KCRag Forum

Rumi, Addis Ababa, Macaluso's, and rumors of Circe - closing. 

what's going on here?  i know that 39th has seen its share of restaurant closures, but this seems like a lot to me.  are rents being jacked up?  too much competition?  the rise of alternatives (Xroads, downtown, etc)?

chrizow wrote: Rumi, Addis Ababa, Macaluso's, and rumors of Circe - closing. 

what's going on here?  i know that 39th has seen its share of restaurant closures, but this seems like a lot to me.  are rents being jacked up?  too much competition?  the rise of alternatives (Xroads, downtown, etc)?

So what restaurants remain?  Are the ones that are shutting their doors closing due to lack of business or for other reasons?

If it is competition, that would be a bad omen with the opening of the P&L District just around the corner.

Discussing this with a couple of 39th street biz owners last nite, they offered the belief it's the continued development of chain food, especially in far reaches of burbs.  The trip to the city for a meal and a night is being replaced by a short drive to 135th/151st/Blackbob/Barry Road/Legends/40 highway.

They also offered that it's likely a continued fallout of money going to the boats, sucking out other entertainment $.

Interestingly, they feel that Cordish is going to help get people back to the city, providing incentive and changing patterns.

So what restaurants remain?  Are the ones that are shutting their doors closing due to lack of business or for other reasons?

If it is competition, that would be a bad omen with the opening of the P&L District just around the corner.

There are many restaurants left - Jazz, Room 39, Saigon, Friends, Blue Koi, D'Bronx, Genghis Kahn, Minsky's, Thomas (not sure if this is doing well or not), Fric/Frac, Bell St. Mamas - I'm sure there are more.

I don't think the P&L will have any effect on this. The P&L are destination/tourist restaurants. The Plaza is much closer to this are and it hasn't been hurt by that.

I'd say nothing out of the ordinary.  Such is the life of the independent restaurant scene.

Don't forget Hannah / Qdoba...

I think part of the problem is that there are just too many restaurants right there. The market is saturated, and the surrounding neighborhood isn't nearly dense enough to support it. That part of Volker is almost entirely single family homes on large lots, with a few 3-story six-plexes. That area would be perfect for rowhomes or more apartments, but there's just nowhere to put them.

Anything currently on 39th street anywhere near the quality of Cafe Allegro?  That was the one I was sick about as it was my favorite spot in KC.  I really liked Kiki's Bon Ton Maison also. 

KCPowercat wrote: I'd say nothing out of the ordinary.  Such is the life of the independent restaurant scene.

agreed.

Room 39 has to turn people away. Genghis Khan, d'bronx and Blue Koi still have great crowds. I think its an anomaly those restaurants are closing.

Mom's usually is jammed, but Jazz often is three-quarters-empty.

Or one quarters full, depending on your point of view!

hmm, most of those you mentioned chriz i always wondered how they would survive as i would hit 39th once or twice a week for a while and there would be one or two other tables occupied at most (many times...especially addis ababa...)

Jazz is usually 90% full when I am there, which is quite often.  I don't think there is any big trend on 39th.  Independents come and go all the time.  And in the case of Rumi and Macaluso's it sounds like the owners were just ready to move on to other ventures.  No one has provided any details on the reasons Addis Ababa or Circe might be closing.

Newer places like Taj Palace, Pangea, or Blue Koi are going strong, and Miami Ice is set to open this summer. Most of the long-time institutions like d'Bronx, Fric and Frac, or Ghengis Khan are going strong.  Perhaps one of the closings will give Pangea an opportunity to move west where the action is.

Qdoba's closing doesn't mean anything for 39th St.  Several other Qdoba's have also closed, and chains usually don't do well on 39th anyway.

What is Miami Ice and where is it located?

KCMax wrote: What is Miami Ice and where is it located?

It's to the right of Fric & Frac. I don't know what kind of place it will be though.

KCMax wrote: What is Miami Ice and where is it located?

It's a new desert/ice cream shop that Fric & Frac is building across the street to the east, in the old carpenter's workshop.

Ah, I had noticed that space. Good to see something will be filling it.

Hopefully the buildings for Macaluso's, Cafe Rumi, Circe and Addis Abba don't sit vacant for very long. If the restaurant market there is a bit saturated, what kind of business do you think could make it? Some sort of retail?

loftguy wrote: Discussing this with a couple of 39th street biz owners last nite, they offered the belief it's the continued development of chain food, especially in far reaches of burbs.  The trip to the city for a meal and a night is being replaced by a short drive to 135th/151st/Blackbob/Barry Road/Legends/40 highway.

Exurban chain restaurants must be a new thing.

People in Blue Springs aren't going to Red Robin or Carraba's instead of W. 39th-- no matter how good it sounds to the ears of an indie restaurant.

Isn't retail/restaurant a very tough business to begin with? Add in the fact that W 39th's market is foodie types who are probably quick to cut strings considering the amount of competition in the metro/city.

Instead of constantly vilifying some outside force for taking out a retail/restaurant establishment, maybe it's time the autopsy started internally.

I'd guess there are more than enough people in KCK/Midtown/Downtown/Plaza/Brookside to patronize 39th street that not much of the 39th street clientele hails from Olathe or Blue Springs.

Miami Ice = horrible name

But, if it is good ice cream I will stop caring.