moment of production.

[ChickenSandwich 9855]

5 hours ago, Lobo said:

I'd be curious to hear from some higher-up at place like Sysco, Ben E. Keith, et. al.  They have a shitload of inventory and supply chain volume.  What happens to all that food?  

1234

wonder what their reduction has been so far. Heartbreaking to pass so many empty restaurants with new clean banners advertising take out. Gets me every time. 

Edited March 20, 2020 by ChickenSandwich

[Hagbard Celine 10936]

I would go full-bore on delivery and takeout if i believed the packaging was not a risk.

I also want to switch out to a tankless hot water heater in the attic.   I feel like a heel but I'm thinking about asking the company i was going to use to supply test results from their installers.

[Not a cat 5719]

14 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

I would go full-bore on delivery and takeout if i believed the packaging was not a risk.

I also want to switch out to a tankless hot water heater in the attic.   I feel like a heel but I'm thinking about asking the company i was going to use to supply test results from their installers.

This seems a little extreme given that only people with symptoms and/or exposure are able to get tested.

[CooterBrown 18032]

Did the Cover 3 take out tonight. It is a lot of food.

 

Got the #1...

12 sliders

20 wings

2 sides - 3 containers each.

 

They advertise it for 4 but the four of us barely ate half of it. $45. Tipped $20. I need them to make it since we go once a week.

[Neonmoon 38130]

I want to support local business but also don’t want the bat aids. So we order delivery from places we frequent, but use gloves to remove it from packaging and dispose of said packaging. 

[Brew 3049]

2 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

I would go full-bore on delivery and takeout if i believed the packaging was not a risk.

I also want to switch out to a tankless hot water heater in the attic.   I feel like a heel but I'm thinking about asking the company i was going to use to supply test results from their installers.

I’m operating under the hope that the inside of the packaging is okay and also using places I know well. Put take out on table, open it, wash hands, get my own silverware, don’t touch packaging until finished, wipe down and wash again.

We’re already seeing the fall out locally. Have a restaurant/bar client that closed down this morning. She sunk everything she had into a new building last year and had not built back any savings. Contractor’s are having customers indefinitely suspend projects, factories locally have laid off especially automotive, etc.

[Neonmoon 38130]

Not really local, but how are car sales doing these days?

[Caddox 952]

I ordered two pitchers of blue margaritas from el patio today with my cheese enchilada delivery and I almost died. Be careful guys, this coronavirus is serious. 

[Alvin89 108]

34 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

Not really local, but how are car sales doing these days?

I read a thread on Twitter that a dealership laid off most of their staff. I would imagine it’s going to get ugly for dealerships. 

[Guest Lobo]

Might be a good time for them to realize owning and operating 20 acres of prime real estate and maintaining an unnecessarily large inventory, all to project branding so that they can make their real money on financing and the service department isn't the best business model.  Still offer confiscatory in-house financing and overpriced oil changes, but lose the lot.  People know that they want these days when they arrive.  Order them the car, pass along the overhead savings to them, and let them come pick it up when it's ready.  If we can wait 6 weeks for this virus wave to pass, we can wait 6 weeks for the new Accord.    

[Hagbard Celine 10936]

while we are ragging on dealerships, the huge lot of inventory is a 20th-century anachronism that needs to go.  waste of space, untaxed inventory, and hailstorm magnet.

elon has that one right.

one of each model, with large metal swatches of each paint color.  20 to 30 vehicles in a big room, with a couple of test-drive demos for each model parked outside.

anything more than that gets taxed every month.  it's stupid to have these lots of a thousand vehicles.  it's 2020.  you order and configure your vehicle online after you decide you like the way the demo drives.

or you buy used.

[Hagbard Celine 10936]

10 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Might be a good time for them to realize owning and operating 20 acres of prime real estate and maintaining an unnecessarily large inventory, all to project branding so that they can make their real money on financing and the service department isn't the best business model.  Still offer confiscatory in-house financing and overpriced oil changes, but lose the lot.  People know that they want these days when they arrive.  Order them the car, pass along the overhead savings to them, and let them come pick it up when it's ready.  If we can wait 6 weeks for this virus wave to pass, we can wait 6 weeks for the new Accord.    

i don't think we're going to wait 6 weeks.  we need a full lockdown for 3 more weeks but it's not going to happen.  the 1% and our leaders in washington should have already passed "the wolf is coming" legislation and they haven't done it.  that tells me they intend to let the chips fall where they may starting april 1st.  i hope they prove wrong next week.  but it should have been done by today.

