Quench Groupon

Quench is a featured Groupon, which expires tonight at midnight. $10 worth of food for $5

Here is the link
http://www.groupon.com/chicago/deals/quench-restaurants?date=20110615&p=@counter&s=body&utm_campaign=quench-restaurants&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&c=button&utm_content=all-deals_chicago&user=6973fd82864a6b7052f278411258dd241870e6e646c6d4ed1308019e558795fc

Where O Where Have Our Restaurants Gone?

Photo courtesy of The Sixth Ward Blog

Recently over at The Sixth Ward Blog there was a discussion about the closing of Army & Lou's,( http://thesixthward.blogspot.com/2011/01/army-and-lous-to-close-maybe.html)since that discussion Izola's and Quench Fresh Foods have closed their doors and it appears that Josephine's/Hard Times is barely holding on. We termed the cuisine served in the restaurants here as Pan African cuisine. Unfortunately, the  restaurants are having problems delivering.

Recently, the Alderman Elect stated he would miss Izola's and was courting several restaurant operators to open up in Chatham as well as was planning to attend next month's National Restaurant Association annual show to court additional restaurants operators to consider our community. Also, Alderman Lyle reiterated her commitment to Army & Lou's current owners to assist them in finding investors/financing. Unfortunately, I believe they may have missed their best chance when they turned down a popular TV show overtures to appear on their restaurant makeover show.

So the questions remains why are our restaurants failing. I asked a couple of experienced and accomplished Chef's/restaurant operators what did they think . First, Dave Blackmon, former food writer, executive chef for Blu 47 and current Director of Culinary Education for Chicago Public Schools gave the following reasons
"I shoot from the gut when it comes to this business. The restaurant industry is not as easy as people think. If it was, then everybody would open one. It also has a very narrow profit margin and if and if not watched carefully business credit can be ruined and vendors will not do business with the restaurant. Checks will bounce, employees will get bitter. Blah, blah blah.
But that's just the end part. There are so many other factors to take in.
1. so many other cheap eateries open by outsiders from other countries (who have no interest in reinvesting in our community) yet we buy their unhealthy subpar fast food product.
2. Large fast food chains sell it cheap and FAST!!! (Fried Chicken!!!!)
3. Izola's & Army & Lou's have very slow service. plus the food was cold. UNACCEPTABLE!!!
4. The "Old Black Political Power Unit" that would often dine at these spots have died down.
5. Plus people are getting old and can't eat traditional soul food or are looking for a fresher dining option.
6. Dining areas needed a real update.

Bottom line. People just didn't dine there enough to keep the businesses a float. Places like Josephine's (aka Captain Hard Times) might not be that far behind if they don't change soon.
I understand the need to support our Black businesses, but bad service is bad service. BTW, I don't eat at those other eateries I mentioned either. They too have bad service."

The other comments came from Chef Eric Paul, owner of Alter Ego a healthy food alternative restaurant, personal trainer and nutrition educator. Mr. Paul comments were "I totally agree with Chef David. I would also add that these restaurants need to advertise more and continue to build their brands. The old word of mouth advertising doesn't work as well as it used. Second, mom and pop restaurants need to establish additional revenue sources such as catering, packaged versions of their famous recipes (i.e. peach cobbler for supermarkets) and possibly expand operations to include private events and meetings. David also stated that there is much more competition than in the days of old. Some of these restaurants should begin appealing to destination diners (i.e. diverse demographics and geography). In order to do the latter, the mom and pops need to revamp their business models by introducing attractions (i.e. chef nights, live music, art showings, spoken word, etc). Lastly, traditional soul food may be good for the soul, but not the heart. If these restaurant created lighter versions of some of their popular dishes, they may attract a different type of customer. The mom and pop restaurants should study the business models of established giants because they have tons of money and resources to conduct market research and stay ahead of trends. Doing business the same ole' way for 20 years is not going to cut it in this market. These restaurants need to hire some new age consultants who also understand their demographic and make changes quickly or perish."

What do you think? What type of restaurants would you like to see?

ABC7 on the new Quench Fresh Family Foods on 95th street

This store has been getting some media outside of this blog of course. Crains and ABC7 has done stories on this store. I posted the story from Crain's here yesterday.

Entrepreneur Quentin Love, founder of the popular Quench chain restaurants, has partnered with other entrepreneurs to open a grocery store alternative. Residents say the store is badly needed in their neighborhood.

"I think it's great...it's like a French grocery store," said Lenore Juarez, Chatham resident.

The store is the brain child of Chicago restaurateur Quentin Love and co-owner Dianna Wiley who teamed up with LaDonna Redmond, a longtime advocate of healthy food choices in minority communities.

"In our community there is a shortage of fresh produce. So the most important thing with Fresh Family Foods was to create the fresh produce market," said Love.

