Old timer Calgarians; what's up with Southland/Mac (restaurant)

[TomcoPDR]

I'm just intrigue at the restaurants that have come and gone at the Southland/Macleod strip mall, the single building shed that faces Macleod. My oldest memories was Red Robins (great food, from what i remembered), after that it was a blur with the numberous places that's tried (and failed I suppose)... Mr. Mike's had a little run too. (in between there was some one time restaurants going there too)

Thought Ceili's would do "ok" grabbing the deep South market. But I "JUST" noticed last night their signs were gone, so I'm assuming they're done there as well???

With TD bank gone, Tai Pan gone... wonder what's in store for that mall.

But specifically that building, what's with the "curse"? Some restaurants I wouldn't mind seeing there: Cora, Sushi, a mixed food market (one building, 3-4 kiosk)

Maybe some Beyonder will take a stab at it? (hint: Peking Peking?? go take down Ginger Beef)

[TYMSMNY]

prob just make it a bank.

Bank of Tomco

[Tik-Tok]

Yeah, don't know why it's cursed, but I've seen at least 6 restaurants in that building since I've lived in Calgary. None of them do well enough.

Maybe rent is just too high for profit? Or the building owner is just a jackass and not worth dealing with?

[quick_scar]

If we are eating in the area we always end up at Jack Astor's over whatever is there at the time.

[Mitsu3000gt]

There's never actually been a good restaurant in that building as far back as I can remember. If they put something good there, the people would come, IMO. The location isn't the greatest, people need a good reason to go there. Ceili's probably had the best chance, but there is a Bull & Finch 10 seconds away that likely has lots of loyal patrons in the area.

[infamous]

apparently the problem that plagues that place are the owners of the building. Ceili's was the first place to do well there, when it came time to renew the lease they DOUBLED the rent.

I'm sure the rent there is absurd to begin with, let alone after they double it!

[ercchry]

i miss fuddruckers :cry:

[roopi]

Originally posted by infamous
apparently the problem that plagues that place are the owners of the building. Ceili's was the first place to do well there, when it came time to renew the lease they DOUBLED the rent.

I'm sure the rent there is absurd to begin with, let alone after they double it!

Isn't the building owned by the same company that owns the rest of the strip mall?

I do recall there used to be a piano bar there at one point as well.

[Sorath]

the only time i went in there was switchbox/banzai

now with banzai closed and im playing more games on my own pc

rarely go into that mall. I think jack astors has been there for a long time

[infamous]

Originally posted by roopi


Isn't the building owned by the same company that owns the rest of the strip mall?

I do recall there used to be a piano bar there at one point as well.


yes it is the same company

[Tik-Tok]

Maybe the owner owns Jack Astors as well, so anyone who starts stealing business gets an automatic rent increase :rofl:

[CompletelyNumb]

Originally posted by infamous
apparently the problem that plagues that place are the owners of the building. Ceili's was the first place to do well there, when it came time to renew the lease they DOUBLED the rent.

I'm sure the rent there is absurd to begin with, let alone after they double it!


:werd:

Ceili's was doing great for a while.

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by Sorath
the only time i went in there was switchbox/banzai

now with banzai closed and im playing more games on my own pc

rarely go into that mall. I think jack astors has been there for a long time

Banzai moved to Hertiage/Elbow strip mall (Shoppers, Horney Toad pub mall)

[max_boost]

Damn. How is the pub doing? Ceili's?

It's always the second location that screws up the first lol Pho Hoai, Tai Pan. Ginger Beef is the King of YYChineseFood so let them have it. Voted Cagary Herald Readers choice 20 years in a row haha

[Sorath]

Originally posted by TomcoPDR


Banzai moved to Hertiage/Elbow strip mall (Shoppers, Horney Toad pub mall)

thanks for the tip, i know where to head next when im hungry :love:

[bleu]

Originally posted by TomcoPDR


Banzai moved to Hertiage/Elbow strip mall (Shoppers, Horney Toad pub mall)

It was great to have Banzai at this location as it was nice to pop in for lunch since it was down the street from where I used to work.

[Maxt]

Banzai changed hands some time ago, and after that it just didn't taste the same. The meat quality wasn't the same last couple of times I went there, and the portions were smaller.
It was my daily stop for about the first year it was open.

[aaronck]

Honestly, for the most part I can see why everything went under there, after Red Robin, most of the stuff that went in there was terrible (Including Mr Mikes) I thought Ceili's would last longer than it did.

Maybe it suffers from the same curse as Studio 82 that has gone through 4 or 5 owners in the past 10 years since the Bikini girls left, again recently re-opening as a Trap and Gill. I live close, and every time I went in, busy or slow the service and food was terrible.

[Darkane]

Tramps was a wicked store there.

[Racoonfighter]

I used to live in the pinnacle right above ceilie's the place was never busy minus the after work crowd and on game days but the patio was dead last summer even during stampede.If you live in the area you have a lot of options that were better and cheaper that had specials for drinks and beer that made sense.

