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Post by GWBushdumb on Aug 28, 2006 16:04:44 GMT -4
Frank, You forgot 7-11 and Blockbuster.
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Post by bryn on Aug 28, 2006 16:10:24 GMT -4
Gee, I thought we were talking about restaurants.
It's hilarious that some people think McDonald's, Wendy's, etc. fall into the category of restaurants.
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Post by Frank on Aug 28, 2006 16:10:38 GMT -4
Point being - it's coming, whether we like it or not. Kent Island is too close to be considered away from it all. We may slow it down, but it will be here; chain restaraunts and all.
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Post by bchevy on Aug 28, 2006 17:30:35 GMT -4
I know, the message board is kinda slow today. Just thought I'd get it stirred up a little and have some fun! Frank, Mission Accomplished! Wow look at it GO! Jason, I don't want to burn down any of the Island. I'd just like to keep some of the NEW Junk off the island. and I'm not talking about car lots.... Those are part of the CHARACTER of the Island- like it or not. The list would be fine by me! Enforcing it may be a problem... Are you Frank's keeper now? Bryn, my point EXACTLY! Teaser, While Applebees or another restaurant may noe bring "crime" to the area, Just WHAT would it bring? Another HO-HUM (at best) place to eat. I can drive 20 minutes in either direction and do that now- I don't need it here, Don't want it here, and don't mind saying so.
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Post by jmh on Aug 28, 2006 19:44:22 GMT -4
Frankly I travel alot and I come home and feel like I have to pay prices I would pay at a resort. It's not like home cooking pricing. Maybe a little variety will ease pricing.
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Post by Frank on Aug 29, 2006 9:09:49 GMT -4
Gee, I thought we were talking about restaurants. It's hilarious that some people think McDonald's, Wendy's, etc. fall into the category of restaurants. Go to the bottom of the page; click restaraunts. See! I'm not defining what is a restaraunt. I am only using the information supplied to me. Please contact the webmaster and tell him which of these are not restaraunts is so he can put them into the correct catagories.
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Post by Jason on Aug 29, 2006 10:11:06 GMT -4
Sh*tty used car lots are part of the "character" of the island? So you don't want NEW junk, just all of your OLD junk? I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who could honestly say they'd rather have a sea of used Pintos and Monte Carlos than an Outback.
I agree that Applebees and Ruby Tuesdays are pointless on the island because of the lackluster food and the fact that we have both as close as Annapolis. What about some good places that aren't as close? Carrabas, Cheeseburger in Paradise, On the Border? Your argument isn't against the restaurant, it's against any development whatsoever. It's time for a reality check. You might be able to slow it down (at the expense of millions of tax-payer dollars), but you can't stop it. It's going to happen, so at least try to be realistic about it and help get some useful (nice) things over here.
If you want, we can throw some old scrap cars into an abandoned gas station and build a glass canopy over it for you to live in. It sounds like that would be your idea of Utopia.
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Post by Lynn on Aug 29, 2006 12:14:49 GMT -4
I have to agree with whoever said chain restaurants are the only ones who can survive. Rents are soooo high and then you factor in everything else and little local places like Beanos, which I owned for 2 years, can't survive. Most people don't want to pay $10 for a sandwich but in order to make it that is what I probably would of had to charge.
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Post by bchevy on Aug 29, 2006 13:58:06 GMT -4
Sh*tty used car lots are part of the "character" of the island? So you don't want NEW junk, just all of your OLD junk? I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who could honestly say they'd rather have a sea of used Pintos and Monte Carlos than an Outback. I agree that Applebees and Ruby Tuesdays are pointless on the island because of the lackluster food and the fact that we have both as close as Annapolis. What about some good places that aren't as close? Carrabas, Cheeseburger in Paradise, On the Border? Your argument isn't against the restaurant, it's against any development whatsoever. It's time for a reality check. You might be able to slow it down (at the expense of millions of tax-payer dollars), but you can't stop it. It's going to happen, so at least try to be realistic about it and help get some useful (nice) things over here. If you want, we can throw some old scrap cars into an abandoned gas station and build a glass canopy over it for you to live in. It sounds like that would be your idea of Utopia. Some people,,,,,, you see, but you don't. We HAVE nice things over here, that's what brought me here 20 years ago. Yep, I'd rather see the mom/pop car lot behind Shore stop pizza than ANY chain restaurant. one is as pointless as the next for me. As for the ones that aren't so close? GOOD! Makes for a Little bit of a longer drive if it's worth it. if you don't like driving, MOVE CLOSER to them! I know some of these things are coming, No need for a reality check here. Not that anyone here would know, I've done more to clean up the island of scrap cars single handedly than anyone could imagine. You on the other hand wouldn't know the difference between a junk car & a used car, on a lot, for sale, with other USED cars. Millions? you'd need more than a restaurant or two to get up there.. reality check? Beanos: the rent didn't kill that place.... been said before- people moved to to get away from it, NOT to bring it with them..
