Your food for thought ideas are needed

MarkinNH · 10-23-2010, 06:06 PM

Just a quick question for all those people suggesting sports bars and sit down restaurants like a 99's etc. Where are all the customers supposed to park ? The building in question has limited parking at best.
I certainly don't know the legal requirements but I would suspect that a xx# seat restaurant most likely would have parking requirements.
This is only my personal opinion, but the town of Meredith already has 8 places with bars, that I can think of right off the top of my head where people can go and drink. Somehow I just don't see the town really needing another one.

arthurc · 10-23-2010, 06:33 PM

Just bring back the lake Shore Deli. It was fine

no-engine · 10-23-2010, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkinNH

Just a quick question for all those people suggesting sports bars and sit down restaurants like a 99's etc. Where are all the customers supposed to park ? The building in question has limited parking at best.
I certainly don't know the legal requirements but I would suspect that a xx# seat restaurant most likely would have parking requirements.
This is only my personal opinion, but the town of Meredith already has 8 places with bars, that I can think of right off the top of my head where people can go and drink. Somehow I just don't see the town really needing another one.

Parking is part of the reason when I wrote the site is not appropriate for franchise. Just look at parking around restaurants like 99 & appleby's

Bear Island South · 10-24-2010, 08:29 AM

FLL is on to something...the burrito shop would be a great idea...I've noticed in Mass, the Qdoba and Chipolte restaurants are always busy.
Keep it simple, fresh food and good help.

SAMIAM · 10-24-2010, 08:40 AM

Since there is limited parking, seems like you need something that is fast turnover.....are there any docks or access from the lake?

no-engine · 10-24-2010, 10:02 AM

I seem to recall water Lake access and a little grass strip used by clients of former Lake Shore Deli, BUT I think the depth is quite shallow.

jrc · 10-24-2010, 10:22 AM

After reading these posts, I figured out where this place is. I only really know Meredith by boat. You can walk there from the public docks. There is a small public park right on the water, I guess you could anchor there and swim/wade in.

Now that I remember this building and the previous deli, it might be too small for a Patricks/99 type place. And too small for any chain. A sports bar would have to be more like Crazy Gringo (only cleaner

). I know that CG is more biker bar than sports bar, but a few more TV's is all you need. Crazy Gringo has been busy year round for a long time it's not a bad model to copy.

Or to repeat myself, a steak sub place, like the original Waldo Pepper's.

AKADQ · 10-24-2010, 12:06 PM

You all have some great ideas but we are thinking more of the frase K-I-S-S(KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID). Restaurants and Pubs are great ideas but the old Lakeshore Deli concept worked great, mostly take-out with some seating. Although we would not rule out the resurrection of Lakeshore Deli, we feel we would like to do something different. Most corners in Meredith now offer sandwich's/pizza it seems. One successful business concept that comes to mind that is simple and different in Laconia is " Buritto Me". Part of the old "Lakeshore Deli" menu was Mexican and it did very well. Another business concept that is different is specializing in a good burger with handcut fries and shakes. Remember the frase K-I-S-S...

Chickie · 10-24-2010, 02:46 PM

What about an honest to goodness fish and chip shop like they have in the UK? When I was in Scotland in the 70’s there was one on every street corner and they were all busy on any given evening. Instead of going out for ice cream, they went out for fish and chips. Nothing fancy, as it was just rolled up in paper and away you went. They certainly knew the secret to frying fish to perfection. It was so tasty and fried to a golden brown. If you could find Skate in this country, you would have a winner. Best darn fish I’ve eaten and it has no bones.

Shedwannabe · 10-24-2010, 05:50 PM

What I most would like to see is a restaurant featuring real food - organic, non-GMO food - i.e. food that is actually good for you. MY kitchen is almost always more appetizing than going to some place that has anitbiotic drenched meat, GMO vegies and corn, and a reliance on dairy to cover its lack of appeal.

Would also be nice to have a place that focuses on taste over quantity - you know - not feed the epidemic of obesity.

SAMIAM · 10-24-2010, 07:31 PM

Shed .....that would make for a happy world.....except that nobody wants to eat that stuff. Can you think of a single health food restaurant that has done well in the lakes region?
At the VK, we offer several healthy entree's and people tell us they appreciate it but they amount to a very small amount of sales.
Maybe it would work in a larger city but I think it would be a recipe for failure in the lakes region.

winnipiseogee · 10-24-2010, 07:49 PM

Burgers or Burritos? Both would be great. Just PLEASE do good burritos (Burrito me is a great example). New England burritos have a tendency to be BAD! Also, check out In-n-Out burgers - most profitable fast food per sqft in the country. They don't franchise but its a great concept!