Plus i saw about ten fights in the two years i lived there so it kinda became a dbag hangout spot.

As for everything else that has closed down or opened up who knows its kind of an old mall as it is that needs to be refreshed.

The Costa Vida is a really good Mexican fast food restaurant that is always clean.

[big A]

Originally posted by Darkane
Tramps was a wicked store there.

Thanks, just the other day my wife and I were trying to remember the name of that store.

We were telling my son how we went there on weekends is similar to how he goes to Heritage Music;)

[ryder_23]

Originally posted by ercchry
i miss fuddruckers :cry:

So much :(

[dino_martini]

funny, I was over at My Donair in the same plaza last week and then I saw Ceili's had closed. Took a picture of the building. Its one of those Black Holes of Retail.

[BigMass]

there are tons of great locations all over this city sitting empty. Bad luck? Black hole? Bad businesses? I'm leaning towards greedy owners overpricing rentals in good locations thinking they're in central Tokyo. More "Calgary Syndrome" in effect and a good healthy recession is needed to kick these people in the teeth.

[D88]

I don't think the location has to be a black hole unless the reason for closing was more so to do with rent increases but I don't have a way of knowing that. What I do know is that the food and service quality at Ceilis went to total shit in the last year it was open.

[Lex350]

Ceili's had gone under. They had such a shitty business model. Bad food, bad service and overpriced drinks. I'm glad they are gone.

[KrisYYC]

I live near that location (Haysboro) and I've always wondered why nothing seems to work in that spot. Same with the studio 82 location. I remember when studio 82 was a movie theatre lol.

I'm not surprised Ceili's finally went under though. The Irish pub thing is so played out.

[TomcoPDR]

Wonder how long PZA can hold this spot

[klumsy_tumbler]

Bump (ish?)

Just found out that PZA is owned by the same family as my absolute favourite restaraunt, and therefore carried over a lot of their awesome recipes. Definitely looking forward to trying this out :thumbsup:

[TYMSMNY]

^ which would be...

[revelations]

I can tell you that many businesses are suffering from, not only the economy, but also landlords, who would rather have their building empty than reduce prices at lease expiry.

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by big A


Thanks, just the other day my wife and I were trying to remember the name of that store.

We were telling my son how we went there on weekends is similar to how he goes to Heritage Music;)

That store was a serious memory from my childhood. Great times looking around at Magic Cards, CD's, Video Games.

[cet]

Originally posted by TYMSMNY
^ which would be...

Same family as Pulcinella, Villa Firenze, Mercato, etc.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by cet


Same family as Pulcinella, Villa Firenze, Mercato, etc.

Whooaaaaa. That sounds pretty good, especially Mercato. :drool:

I might stop by there.

[klumsy_tumbler]

Originally posted by flipstah


Whooaaaaa. That sounds pretty good, especially Mercato. :drool:

I might stop by there.

Do it. To highlight just how AWESOME the food is: my parents and I have been going to Villa Firenze for over twenty years (since I was a toddler). I have NEVER gotten anything other than the lasagna... I just can't bring myself to try something else when that dish is utter perfection.

Also, get the portabello mushroom to start. The sauce is unreal, and I have legitimately witnessed people licking their plates to finish every last little bit.

[you&me]

Originally posted by cet


Same family as Pulcinella, Villa Firenze, Mercato, etc.

Are you sure all of those are associated? Never knew DT / Pulcinella had anything to do with Mercato :dunno:

[Dave P]

What I find crazy is that Jack Astors is 100ft away any been there forever. Yet that specific location cant hold anyone down.

[quick_scar]

GF and I ate at PZA a couple weeks back. Wont be going back. Looks good decor wise, but the chairs are horribly uncomfortable (maybe to encourage turnover, but you wont be staying longer then needed), food was downtown 17th ave pricing without the taste. We both really enjoy Una pizza and PZA was priced similar but not nearly as good. I would argue the pizza at Jack Astors across the parking lot is on par for less money. I will be shocked if it survives there. We went around dinner on a weekend and well over half the tables were empty. Nothing special about the service. Nothing stood out on the menu. All in all we were not impressed and won't be going back.

BRING BACK RED ROBIN!!!!

[quick_scar]

Originally posted by Dave P
What I find crazy is that Jack Astors is 100ft away any been there forever. Yet that specific location cant hold anyone down.

That's because it is unique, but awesome! Our group of friends usually end up there at least a couple times a month. Its good food, great servers that are engaging and entertaining, and over the years has never let us down or had a bad experience. It is just consistently good which is what I think makes it. Other restaurants can be hit and miss, JA is just solid every time.

[dirtsniffer]

Originally posted by Dave P
What I find crazy is that Jack Astors is 100ft away any been there forever. Yet that specific location cant hold anyone down.

From previous threads here I believe the owner of the complex owns jack astors and anytime a business is successful in the adjacent complex and the owner feels threatened over jack astors business he jacks up the lease rates.