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Post by Mary on Aug 29, 2006 15:11:11 GMT -4
Sorry to tell you but I didn't move here to get away from suburban lifestyle. I moved here because it was affordable. Believe me, I am not the only one.
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Post by matt on Aug 29, 2006 16:03:23 GMT -4
That's a shame. There are those of us who moved here to get away from the suburban crap - I'd dare say the vast majority of QA and KI residents are in that category.
Is it right to impose changes, largely unwanted, on the people who live around you?
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Post by falgar25 on Aug 29, 2006 19:52:35 GMT -4
Sh*tty used car lots are part of the "character" of the island? So you don't want NEW junk, just all of your OLD junk? I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who could honestly say they'd rather have a sea of used Pintos and Monte Carlos than an Outback. It looks like this is someone's lucky day! I can honestly say that I'd rather have a sea of used Pintos and Monte Carlos than an Outback. I wouldn't want a used car lot moving in, but it's already here. I moved to Kent Island with all the good and the bad. I could have moved next to an Outback but I chose not to. I could have moved into a developing area, but I chose not to. I chose to move here and leave the western shore behind, and those feelings haven't changed. I pay extra to call family and friends over on that shore but consider it a price I have to pay to live where I want to. I have to drive 20 miles to get to most of the chain restaurants but consider it a price I have to pay to live where I want to. I read about the BG&E 72% rate hike and smile because I live where I want to. I'm happy where I live; I don't want to see it change simply because you aren't. Is growth inevitable? Probably. Is Glen Burnie South inevitable? Maybe. Am I against all growth? No, not ALL growth. But the new, larger Safeway and possible Giant aside, there are plenty of people in the grocery store now, we don't need more. Think the traffic on the side roads is bad on a Sunday today? Imagine what it will be like with 1500+ more local drivers on the road. We can blame that traffic on the reach-the-beach crowd, but they aren't going to go away and we don't need a forest of chain restaurants to keep them here any longer. But the topic of this thread was Chain Restaurants = Better Food. Not in my experience. Chain Restaurants = Consistent Food but Consistent != Better. I know what to expect when I go to a BK or Taco Bell or Applebees or TGIF, but I wouldn't call it good food. Can we agree that a local guy being successful and opening a second or third store does not create a chain? If so, then Squisito's and Carini's aren't chains (at least not National Chains). I would choose Carini's pizza over Pizza Hut, Dominos, or Papa John's any day. The quality of Squisito's meals is far better than Applebee's or TGIF (though admittedly, Squisito's has a more limited menu). Annie's Steaks are far better than Outback's. The food at the Narrows is excellent. Of course, not all chain restaurants are bad and not all local restaurants are good. But overall, the locals beat the chains hands down. I suppose there is more to say, but this is already too long. Bottom line: If you want a chain restaurant, go find one, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, and I hope it remains that way for you. I wanted something different, I found it on Kent Island, and I hope it remains that way for me.
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Post by bchevy on Aug 29, 2006 20:26:06 GMT -4
Very Well Put!
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Post by Mary on Aug 30, 2006 16:29:41 GMT -4
To be fair, Matt, I haven't "imposed" my desires on anyone or anything. No one wants to RUIN Kent Island by bringing in new businesses, they just want to add a little variety to their life...and maybe clean it up a little bit. It doesn't mean it has to be a chain like Outback or Applebees. And what I meant by suburban lifestyle is that I want to be able to get something affordable to eat once in a while that isn't greasy or a sandwich from the liquor store deli & I would like the opportunity to engage in affordable activities without having to risk driving over the bridge. Just because it is new does not make it bad and it certainly doesn't mean it has to take away more land - there are plenty of empty storefronts!
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Post by bchevy on Aug 31, 2006 6:30:45 GMT -4
- there are plenty of empty storefronts! We've mentioned that here before and some people couldn't find them....
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Post by matt on Aug 31, 2006 7:58:14 GMT -4
To be fair, Matt, I haven't "imposed" my desires on anyone or anything. No one wants to RUIN Kent Island by bringing in new businesses, they just want to add a little variety to their life...and maybe clean it up a little bit. It doesn't mean it has to be a chain like Outback or Applebees. And what I meant by suburban lifestyle is that I want to be able to get something affordable to eat once in a while that isn't greasy or a sandwich from the liquor store deli & I would like the opportunity to engage in affordable activities without having to risk driving over the bridge. Just because it is new does not make it bad and it certainly doesn't mean it has to take away more land - there are plenty of empty storefronts! You moved here, you don't like the way it is or what's here (or missing), and you want to change it for your convenience? But you say "[you] haven't imposed [your] desires on anyone or anything...?" Most of us moved here for what and how it is and like it that way. To be fair, you moved here knowing what it was like. So you should deal with the fact that most folks around you don't want your changes.
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Post by Mike on Aug 31, 2006 8:57:57 GMT -4
To be fair you live here knowing that it is like. So you should deal with the fact that some folks don't want to keep it the way it is.
