Raglan Road eviction, new Famous Dave's tenant, KC Hopps to P&L

[AJoD]

A loaded Cityscape today from Joyce Smith, didn't see this elsewhere posted. Feel free to delete once the appropriate threads are noted.

http://economy.kansascity.com/?q=node/11115

[mean]

Wow. Pity I never got around to trying Raglan Road. I heard it was actually pretty good. Glad to hear KC Hopps is coming to P&L. Another brewpub would be awesome, but I don't really see Cordish letting them go that direction with Gordon Biersch right already in place.

[ignatius]

P&L will need constant change to keep people interested but that RR spot would look like a big hole if not quickly filled.  Hopefully that's the spot that KC Hopps would take... my second guess would be the Ted's spot.  

Am curious to see what ends up in F Dave's - hopefully a KC BBQ joint - even if one that takes shortcuts.  Gates would be a good fit for tourists with the 'hi may i help you' experience.

Also, Cordish should move the Friday night free concerts to a weekday.  P&L now pulls really well on weekends without the need for an event.  Weekdays will need events to keep all restaurants in motion.  P&L needs to find cheap ways to have a mini event every weekday night to fill gaps, even if it's something to cause a gathering on the big screen.  If a few people gather, passerby's will hang out.

[mean]

Are they still showing Royals games in the living room?

[Highlander]

Wow. Pity I never got around to trying Raglan Road. I heard it was actually pretty good. Glad to hear KC Hopps is coming to P&L. Another brewpub would be awesome, but I don't really see Cordish letting them go that direction with Gordon Biersch right already in place.

I've never tried the food at Raglan Road, although I have been there for drinks (and it was pretty busy although I've seen very few actual diners there).  I hate that they are leaving, they spent a bundle and made a visually stunning place, and to be honest, it would probably behoove Cordish to cut them a bit of slack just because it is such a nice place (and Cordish has not been hugely successful in replacing lost business or even filling the existing space).  I suspect rents down there are pretty outrageous not to mention how much they spent upgrading the property.  Tough business to be in.  

[ignatius]

I'm not into Irish food to begin with but essentially everyone I know who has eaten there liked the place but not the food. I felt the same way.  Maybe KC Hopps can keep the pub feel with same decor but not necessarily Irish food.

[coreyo]

KC Beer Blog posited a long time ago, but wouldn't it be great if P&L somehow turned into a beer mecca?  Maybe Boulevard could open up a spot, 75th street do a downtown beer concept. People are already headed downtown to drink anyway. Why not make beer the main attraction? 

[aknowledgeableperson]

Glad to hear KC Hopps is coming to P&L.

Sounds like a chain.   

Meanwhile, K.C. Hopps Ltd. - owner and operator of 12 restaurant/bars under such names as the 75th Street Brewery, Barley’s Brewhaus, Blue Moose Bar & Grill, Los Cabos, O’Dowd’s Little Dublin, 810 Zones, Wild Bill’s Legendary Steakhouse & Saloon

[KCMax]

KC Beer Blog posited a long time ago, but wouldn't it be great if P&L somehow turned into a beer mecca?  Maybe Boulevard could open up a spot, 75th street do a downtown beer concept. People are already headed downtown to drink anyway. Why not make beer the main attraction? 

AGAINST THE LAW! Alcohol laws are stupid. Brewers that brew that much beer are not allowed to own restaurants.

[KCPowercat]

Wow.

[Highlander]

AGAINST THE LAW! Alcohol laws are stupid.

Agreed, the myriad of arbitrary laws per city, county and state is among the dumbest things I've seen in America...particularly the law stating that brewers cannot open restaurants.  I do not see what is stopping them from having a proxy restaurant where they lease the name to an independent owner who in turn champions their products.     

[AJoD]

I've never tried the food at Raglan Road, although I have been there for drinks (and it was pretty busy although I've seen very few actual diners there).  I hate that they are leaving, they spent a bundle and made a visually stunning place, and to be honest, it would probably behoove Cordish to cut them a bit of slack just because it is such a nice place (and Cordish has not been hugely successful in replacing lost business or even filling the existing space).  I suspect rents down there are pretty outrageous not to mention how much they spent upgrading the property.  Tough business to be in.  

I had the same initial reaction about the slack and the rents, but I was still surprised to see the actual numbers:

But its landlord filed suit earlier this month, saying it owes $608,856 in back rent and other charges and is now in breach of its lease.
...

According to the suit, Raglan Road signed a 10 year lease in September 2007 and agreed to pay $244,793.50 annually for the first year, increasing over the length of the lease, as well as five percent of gross sales in excess of $5 million, a security deposit equal to a year’s rent and other payments.

That works out to more than $49,000 a month.

$600K in back rent is pretty steep.

[brewcrew1000]

49,000 a month in rent and they signed a 10 year lease. Thats almost 6 million in 10 years, man, they could have built their own building across the street somewhere and still had money leftover.

[trailerkid]

Can I vote no on a 10,000 square foot KC Hopps concept? Maybe Cordish is trying to get KC Hopps to open an O'Dowds at Power and Light. I think that's a decent idea if true.

Cordish should pay OK Joe's to operate out of the old Famous Dave's.

[KCPowercat]

I didnt read it as KC hopps is taking over RR spot, just coming in.

Raglan should keep the space to the south and let the huge hall space go......and cordish move in a German beer garden type establishment.

[KCRoyal]

Got to try Raglan's food during it's first year of operation.  I too my mom there for her birthday and she loved it.  Pity it's leaving...

[mean]

Sounds like a chain.   

Huh? KC Hopps is not a restaurant chain. It is a restaurant ownership group. And anyway, while I do hate a lot of chains, there are plenty that I think are fine.

[splash]

When I heard about this in May, I was pretty surprised.  Last I knew, KC Hopps had toyed with the idea of opening something at P&L, but decided against it.  I don't think they'll put an O'Dowd's there, because it's a bit too close to the Plaza location.  Barley's wouldn't really be a draw, either, because of Flying Saucer and their huge line of taps.  Maybe something like 75th Street would work, though?  I'm not totally familiar with everything at Power and Light, but I don't think they have a brewery concept there, do they?

[grovester]

Gordon Biersch does their own brew.

[KC-wildcat]

If Raglan leaves, I really hope that Cordish gets to keep the imported bars as security.