Raglan Road closed last August as its parent company, Great Irish Pubs KC Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Raglan Road was only three years old and, as Charles Ferruzza noted back in 2008, it was "a classy, if Disney-fied, new-old Irish saloon."
It's been a tough year for Irish pubs. KC Hopps made the decision to shutter its O'Dowd's location at Zona Rosa in the Northland last October. But merrymakers at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will have a reason to cheer, or at least one more stop on their march around downtown.
As KC Hopps president Chris Sutton told the Business Journal that the new restaurant will be owned by the Dubliner LLC, which shares several partners with the Kansas City-based restaurant group. The Dubliner is expected to open on March 5 with a similar, but expanded, menu to O'Dowd's.
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Well, the St. Paddy's Day parade is in Westport now (has been for several years), so that crowd wouldn't help a downtown bar anyway (except after perhaps driving there drunk afterward).
I should have worded that more clearly. My point was that PB&J made the same mistake I see KC Hopps making now.
To Savvy Dave:
I agree with your idea to focus on one concept and perfecting it, but don't think PB&J has been doing that for some time. They sold off Paulo & Bill's, Yahooz didn't make it, Yia Yia's is doing ok here and in Wichita, their seafood concept locale is failing in Wichita and for the most part they are relying on Red Robin franchises going forward. What they heck they are doing trying to open a BBQ restaurant (Burnt Endz) is beyond me and way outside of their expertise.
I wish KC Hopps would learn from the example of PB&J. Develope a concept, work tirelessly to perfect it, open additional locations. When you start trying to do too many concepts, you never fully develope any of them. This is why 54th Street has outpaced KC Hopps and will continue to do so. All the energy is focused on perfecting one concept.
A lot of these restaurant groups have too many vice presidents who don't actually have much of a job description. They try to find the "next big concept" and spend a shit ton of money on certain types of dinner ware, furniture, and come up with over priced appetizers (usually their "take" on onion rings or whatever). Here's the thing: Most people want decent food and relatively inexpensive strong drinks. There is your next big concept. I could give a shit if you have a painting of U2 in your Irish themed pub.
In Raglan Road on an autumn day, I drank a beer and knew
This Irish pub would weave a snare that I might one day rue
I saw the danger yet I walked along the enchanted way
And I said let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day
No shit. I used to go the 810 Zone on the Plaza for happy hour and to watch Royals games. Then, last time I was there they told me I had to buy a card to get happy hour prices. I don't care how much it costs, I don't want any more crap in my wallet, and any more paperwork to fill out. Obviously, that was the LAST time I stepped foot in there. It sucks, because I could walk there and I liked the sliders there, and they used to have good prices on 22 oz Guinness.
If Raglan Road didn't work, why the eff would you put a too-similar replacement? Put something cool there- Kansas City wants unique spots. Tourists have enough kitschy shitholes to go to while they're in town.
Hope they tell there employees before they close!!! It's not " Luck of The Irish", It's #$#% The Irish!!
BFD another Faux Irish Pub...just what the world and PL District needs
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