Liquorish · 10-24-2010, 08:30 PM

How about something that would cater to boaters in the summer and deliver to the public docks? Simple, great sandwiches and salads, burgers etc.

fatlazyless · 10-24-2010, 09:07 PM

Here's the www.burritome.com website/menu and apparently the Flying Burrito Brothers in Waterville Valley have no website which is not unusual.....like why even have a website. After all, one cannot eat or taste the website ....what Flying Burrito has is an over-sized menu with prices and descriptions in their window.

Burrito Me is conveniently located just across from the www.laconialibrary.org ... another good reason to visit downtown Laconia....and, by the way, downtown Laconia, Main St, has three very nice retail stores, side by side up by the end near the Winnipesaukee River: Bootlegger's Shoes, Laconia Antiques, & either a Family Dollar or a Dollar Tree store....it's a blur in my memory as to which?

BURRITO THAT! ....possible name for new Mexican take-out....or maybe 'Meredith Mexicali-Mexican Food' .... hey, burrito that, amigo!

MarkinNH · 10-24-2010, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shedwannabe

What I most would like to see is a restaurant featuring real food - organic, non-GMO food - i.e. food that is actually good for you. MY kitchen is almost always more appetizing than going to some place that has anitbiotic drenched meat, GMO vegies and corn, and a reliance on dairy to cover its lack of appeal.

Would also be nice to have a place that focuses on taste over quantity - you know - not feed the epidemic of obesity.

One of the negatives of this would be the price's. If you look at what organic items cost in a grocery store you can only imagine what items would wind up costing the customer in an organic restaurant.
I agree that we should all eat healthier but Samiam said it very well. Who wants to go to a restaurant whether it is eat in or take out and pay hard earned money for toffu and rice cakes. Not Me

Now a Really Good Chili Burrito sounds pretty darned appetizing.

jkjoshuatree · 10-24-2010, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shedwannabe

What I most would like to see is a restaurant featuring real food - organic, non-GMO food - i.e. food that is actually good for you. MY kitchen is almost always more appetizing than going to some place that has anitbiotic drenched meat, GMO vegies and corn, and a reliance on dairy to cover its lack of appeal.

Would also be nice to have a place that focuses on taste over quantity - you know - not feed the epidemic of obesity.

Of course I just couldn't just stay quiet about this considering the industry I'm in, but I agree with Shedwannabe. Like everyone else, I enjoy eating out but with the limited "healthy" choices out there, I tend not to. With fast food, it's even harder to find healthy fare.

SAMIAM...I love the fact that you offer healthy food but when you say, "no one wants to eat that stuff" it's not true. And while I'm not trying to preach, this country is in a SEVERE decline with it's health. The obesity epidemic is out of control. Ten years ago, 1 in 11 kids were obese. Today it's 1 in 3. And with increased obesity comes higher health risks (diabetes, heart failure, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and cholesterol-just to name a few). 49 out of 50 states are obese (Colorado is the only one that isn't). America tends to over-size everything and packs everything with extra fat and sodium to make it taste better. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Now I know the Lakes Region is a tourist/vacation spot and almost everyone tends to go overboard with the amount of "junk" they eat while away (heck-I went to Bailey's in Wolfeboro probably 15 of the 30 days I was up there this summer-I love ice cream-it's one of my only vices left, thank God) but it would be nice to have a healthy choice for lunch/dinner. And it doesn't have to be all "earthy-crunchy" food (or tofu and rice cakes MarkInNH-wink wink). Good, healthy food can taste amazing.

I goto the Wining Butcher when I want something quick and healthy (turkey wrap on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado, and mustard) and that's a perfectly healthy choice.

It also doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either. Fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean cuts of meat, and healthy fats are the cornerstone of a complete diet.

Considering there are a number of farms and farm stands in the Lakes Region (many more than Boston) all the produce and fruit could be supplied by them.

Just a thought.

Another side note to MarkInNH...a burrito can be a totally healthy meal. Chicken, veggies, brown rice, guacamole (that's a good fat) is perfect. Just skip the sour cream and cheese (do you really ever taste the cheese anyway? Think about it...do you?) and get it on a whole wheat wrap. Even the beans are good for you-a little high in sodium but very high in protein and fiber.

A place like East of Suez seems to do pretty well and most of their items are on the healthier side. Same goes for Lemon Grass. That being said, it doesn't have to be a restaurant that serves only Asian food.

