Charleston Restaurant Report July 2013
ON THE MENU
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1. Green Scene – BAD FUMES + GOOD FOOD DON'T MIX
2. Local Restaurant News – NEW RESTAURANTS CONTINUE GROWTH SPURT
3. Restaurant Openings, Closings and Coming Soon!
4. National Restaurant Trends – BEEF PRICES ARE HIGH + COULD GO HIGHER
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GREEN SCENE
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Contributed By Mary Gatch of DwellSmart
Bad fumes and good food do not mix well. VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemicals from liquids and solids that vaporize at room temperature causing health effects ranging from headaches and eye irritation to cancer.
Common indoor sources of VOCs include paint, sealers, adhesives, pesticides, and tobacco smoke. One prominent irritant is formaldehyde, which is found in high concentrations in adhesives used to bind building materials such as plywood, particle board, and MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard).
You can use a specialized sealer to minimize off-gassing or an air purifier or ventilator, but it is best to avoid VOCs at the source. DwellSmart offers a range of more health-friendly and eco-friendly products such as zero-VOC paints, stains, and sealers. You can paint your restaurant in the morning, and there will be no fumes for your lunch crowd.
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LOCAL RESTAURANT NEWS
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NEW RESTAURANTS CONTINUE EXPANSIVE GROWTH SPURT
It's a great time to be living in Charleston. The dining + drinking options around Charleston are seemingly endless. Take a look at the restaurant Opening / Closing / Coming Soon list below. There are new restaurants of all shapes + stripes, national + independent, introducing new (+ recycling old) themes to appease our large appetite for food + drink. Too many new ones to try. The best you can do is to make a few strategic picks to visit and rely on word-of-mouth recommendations / warnings to tell you about the rest. The amount of competition + the customer's raised expectations amongst a crowded marketplace should make all restaurant operators a little nervous. You may only get one shot to make a good impression, so make sure your staff is ready to perform every shift, every day. Word-of-mouth advertising remains the most powerful marketing tool. It can help take your concept skyward or it can kill you.
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RESTAURANT OPENINGS, CLOSINGS + COMING SOON!
The following list reflects 2nd Quarter 2013 market activity (April 1 - June 30):
Openings --
3 Matadores Tequileria (W. Ashley – former Penachio’s)
Austin’s Food & Drink (Downtown -- former Black Bean Co.)
Black Bean Co. (W. Ashley -- former Burger King)
Brickyard Food & Spirits (Mt. Pleasant)
Bushido (Summerville)
Café Zest (Downtown)
Charleston Harbor Fish House (Mt. Pleasant)
Coda del Pesce (Isle of Palms – former Huck’s Lowcountry Table)
Craftsmen Kitchen & Tap House (Downtown – former Johnson’s)
Dellz Uptown (Downtown)
Jimmy John’s (Mt. Pleasant)
Kitchen 208 (Downtown)
La Hacienda (Mt. Pleasant – former Gringo’s)
Lucky Luciano’s (Seabrook Island)
NJ’s Bar & Grille (Mt. Pleasant – former Neil Jordan’s)
Ribs and Things (N. Charleston)
Salt at Station 22 (Sullivans Island)
Seppy’s Hot Dogs (Mt Pleasant)
Southern BBQ & Seafood Grill (N. Charleston)
Sub Station II (W. Ashley – former Quiznos)
Tasty Thai & Sushi (Mt. Pleasant -- former Tropical Sushi)
TJ’s Beef & Brew (Summerville – former Blind Referee)
The Juice Joint (Folly Beach)
The Orange Spot (N. Charleston)
The Warehouse (Downtown)
Verde (Mt. Pleasant)
Vesta (N. Charleston)
Yo Bo Cantina Fresca (W. Ashley – former South of Philly)
Zero Café + Bar (Downtown)
Closings --
Andolini’s (James Island)
Barbara Jean’s (Downtown)
Bull Street Gourmet (Downtown)
Citrus (Downtown)
Johnny’s Olde Village Grill & Spirits (N. Charleston)
Moe’s Downtown Tavern (Downtown)
Coming Soon --
Agaves Cantina (Daniel Island – former Lana)
Another Broken Egg (Downtown – former Barbara Jean’s)
Basico (N. Charleston)
Bonefish Grill (N. Charleston)
Chez Nous (Downtown)
East Bay Biergarten (Downtown – former Rice Market)
East Coast Wings & Grill (Mt. Pleasant)
Egan’s Oast (Downtown)
Five Guys Burgers & Fries (Summerville)
High Wire Distilling (Downtown)
Indaco (Downtown)
Jersey Mike’s (Summerville)
Ladles (Downtown)
Leyla (Downtown – former Izakaya Ramen)
Local 616 (Downtown)
Marco’s Pizza (West Ashley – former Quizno’s)
Marco’s Pizza (Summerville)
Mellow Mushroom (Summerville – former Perkins)
Moe’s Southwest Grill (Summerville)
New York City Pizza (Downtown)
Newk’s Express Café (Summerville)
Pick Thai (Summerville – former Sweetwater Grill)
Scratch Taco Boutique (Mt. Pleasant – former Abe’s Oyster House)
Smashburger (Summerville)
Striped Pig Distillery (Downtown)
Sweeney’s (Johns Island – former Island Soul Food Café)
White Duck Taco Shop (James Island)
Wild Olive (Sullivans Island – former Atlanticville)
Zoe’s Kitchen (Mt. Pleasant)
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NATIONAL RESTAURANT TRENDS
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BEEF PRICES ARE HIGH + COULD GO HIGHER
As we referenced in an earlier issue, wholesale beef prices are moving up this year. The bad news for restaurant operators is that beef prices run in multi-year cycles, so the prices we see today probably won't decline in any meaningful amount for the next 2-3 years of beef production. Beef-heavy restaurants will need to raise prices or look for less-expensive, alternative proteins such as chicken, pork, or seafood to off-set the margin squeeze. Be sure to weigh your wholesale orders closely when they arrive at the back door. Every ounce counts....
Check out this article in Nation's Restaurant News:
http://nrn.com/commodities/restaurants-can-expect-beef-prices-keep-rising
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