He brought in other entrepreneurs to open a grocery store that offers can goods, staples, a juice and coffee bar, brown sugar bakery goods, buttered, cheese and caramel Poptime popcorn, a butcher shop along with prepared meals.

Now this quote should ring true in other communities around the city:

The owners say they hope to open other fresh food stores in the future.They want to encourage other African Americans to open up businesses in their communities that will provide services that are desperately needed and to create jobs for residents.

Yeah, I hope there are other Fresh Family Food stores in the future. I often like to refer to the old Food Basket on 87th and King Drive that is now home to a Family Dollar. Perhaps one day Mr. Quentin Love can move into that location. There's also an empty grocery store on 83rd & Stony Island. There's another empty grocery store still just on 103rd & Eberhart. Just a short drive along King Drive from from the current location.

Crain's: Quench owner grows into grocer with new South Side cafe-boutique

A little more about the new grocery store that opened on 95th Street this week:

Quentin Love, owner of the Quench chain of six healthy fast-food restaurants on the South and West sides, opened the grocery store and cafe across from Chicago State University in the Chatham neighborhood on Thursday.

Mr. Love bought a two-year-old shop, Fresh Family Foods, at 336 E. 95th St., earlier this year and closed it for a two-month renovation.

The new 2,500-square-foot store sells produce and includes a butcher counter, a juice and smoothie bar, and a small café serving Quench's menu of fish and chicken entrees and baked goods from Brown Sugar Bakery, another of Mr. Love's businesses.

In keeping with his focus on healthy food, the store does not sell cigarettes or alcohol, he said.

“I like going to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's,” Mr. Love, 37, said, “so we decided to bring the concept of a quaint, urban grocery boutique to the South Side.”

Fresh Family Foods opens amid concerns about urban food deserts, areas — predominantly in Chicago's South and West side neighborhoods — that lack fresh food choices. In this case, there's a Jewel about a mile and a half away. Still, grocers in the neighborhood are far outnumbered by convenience stores, which tend to charge higher prices for packaged foods without offering much in the way of produce.

And there's no place, Mr. Love said, that offers the sense of community he hopes Fresh Family Foods will bring.

“It's going to be a co-op environment that will be shopper-friendly,” he said. “It's one-stop shopping.”

According to Mr. Love, Fresh Family Foods is the only African American-owned grocery store in the state. Another such grocery, Farmers Best Market, opened in the Back of the Yards neighborhood in October 2008 but closed less than a year later.

The neighborhood is incorrectly referred to as Chatham. Not sure if this neighborhood would be referred to as Chesterfield since I'm not entirely certain how far south Chesterfield goes. And it isn't correct to refer to this area as West Chesterfield.

All the same, Chesterfield should talk to Mr. Love about taking over the former Food Basket location on 87th Street and King Drive.

Also it's great to know that the only Black-owned grocery store in Illinois is located in the 6th Ward once again. Let's hope Love is successful in this venture.

Quench: Fresh Family Foods now open

I took this picture yesterday with a nice welcome banner across the store window. Looked inside to see a prominent produce section. Looks like I'll have to actually go inside and check them out in the near future.

They're located at 336 E. 95th St.

Quench: Fresh Family Foods will open Aug. 26th

I was on my way to the 6th Ward picnic last month when I took this picture of this storefront near 95th & King Drive. Thanks to this brief from the Sun-Times I know a little bit more:

Quentin Love, creator of the "no beef, no pork" Quench chain of restaurants, will open Fresh Family Foods, a boutique-style grocery store, on Aug. 26 at 336 E. 95th St. in Chicago. The grocery, across from Chicago State University, will sell fresh produce and freshly prepared hot meals, and will include a juice and coffee bar, according to a press release. Love and co-owner Dianna Wiley are teaming on the concept with healthy food advocate LaDonna Redmond.

If this is a success they can hopefully move into some of the former grocery store location in the community such as the former Food Basket on 87th & King Drive.

Also I chronicled this storefront on at least two occasions. The last occasion I see that the store was named Fresh Family Foods when it opened in that very storefront over two years ago. I wonder if the original owners came to some type of agreement with Quench.

Local Memorial Day Food Options

During the Memorial day weekend go purchase good from the following stores/restaurant.

Brown Sugar Bakery- Cakes, Pies, baked goods

Dat Donut- Some of the best donuts

Chatham Food Market- Get all your grocery items

Wings Around the World- 25 flavors from 9 countries. Great for those days you don't want to cook and holiday parties

Quench- Turkey Burgers, Jerk Chicken tacos

Soul Vegetarian East- Take your vegetarian and vegan friends out for a holiday meal

Lem's Barbeque- Some of the best ribs in Chicago

Reggios Pizza- Chicago Southside style pizza

Capt. Curts Barbeque- Some of the best ribs in Chicago

There may be more and if you are aware, please let us know.