A sandwich/soup/salad place could do very well in Meredith. And I know that sounds a lot like a deli, but like I said in my previous post, make it more like an upscale cafe, offer free Wifi, and have organic food (organic does NOT mean tasteless-all it means is that it's not covered in pesticides, stuffed full of hormones, or filled with additives).

Okay...I'm done. I'm getting off my soapbox now.

Sorry for such a long post, but this is something I'm very passionate about and it's a MAJOR concern for the well-being of this country.

kauriel · 10-24-2010, 11:08 PM

I'm personally not a fan, but the Chipotle here in Woburn MA is always packed. They offer gourmet burritos made with sustainable products. My husband really likes their food so we make a point to order online to avoid the long lines. They are a bit pricy, but they seem to be thriving.

One thing to note is that I rarely see families, couples, etc. in Chipotle and other similar venues. Be careful about just offering burgers or burritos because you may exclude families if one person does not want that item. It may be cost effective to keep things simple, but think about how successful cheesecake factory is with their huge menu. As a picky eater, I prefer places that have a decent variety.

AllAbourdon · 10-27-2010, 01:24 PM

I could live on them. I would be just fine in Mexico.

Living in the Seacoast area we have a few options down here that always seem busy. The food is very fresh and they have healthy options for people if you are so inclined.

Dos Amigos Burritos http://www.dosamigosburritos.com/
Loco Coco's http://www.locococos.com/
Las Olas http://www.lasolastaqueria.com/

We also have some of the more "sit down" style places with table service such as Margarita's and Ixtapa.

trfour · 10-27-2010, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllAbourdon

I could live on them. I would be just fine in Mexico.

And most all good fresh Mexican food, however you could not entice me to be in any part of Mexico these days!

Read why; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39863570...news-americas/

Be careful what you wish for, and stay safe!

Terry
_____________________________________

10-23-2010, 06:33 PM	#2
arthurc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 82 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Lake Shore Deli Just bring back the lake Shore Deli. It was fine

10-24-2010, 08:29 AM	#4
Bear Island South Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Southboro, MA Posts: 579 Thanks: 75 Thanked 384 Times in 170 Posts	Mexican FLL is on to something...the burrito shop would be a great idea...I've noticed in Mass, the Qdoba and Chipolte restaurants are always busy. Keep it simple, fresh food and good help.

10-24-2010, 12:06 PM	#8
AKADQ Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Meredith Posts: 89 Thanks: 47 Thanked 17 Times in 13 Posts	K-i-s-s You all have some great ideas but we are thinking more of the frase K-I-S-S(KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID). Restaurants and Pubs are great ideas but the old Lakeshore Deli concept worked great, mostly take-out with some seating. Although we would not rule out the resurrection of Lakeshore Deli, we feel we would like to do something different. Most corners in Meredith now offer sandwich's/pizza it seems. One successful business concept that comes to mind that is simple and different in Laconia is " Buritto Me". Part of the old "Lakeshore Deli" menu was Mexican and it did very well. Another business concept that is different is specializing in a good burger with handcut fries and shakes. Remember the frase K-I-S-S... Last edited by AKADQ; 10-24-2010 at 04:42 PM.

10-24-2010, 02:46 PM	#9
Chickie Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 368 Thanks: 0 Thanked 67 Times in 38 Posts	Fish & Chip Shop What about an honest to goodness fish and chip shop like they have in the UK? When I was in Scotland in the 70’s there was one on every street corner and they were all busy on any given evening. Instead of going out for ice cream, they went out for fish and chips. Nothing fancy, as it was just rolled up in paper and away you went. They certainly knew the secret to frying fish to perfection. It was so tasty and fried to a golden brown. If you could find Skate in this country, you would have a winner. Best darn fish I’ve eaten and it has no bones.

10-24-2010, 09:07 PM	#14
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,779 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 300 Thanked 1,022 Times in 744 Posts	Here's the www.burritome.com website/menu and apparently the Flying Burrito Brothers in Waterville Valley have no website which is not unusual.....like why even have a website. After all, one cannot eat or taste the website ....what Flying Burrito has is an over-sized menu with prices and descriptions in their window. Burrito Me is conveniently located just across from the www.laconialibrary.org ... another good reason to visit downtown Laconia....and, by the way, downtown Laconia, Main St, has three very nice retail stores, side by side up by the end near the Winnipesaukee River: Bootlegger's Shoes, Laconia Antiques, & either a Family Dollar or a Dollar Tree store....it's a blur in my memory as to which? BURRITO THAT! ....possible name for new Mexican take-out....or maybe 'Meredith Mexicali-Mexican Food' .... hey, burrito that, amigo! __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

10-23-2010, 06:06 PM	#1
MarkinNH Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 392 Thanks: 177 Thanked 146 Times in 76 Posts	Just a quick question for all those people suggesting sports bars and sit down restaurants like a 99's etc. Where are all the customers supposed to park ? The building in question has limited parking at best. I certainly don't know the legal requirements but I would suspect that a xx# seat restaurant most likely would have parking requirements. This is only my personal opinion, but the town of Meredith already has 8 places with bars, that I can think of right off the top of my head where people can go and drink. Somehow I just don't see the town really needing another one.