[Knoxtnhorn 6066]

Wait.  One can get margaritas delivered?  F yeah. I was just envisioning bottled beer and wine.

[ChickenSandwich 9855]

Just found out Trudys is still open. Mexican martini delivery may be the cowbell they needed.

Edited March 21, 2020 by ChickenSandwich

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

12 hours ago, Somnio said:

This particular spot I referenced is the South Austin Hyde Park Bar and Grill at 290 and Westgate.

Great food, and a lot of great people.

Makes me wonder what Sambo’s break even was at that location in 1980?

[Lat22 4019]

16 hours ago, Samson's Wig said:

Nah, all Southern Baptists secretly drink when they're not around other Southern Baptists.  Home booze delivery is a godsend to those folks.  No more awkward moments at the liquor store.

They also fill up the buses going to Coushatta every weekend. But no, we can’t have gambling in Texas because JESUS!!!

[UTPhil2006 3818]

13 hours ago, Caddox said:

I ordered two pitchers of blue margaritas from el patio today with my cheese enchilada delivery and I almost died. Be careful guys, this coronavirus is serious. 

Is this actually a thing?  If so I think I found my Saturday plans

[Moby Ric 2058]

When will Spec's start doing delivery service?

[BillyGoatHill 4312]

19 hours ago, Samson's Wig said:

Nah, all Southern Baptists secretly drink when they're not around other Southern Baptists.  Home booze delivery is a godsend to those folks.  No more awkward moments at the liquor store.

That's why you ALWAYS (if you must) take Baptists in pairs if going fishing with you. If you take only one, he'll drink all your beer.

[Tailgate 3024]

12 minutes ago, Moby Ric said:

When will Spec's start doing delivery service?

You can get to them via instacart...not sure how far delivery date are...pretty stocked up here.

[Neonmoon 38130]

14 minutes ago, Moby Ric said:

When will Spec's start doing delivery service?

Drizzly does booze delivery. 

[Iceman 2726]

14 hours ago, Hagbard Celine said:

while we are ragging on dealerships, the huge lot of inventory is a 20th-century anachronism that needs to go.  waste of space, untaxed inventory, and hailstorm magnet.

elon has that one right.

one of each model, with large metal swatches of each paint color.  20 to 30 vehicles in a big room, with a couple of test-drive demos for each model parked outside.

anything more than that gets taxed every month.  it's stupid to have these lots of a thousand vehicles.  it's 2020.  you order and configure your vehicle online after you decide you like the way the demo drives.

or you buy used.

Agree with this.

Why do we as  consumers need a shit-ton of vehicles to look at on the lot? Test drive the model you want, pick your options , and wait for it to be delivered.  Personally I did this last year at no additional cost, and likely will never just take one off the lot again.  There’s certain shit I want on the vehicle.  There’s a few popular options I don’t want.   It also provides for a turn-key transaction( no inventory) for the dealer.

[BrazilHorn 6636]

Putting a plug in for Fonda San Miguel - I hadn't eaten there in years but they are doing a great family style deal with a choice of three dishes (Rotisserie Chicken, Pork Chops, Pork Baked in Banana Leafs) Rice/Beans/Hot Sauce/Chips on side.

Curb side, you never get out and they put food in car wearing gloves, touching nothing. We have been eating for like 3 days.

 

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

17 hours ago, Lobo said:

Might be a good time for them to realize owning and operating 20 acres of prime real estate and maintaining an unnecessarily large inventory, all to project branding so that they can make their real money on financing and the service department isn't the best business model.  Still offer confiscatory in-house financing and overpriced oil changes, but lose the lot.  People know that they want these days when they arrive.  Order them the car, pass along the overhead savings to them, and let them come pick it up when it's ready.  If we can wait 6 weeks for this virus wave to pass, we can wait 6 weeks for the new Accord.    