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Post by matt on Aug 31, 2006 9:02:49 GMT -4
"Some folks" equals not most folks.
"Some folks" will have to convince most folks before they can over-develop Kent Island into Glen Bernie, which is perhaps where most of these "some folks" are from.
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Post by Mary on Aug 31, 2006 11:01:55 GMT -4
"Some folks" equals not most folks. "Some folks" will have to convince most folks before they can over-develop Kent Island into Glen Bernie, which is perhaps where most of these "some folks" are from. Definitely not from Glen Burnie but thanks for playing. Kent Island is already overdeveloped...have you counted the strip malls? I'm not sure what fantasy island you are living on but let's have a reality check, please. All I want is for the current stip malls to look nicer and possibly house more appealing food options - oh my, I must be from Glen Burnie!
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Post by GWBushdumb on Aug 31, 2006 14:09:02 GMT -4
Well, the definition of a chain restaurant is clearly obvious in the encyclopedia, a place to sit down and eat. As far as the quality of food, (better food) each person has there own taste some like it greasy some like health food etc. I have lived on Kent island for almost 35 years, I can still remember driving the oyster shell roads, seeing empty land everywhere. Now all the roads are paved with side walks, houses everywhere, hardly any Farm land left, new businesses going up everywhere even in marshland. How does this happen people ask themselves. Well its called money, there is an ass for every seat thats why used car lots are attractive to some people as a business, they make money the best way they know how.
Lets see a list of Restaurant that you people would like to have on Kent Island. I know you people wouldn't want a duplicate here lets say another McDonald's, that would be ridiculous. And don't say you don't want another restaurant on Kent Island or you will have earned yourself a ticket to la la land. Be realistic its coming.
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Post by Mike on Aug 31, 2006 15:20:14 GMT -4
Kent Island is no where near a Glen Burnie -- Glen Burie has mutiple zipcodes and falls into a mega-plex between Baltimore, Annapolis and DC -- there is no end in sight it just goes and goes.
An Island, such as the one named Kent is small -- 1 or 2 small chain resturants next to a big 3rd Grocery store isnt going to hurt anything, have you ever heard of competition? Food Lion, Acme, Safeway, Giant? There is nothing wrong with a little competiton between a Nationaly ran, strict sanitary guidline chain resturant and a family owned/operated cigarette smoke filled kitchen who have no rules except the ones rarely enforced by the Government.
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Post by Steve on Sept 5, 2006 14:59:10 GMT -4
This is beginning to sound a bit like group therapy.
My two cents is that I agree with the original point - some, but not all, chain restaurants would be a great addition to Kent Island. I'm not going to try and discuss all of the social implications - just the original point - food, quality and service. Competition would increase the quality and variety and we can all get more than seafood and steaks, without hopping across the bridge to Annapolis EVERY time we want to have dinner. And I know I'm not the only one who does that. I can recall a person posting a question a little while ago asking where the best place for breakfast was on Kent Island. The answer given was - Double T Diner! Of course the dreaded Cracker Barrel was defeated a couple of years ago by all of the otherwise friendly "Islanders" who thought another chain restaurant would be the end of life as we know it. Am I the only one seeing the irony?
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Post by matt on Sept 5, 2006 15:40:09 GMT -4
Where's the irony in saying I'd rather have no local breakfast joint than a Cracker Barrel? I'd rather drive to those places than have them on the island.
Irony? Nope.
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Post by bchevy on Sept 5, 2006 15:45:03 GMT -4
We went to Ruby Tuesdays in EASTON this weekend, food was ok,
It reminded me of why I didn't want them here......
Keep em all 20/30 minutes away, and it'll stay somewhat peaceful here...
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Post by Rich Fisher on Sept 5, 2006 16:09:00 GMT -4
My take on the chain "we need to talk about your flair" places (Friday's, Ruby Tuesdays, Applebee’s, Bennigan's, etc) is that they have a large menu of mediocre things. You can get ribs, pork chops, shrimp everything, pasta, soups, salads, etc., and while they aren't bad, they aren't great either. Basically they specialize in nothing. No chef's working there, just trained high school & college kids, so of course nothing great. While KI doesn't have a big variety of types of food, what we do have is excellent. Crab Cakes at The Narrows and Kentmorr, steaks and imperial at Annie's, pizza at Carini's and Squsito, tappas/small plates at Lisa's, the burgers and Cajun catfish at Luke's, the NE clam chowder and stuffed shrimp at Love Point Cafe', the wraps and pub grub at Big Bat's, etc... We have a Ram's Head coming in with good varied food, and talk of a Green Turtle with good pub grub. All that an Applebee’s would bring is a generic canned restaurant with a big menu full of average food. Oh yeah, I worked for a chain place when I was a HS kid, and I still have trouble eating in any of them. HS and college kids didn't care about cleanliness or customer satisfaction, and the managers were just kids too - so they didn't care either. I'm sure that nothing has changed. Go rent out the movie "Waiting". It's spot-on with those places.
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