Olive Garden on Burger King Site?

[VitaBene]

I doubt you will see a restaurant in there any time soon given the price of the property- the nut on that with no renovations will be $ 10K/month minimum. I can't imagine carrying that seasonally (pretty much) in this market, docks or not. There is a reason 50 people have looked and none have pulled the trigger!

[chipj29]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

I doubt you will see a restaurant in there any time soon given the price of the property- the nut on that with no renovations will be $ 10K/month minimum. I can't imagine carrying that seasonally (pretty much) in this market, docks or not. There is a reason 50 people have looked and none have pulled the trigger!

You might be surprised. $10k/month is a drop in the bucket for a big chain. I know of one chain restaurant in Concord that pays at least that much to lease their site. Of course they are pulling in $60k/month at least...

[Old Hubbard Rd]

My prediction is that this property never sells. There is a disagreement going on amongst the owners. The owners of the land is a group who one of them owns the Burger King restaurant. They tried to increase the rent to what he figured was a unreasonable amount so the land group owners did not think the Burger king partner would pull out. This Burger King owner owns MANY Burger Kings and financially could walk away and not be pressured into a lease that was not reasonable to him. As I mentioned he is part owner of the land and sole owner of the Burger King. He would need to approve the sale. Do you really think that will happen. The owner of the Burger King is contemplating putting a new style Burger King. A proto type. Burger King is testing a upper scale Burger King. One that may serve alcohol. That is what I heard. Is there truth to it. We'll wait and see. I do miss the Burger King. What a killer location. All those docks!!!

[AKADQ]

In talking with management at BK last year they had purchased the real estate to the left of the building with the intent of building a brand new BK, that of course as long as the group whome owns the building was on board. BK was smart for purchasing their piece because you really can't do much if your a player unless you have both lots. To purchase both lots (that is if BK would part with theirs) would be far to exspensive for what your getting. BK in my opinion won the first round. It would only make sense for both sides to sit down and reach an agreement and maybe we could see BK back in business at that location.

[TBCJ]

Hello all, I am the owner of T-BONES and Cactus Jack's and I can tell you we looked and discussed at length the possibility of getting the docks at the Burger King site. It's very complicated. The facts are this:

1) The lot is divided at the chain link fence
2) The building is no longer owned by Burger King...they land leased and when they decided to not re-new the lease, the building defaults to the land owner
3) Either lot is FAR TOO SMALL for any chain restaurant or full service restaurant. It would be great for a smaller restaurant, but there is a big battle as to who owns the docks...the docks were permitted some 30 years ago to 'the Burger King Restaurant' but they sit on the smaller lot owner (who was the previous owner of the restaurant) so it's unclear who has the rights to the docks..it'll be a battle for sure.
4) As a matter of financial decisions, I think many people are disullisioned as to the cost to move/build a restaurant. Moving our restaurant to that site would be incredibly cost prohibitive, not to mention we would need to have both owners of the lot 'sell'.

Hope this helps clear it up. From my experience, chain restaurants do not pick markets that are so seasonal like this area is. But there's always a first right?

Thanks to those who have posted kind comments about T-BONES and Cac tus Jack's.

Tom Boucher

[sa meredith]

I used those docks 3 or 4 times last season, and walked the tracks to Tbones, and noone ever said anything...although I seem to remember a post somewhere about a sign being put up...something about a small charge if you were heading to Tbones/CJs.
There was always very few, if any, boats there. It really was not the ideal situation..the wind at that end of Paugus is constant, and very regular boat traffic keeps the chop going. Combine the wind, chop, and the fact the docks were floating (as opposed to on pilings) and keeping the boat stable was always tricky. The only way to keep from taking a pretty good beating was to tie off on both side..with very little "give" in the lines. These are probably the same reason "Spinnacker" has such a large breakwater.
Anyway, I liked having the option of using them, but can't say I miss them.
Perhaps some type of an association could be formed from businesses on that side of the bay, and they could share the expense of having the docks put back? Just a thought...and maybe it would not be worth the expense to all retail shops there.
Anyway...
Tom...be sure to check your "message in" box.