This is a horrible idea and I hate everything about it. I figure the future will suck and won’t be what I want as a consumer- so this is probably where we will end up, but I want pick up my shit and drive it off the lot all on the same day. Turning the car buying experience into amazon (which I also don’t do) sounds like my nightmare fuel. 

[Deej 76956]

3 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

This is a horrible idea and I hate everything about it. I figure the future will suck and won’t be what I want as a consumer- so this is probably where we will end up, but I want pick up my shit and drive it off the lot all on the same day. Turning the car buying experience into amazon (which I also don’t do) sounds like my nightmare fuel. 

Yeah, we've seen how this ends up.

 

[Guest Lobo]

13 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

This is a horrible idea and I hate everything about it. I figure the future will suck and won’t be what I want as a consumer- so this is probably where we will end up, but I want pick up my shit and drive it off the lot all on the same day. Turning the car buying experience into amazon (which I also don’t do) sounds like my nightmare fuel. 

Sorry this scenario is giving you nightmare fuel, but just wait until you hear about Covid-19.  That'll really scare you.  

I'm not suggesting my scenario is the best way to buy a car, yeah there's still something about picking your dream car off the lot and being home with it later that day.  I'm genuinely curious about what percentage of car sales across all price points are truly "spontaneous", like you woke up, decided to buy the wife a new car or whatnot and then were off the lot with payments set up within that same business day.  Anyway, the industry is moving away from the traditional car lot model.  It's much slower to take hold in Texas because of our dealership cartel.  But it'll only be accelerated by Covid-19 and the industry's slow but sure awakening that 30 acres off IH-35 isn't the cheapest way to operate a razor-thin margin business.  They'll be a middle of the road way where you can still get a car that day, or order one later, but the transition has already begun in many other states and this situation will only expand it.  I don't really care either way, just more urban blight built by dipshit developers who think they can convert every abandoned shopping mall and car dealership into a Votec campus at the same cap rate or lower.  The empty storefronts and lots we'll see for the next half decade will take a generation to get rid of.  

[Neonmoon 38130]

19 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

This is a horrible idea and I hate everything about it. I figure the future will suck and won’t be what I want as a consumer- so this is probably where we will end up, but I want pick up my shit and drive it off the lot all on the same day. Turning the car buying experience into amazon (which I also don’t do) sounds like my nightmare fuel. 

I think we’ve entered old man yelling at clouds territory?

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

7 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

I think we’ve entered old man yelling at clouds territory?

I plead guilty. 

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

9 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Sorry this scenario is giving you nightmare fuel, but just wait until you hear about Covid-19.  That'll really scare you.  

I'm not suggesting my scenario is the best way to buy a car, yeah there's still something about picking your dream car off the lot and being home with it later that day.  I'm genuinely curious about what percentage of car sales across all price points are truly "spontaneous", like you woke up, decided to buy the wife a new car or whatnot and then were off the lot with payments set up within that same business day.  Anyway, the industry is moving away from the traditional car lot model.  It's much slower to take hold in Texas because of our dealership cartel.  But it'll only be accelerated by Covid-19 and the industry's slow but sure awakening that 30 acres off IH-35 isn't the cheapest way to operate a razor-thin margin business.  They'll be a middle of the road way where you can still get a car that day, or order one later, but the transition has already begun in many other states and this situation will only expand it.  I don't really care either way, just more urban blight built by dipshit developers who think they can convert every abandoned shopping mall and car dealership into a Votec campus at the same cap rate or lower.  The empty storefronts and lots we'll see for the next half decade will take a generation to get rid of.  

Every vehicle I’ve ever purchased. I recognize I’m not normal but I hate everything about what you described. 

[Bevo 13601]

1 hour ago, Lobo said:

Sorry this scenario is giving you nightmare fuel, but just wait until you hear about Covid-19.  That'll really scare you.  