10-24-2010, 08:40 AM	#5
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,909 Thanks: 337 Thanked 1,686 Times in 592 Posts	Since there is limited parking, seems like you need something that is fast turnover.....are there any docks or access from the lake?

10-24-2010, 10:02 AM	#6
no-engine Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: West side Winnipesaukee, Lakes Region Posts: 516 Thanks: 20 Thanked 52 Times in 40 Posts	I seem to recall water Lake access and a little grass strip used by clients of former Lake Shore Deli, BUT I think the depth is quite shallow.

10-24-2010, 10:22 AM	#7
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	After reading these posts, I figured out where this place is. I only really know Meredith by boat. You can walk there from the public docks. There is a small public park right on the water, I guess you could anchor there and swim/wade in. Now that I remember this building and the previous deli, it might be too small for a Patricks/99 type place. And too small for any chain. A sports bar would have to be more like Crazy Gringo (only cleaner ). I know that CG is more biker bar than sports bar, but a few more TV's is all you need. Crazy Gringo has been busy year round for a long time it's not a bad model to copy. Or to repeat myself, a steak sub place, like the original Waldo Pepper's.

10-24-2010, 05:50 PM	#10
Shedwannabe Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Laconia Posts: 133 Thanks: 3 Thanked 22 Times in 15 Posts	What I most would like to see is a restaurant featuring real food - organic, non-GMO food - i.e. food that is actually good for you. MY kitchen is almost always more appetizing than going to some place that has anitbiotic drenched meat, GMO vegies and corn, and a reliance on dairy to cover its lack of appeal. Would also be nice to have a place that focuses on taste over quantity - you know - not feed the epidemic of obesity.

10-24-2010, 07:31 PM	#11
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,909 Thanks: 337 Thanked 1,686 Times in 592 Posts	Shed .....that would make for a happy world.....except that nobody wants to eat that stuff. Can you think of a single health food restaurant that has done well in the lakes region? At the VK, we offer several healthy entree's and people tell us they appreciate it but they amount to a very small amount of sales. Maybe it would work in a larger city but I think it would be a recipe for failure in the lakes region.

10-24-2010, 07:49 PM	#12
winnipiseogee Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 297 Thanks: 67 Thanked 152 Times in 79 Posts	Burgers or Burritos? Both would be great. Just PLEASE do good burritos (Burrito me is a great example). New England burritos have a tendency to be BAD! Also, check out In-n-Out burgers - most profitable fast food per sqft in the country. They don't franchise but its a great concept!

10-24-2010, 08:30 PM	#13
Liquorish Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Medfield Ma & Meredith Nh Posts: 93 Thanks: 8 Thanked 14 Times in 12 Posts	How about something that would cater to boaters in the summer and deliver to the public docks? Simple, great sandwiches and salads, burgers etc.

10-24-2010, 11:08 PM	#17
kauriel Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Laconia, N. MA Posts: 290 Thanks: 119 Thanked 62 Times in 44 Posts	I'm personally not a fan, but the Chipotle here in Woburn MA is always packed. They offer gourmet burritos made with sustainable products. My husband really likes their food so we make a point to order online to avoid the long lines. They are a bit pricy, but they seem to be thriving. One thing to note is that I rarely see families, couples, etc. in Chipotle and other similar venues. Be careful about just offering burgers or burritos because you may exclude families if one person does not want that item. It may be cost effective to keep things simple, but think about how successful cheesecake factory is with their huge menu. As a picky eater, I prefer places that have a decent variety.

10-27-2010, 01:24 PM	#18
AllAbourdon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 61 Thanks: 22 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Burritos I could live on them. I would be just fine in Mexico. Living in the Seacoast area we have a few options down here that always seem busy. The food is very fresh and they have healthy options for people if you are so inclined. Dos Amigos Burritos http://www.dosamigosburritos.com/ Loco Coco's http://www.locococos.com/ Las Olas http://www.lasolastaqueria.com/ We also have some of the more "sit down" style places with table service such as Margarita's and Ixtapa.