Winnipesaukee Forum - Woodshed Restaurant fire 11-28-13

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- - Woodshed Restaurant fire 11-28-13 (https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16842)

Off the beaten path

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Ah, but it WAS successful at that site, was it not?

Quality counts for something, I suppose.

But dummied down to "just average," restaurants need to be conveniently located to make it.

I am reminded about a unique property in rural NC I went to once for dinner, Pollyrosa.

It was located far off the beaten path, convenient to nothing, and to nobody.And yet ... it was absolutely packed, and did a great business.

Kind of like La Meridiana in Wilmot. Awesome Italian restaurant in the middle of nowhere, but does a great business. At least I assume it still does since I haven't been there in a while.

http://lameridianarestaurantnh.com

I might suggest that the only unique thing about the location was that the Woodshed was there and it was build in an old farmhouse and barn. If you are thinking about building a restaurant from scratch (the only choice at that location now), wouldn't you try to put it in the best location you could? Sure, you could make such a unique and attractive restaurant that people would flock to it (and there are no guarantees of that) but wouldn't it be easier to flock to an easier to find location?

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Originally Posted by jniff101 (Post 226649)

This comment sounds extremely ignorant. "Letting it burn on their watch"? So your telling me that if a homeowners house catches on fire in the middle of the night that they should be ashamed for "letting it happen"?
The woodshed was a fires best friend, unfortunately as soon as there was a spark there was nothing anyone could do. It's a shame what happened to such an amazing place but to point the finger at this point is just nonsense.

I stand by my comment. You note "the Woodshed was a fire's best friend". I agree and that is why I feel more precaution should have been taken to avoid the disaster that occurred.

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Originally Posted by jeffk (Post 226703)

Jeff:

You are correct that the location in itself was not unique. However, the fact that a successful restaurant operated there for 40+ years and enjoyed a strong following does make the site unique. If a restaurant with similar charm and character were constructed on the site within the next few years many folks would return to give it a try and if they liked the product they would be repeat customers. Let's hope it happens but I agree the odds are not favorable.

I don't know about that!

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Originally Posted by secondcurve (Post 226645)

The people who owned the Woodshed should be tarred and feathered for letting it burn on their watch. I still find it amazing that no cause of fire was determined.

While I somewhat agree with your second sentence, I cannot fathom how you would write the first.

4 people bought the Woodshed at auction and wanted nothing more for it than success. If you know anything about the construction of the place, it was a dry old barn that then had another structure built around it. It had no sprinklers.

There are some thoughts and even potentially well founded rumors about how it started. However, anyone that saw it burning knows how fast and hot that fire was destroying likely any solid evidence of how it started.

The Woodshed was my go to restaurant, my 16 YO daughter worked there (she has the distinction of being the Shed's last busser) and we are certainly deeply saddened that it is gone, however I have no animosity toward the owners.

Sometimes investigations such as these take longer than we like... isn't there still a murder investigation going on in Wolfeboro years later?