I'm not suggesting my scenario is the best way to buy a car, yeah there's still something about picking your dream car off the lot and being home with it later that day.  I'm genuinely curious about what percentage of car sales across all price points are truly "spontaneous", like you woke up, decided to buy the wife a new car or whatnot and then were off the lot with payments set up within that same business day.  Anyway, the industry is moving away from the traditional car lot model.  It's much slower to take hold in Texas because of our dealership cartel.  But it'll only be accelerated by Covid-19 and the industry's slow but sure awakening that 30 acres off IH-35 isn't the cheapest way to operate a razor-thin margin business.  They'll be a middle of the road way where you can still get a car that day, or order one later, but the transition has already begun in many other states and this situation will only expand it.  I don't really care either way, just more urban blight built by dipshit developers who think they can convert every abandoned shopping mall and car dealership into a Votec campus at the same cap rate or lower.  The empty storefronts and lots we'll see for the next half decade will take a generation to get rid of.  

Like developer residential blight is any better:

[TexasMan 10989]

My girlfriend's friend's dad's place Habanero's on Oltorf and 1st said its gonna get dicey if things aren't up and running again after April 1st. 

Was hoping to get some barbacoa, but they already shut down yesterday. 

[bluto 4943]

Damnit I hate hearing that about habaneros, favorite/best Tex mex I’ve ever had. I used to go at least weekly when I lived there, and it’s a must stop on every trip to or thru town.

[CooterBrown 18032]

My girlfriend's friend's dad's place Habanero's on Oltorf and 1st said its gonna get dicey if things aren't up and running again after April 1st. 
Was hoping to get some barbacoa, but they already shut down yesterday. 

Aw fuck. We were doing a list of the five local places you want to survive and Habaneros was my restaurant pick.

[Helobious 9467]

If I survive this plague I’m really going to re-think my gym membership. Haven’t skipped much of a beat with these home workouts, and they’re way less of a hassle & time commitment. Can’t imagine I’m the only one. 

[RPM 26360]

 

[Guest Lobo]

2 hours ago, Bevo said:

Like developer residential blight is any better:

very much agree, I don't like ground up development very much in case you can't tell.  Difference is I can live with the above if people are living there, despite the overbuild and unnecessary footprint.  What I won't tolerate anymore is the blight of car dealerships because they think you need to be walked through the add-on wheels package in person with Eugene Levy and his "let me go talk to the manager" bullshit.  Go ahead, rake me over the coals to make a few extra bucks...I get it, it's how businesses stay afloat.  But just go "talk to your manager" virtually.  Why do you need 25 acres to show me your poker hand?  

[Constant 6755]

I got my haircut today and just before I was up the lady got a call saying their store is being closed. She was on the edge of tears and was asking me how she was going to pay rent and buy groceries. I felt terrible for her. Its more than a news article and a tweet from some verified account. I hope she finds a way. 

[UT_OB1 2225]

We use a couple different cleaning services in Galveston to clean our vacation rentals. This was supposed to have been their 3rd or 4th best month of the year, and they’ve got zero Str business.  Based on what the owner has sent to me, they are already down to half their work force. If this drags on much longer, I bet at least half of the cleaning businesses on Galveston will be out of business. 

[tx 3 putt 77548]

22 hours ago, Caddox said:

I ordered two pitchers of blue margaritas from el patio today with my cheese enchilada delivery and I almost died. Be careful guys, this coronavirus is serious. 

 

i just had a flashback of soooooo many memories !

[Cousin Strawberry 1263]

2 hours ago, TexasMan said:

My girlfriend's friend's dad's place Habanero's on Oltorf and 1st said its gonna get dicey if things aren't up and running again after April 1st. 

Was hoping to get some barbacoa, but they already shut down yesterday. 

That place is awesome. Great people.  Fajita ranchera slams.

[StruggleBus 3922]

So we lose our jobs, businesses, and homes.

China should pay a price for the way they handled this.

[Guest Lobo]

8 minutes ago, StruggleBus said:

So we lose our jobs, businesses, and homes.

China should pay a price for the way they handled this.

Totally agree.  We could come up with a new name for the price they'll pay.  How about we could call it, and I'm just spitballing here, a "Tariff"???  I don't know what they are but it maybe could work.  

the risk to them is actually baked in, nations will have to get their own shit together for the next year before they even start to think about important more unnecessary crap from them.  They're gonna be in their own holding pattern that'll make ours look tame by comparison only because of our reserve currency status and the fact that we can float paper to our own Central Bank to get through this (not a great idea, but it should work okay).  

Edited March 22, 2020 by Lobo