[Wolfeboro_Baja]

Originally Posted by WAM 290

I couldn't care what goes there.. just put the docks back.

Originally Posted by Old Hubbard Rd

I do miss the Burger King. What a killer location. All those docks!!!

I agree, as long as they don't put back the SAME docks!! Those floating docks were awful!! I wouldn't tie a canoe to those old floating docks!!

Originally Posted by sa meredith

I used those docks 3 or 4 times last season, and walked the tracks to Tbones, and noone ever said anything...although I seem to remember a post somewhere about a sign being put up...something about a small charge if you were heading to Tbones/CJs.
There was always very few, if any, boats there. It really was not the ideal situation..the wind at that end of Paugus is constant, and very regular boat traffic keeps the chop going. Combine the wind, chop, and the fact the docks were floating (as opposed to on pilings) and keeping the boat stable was always tricky. The only way to keep from taking a pretty good beating was to tie off on both side..with very little "give" in the lines. These are probably the same reason "Spinnacker" has such a large breakwater.
Anyway, I liked having the option of using them, but can't say I miss them.
Perhaps some type of an association could be formed from businesses on that side of the bay, and they could share the expense of having the docks put back? Just a thought...and maybe it would not be worth the expense to all retail shops there.
Anyway...
Tom...be sure to check your "message in" box.

SA, you're right on about it being tricky to keep a boat stable at those docks; tying up to both sides, with spring lines, was the ONLY safe way to tie up to those docks and even then, I was still nervous about the boat taking a beating!

As for what business/restaurant goes into the spot, I really don't care what moves in as long as it's a good restaurant and they install better docks!! We need more dining out options that are reachable by boat!

[The Big Kahuna]

There is no Olive Garden going into the site of the old BK. A friend of mine just won the contract to do the work on the building, he won the bid from a NY firm, G. Ramsey Industries Inc., he isworking with an NY company that is subing the work out. They are building a water side restaurant and lounge, real up-scale from what he is saying.

[Rose]

Originally Posted by The Big Kahuna

There is no Olive Garden going into the site of the old BK. A friend of mine just won the contract to do the work on the building, he won the bid from a NY firm, G. Ramsey Industries Inc., he isworking with an NY company that is subing the work out. They are building a water side restaurant and lounge, real up-scale from what he is saying.

When I hear restaurant and G. Ramsey, Gordon Ramsey of "Hell's Kitchen" and "Kitchen Nightmares" comes to mind. If it's him, that will be one colorful place when the man is on the premises...I don't think he can complete a sentence without dropping the F-bomb.

[fatlazyless]

Wikipedia has a long reference for what's probably the same person and it mentions his colorfull speaking style.

Aye mate, not exactly the same lanquage as her royal majesty, Queen Elizabeth, ya know, but he didn't grow up in Buckingham Palace, either.

[sa meredith]

Originally Posted by The Big Kahuna

There is no Olive Garden going into the site of the old BK. A friend of mine just won the contract to do the work on the building, he won the bid from a NY firm, G. Ramsey Industries Inc., he isworking with an NY company that is subing the work out. They are building a water side restaurant and lounge, real up-scale from what he is saying.

So, when is this going to become public information?
And when is construction going to begin?
And lastly, where are the customers going to park their cars?

[Resident 2B]

Does anyone have any new information about the construction mentioned in post #49?? If G. Ramsey is not coming in, what about an Olive Garden?

An Olive Garden seems like a better match for that site than the up-scale place mentioned in post #49.

With all that has happened in the US since post 49, the economy might have taken that idea away. Money has been very tight since September.

It would be great to have an update.

R2B

[no-engine]

Originally Posted by The Big Kahuna

There is no Olive Garden going into the site of the old BK. A friend of mine just won the contract to do the work on the building, he won the bid from a NY firm, G. Ramsey Industries Inc., he isworking with an NY company that is subing the work out. They are building a water side restaurant and lounge, real up-scale from what he is saying.

This is 4.5 months later - NO WORK YET.

Do we believe?



I am always amused by all the rumors on this entire forum.
I see very little verification. One could ask Laconia planning board.
Please understand, I have no intent to offend anyone...........