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Olde Main closing

My partner is a bookkeeper for a conglomerate of restaurants. It's a tough ass industry. Profit margins are razor thin and taxes through the roof. For small businesses especially the tax burden is way too high. Its a wonder any restaurant stays open.
 
Start up the hype train for a iowa brewiery opening a tap room there

Off top of my head

  • Exile
  • Peace Tree
  • Big Grove
  • Barn Town
 
I’ll add they had a decent menu, but their food quality had been going downhill recently.

A few years ago when I was living up in Ames a buddy and I went to OM for pint night, and ordered dinner as well. He ordered some sort of smoked salmon salad deal, and they brought it out to him with the fish on top of the salad still uncooked.

I never thought they were great to begin with, but that was my first WTF moment with them.
 
Peter said:
My partner is a bookkeeper for a conglomerate of restaurants. It's a tough ass industry. Profit margins are razor thin and taxes through the roof. For small businesses especially the tax burden is way too high. Its a wonder any restaurant stays open.
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No way in H*&# I'd ever think about opening a restaurant these days. I'm shocked other people still try.
 
Al_4_State said:
It seemed vibrant the last time I visited as well (2017ish). It's just that the beer wasn't very good, but it sounds like food and service have slipped as well.
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That place wasn’t good the last time I was there which was probably 2012. Hasn’t been good for years.
 
Peter said:
My partner is a bookkeeper for a conglomerate of restaurants. It's a tough ass industry. Profit margins are razor thin and taxes through the roof. For small businesses especially the tax burden is way too high. Its a wonder any restaurant stays open.
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Good restaurants do just fine. Restaurants that don't do anything well, differentiate themselves, etc. struggle.

That really isn't any different than any other industry.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: casey1973
The old main venue is really nice looking both inside and outside. I wonder making the building an event venue for wedding receptions, parties, etc. would make sense.
 
ScottyP said:
The old main venue is really nice looking both inside and outside. I wonder making the building an event venue for wedding receptions, parties, etc. would make sense.
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I’ve been there for a wedding reception in their upstairs, so I think they already do that. Someone else could really run with it if they want to
 
Cyched said:
I’ll add they had a decent menu, but their food quality had been going downhill recently.

A few years ago when I was living up in Ames a buddy and I went to OM for pint night, and ordered dinner as well. He ordered some sort of smoked salmon salad deal, and they brought it out to him with the fish on top of the salad still uncooked.

I never thought they were great to begin with, but that was my first WTF moment with them.
Click to expand...

Isn’t smoked salmon always cold?
 
Peter said:
My partner is a bookkeeper for a conglomerate of restaurants. It's a tough ass industry. Profit margins are razor thin and taxes through the roof. For small businesses especially the tax burden is way too high. Its a wonder any restaurant stays open.
Click to expand...


Anybody know if they owned the building? Or were they not making those payments either? Seems like a foreclosure on the building could keep the place boarded up for a long time.
 
mtowncyclone13 said:
Same with a lot on contractors. You can do a trade well but suck communicating with people about non-trade business.
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It's exactly why my martial arts business didn't make it. Teaching is easy, but the business end of doing things you really enjoy or love is a whole different beast. Calling it a weakness on my end is really euphamizing.
 
I wonder if someone would buy the building to brew some beer, or maybe even liquor in? This is dependent on the condition of the brewing machinery there.

I could also see it as a nice wedding venue in the downtown area. Although, I would bet it turns in to another restaurant.
 
Had heard that workers paychecks were bouncing and that the ownership was telling them also that they all shouldn't cash them all at once. I know a lot of restaurants are looking to hire right now so they shouldn't have trouble getting job. A couple Old Main bartenders got a job at Whiskey River already.
 
Cycsk said:
Anybody know if they owned the building? Or were they not making those payments either? Seems like a foreclosure on the building could keep the place boarded up for a long time.
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Scott Griffen owns the building at 125 Main (Corner Pocket/DG's).

The Olde Main site (316 Main) has been owned by KCJ Enterprises since 2003. The agent for KCJ is a Michael Gilmer out of Des Moines, but it appears that someone in the Griffen family is the owner of KCJ.
 
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