Comments on: Melillo’s Closing

By: yournamehere

yournamehere — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:01:10 +0000

4th Street Live is only still in business because of land deals and tax breaks. If they had to compete on a level playing field, the place would be history.
For the first time, I agree that Mayor Jerry needs to go. As local businesses fold one after another, his silence is deafening.

By: operadarling

operadarling — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:22:01 +0000

Oh mi coro…
I love that Italian hotspot. I went there for my birthday just shortly after they had opened and haven’t been able to stop since.
What a heartbreak for a restaurant that serves such fare….you sure aren’t going to get it at that Olive place….
I hadn’t heard about Jennica’s either….
Oy!!!!

By: Jacob Payne

Jacob Payne — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:45:18 +0000

Like I said on my own website, Henry, that’s partially true. Among other factors.
But Melillo’s is one of the most popular restaurants in the city. So popular that it can’t even accept reservations.
And Fourth Street and Center City ARE part of this problem. All of our tax dollars are being fed into projects like those short-term, college-kid-target-audience build-ups while long-term things like developing strong, local business is ignored.
As someone who has developed a strong business here in the city, I’ve been blown away at how incompetent GLI and the Mayor’s office are when it comes to doing anything to further local development and our local economy.

By: Derby City Espresso

Derby City Espresso — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:37:54 +0000

East Market is rapidly becoming a ghost town and what is our ‘Mayor-for-Life’ doing? Offering millions to expand 4th St. Live.
Our leaders are really our enemies.
Vote Jerry Abramson out of office.
He has no plan to support local business. He has no plan to provide local public transportation. He has no plan for the waterfront or neighborhood integration. He is just in it to look good. He’s the Charlie Crist of Louisville, The George W. Bush of the Derby City. He’s incompetent. I called him the other day and got an assistant on the telephone and he couldn’t even name a single business that had closed in this corridor.
I am so angry at our Mayor for neglecting this corridor. It could have been great.
Instead it’s a no-fly zone.

By: lou

lou — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:26:37 +0000

Is there some way to get the word out that places are “on the brink” of closing BEFORE they make the decision to close? I just watched Todd Earwood’s video and I’m wondering if there isn’t some way to spread the word that a particular beloved eatery needs help. Melillo’s was too expensive for “everyday” eating out for me, but had I known they were teetering, I would have gone in more often for a glass of wine and an appetizer. Sheesh, I certainly would have dumped more money into Jenicca’s if I had known they had a “life or death” thing going on. My paltry dining out budget isn’t going to save anyone, but multiply my budget by dozens on a regular basis and….??

By: Todd Earwood

Todd Earwood — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:21:06 +0000

Michelle- thanks for the official scoop. I hate it for Ashley and her family. I wholeheartedly agree that our local restaurants are a MAJOR asset for this community and I hope this is not a forecast of what’s to come with others.

By: Henry Watterson

Henry Watterson — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:18:01 +0000

Jacob:
I disagree with part of what you said. If a business is popular, it will succeed. If it is unpopular, it won’t. There is no magic formula here.
Also, I have been to both Melillo’s and Fourth Street Live, and I can tell you that they had vastly different target markets. Fourth Street Live is not the reason Melillo’s (and Primo, and Jennica’s) closed.

By: Jacob Payne

Jacob Payne — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:05:04 +0000

(Center CITY, that is…)

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:04:39 +0000

I’ve thought the same thing Jake. Louisville’s independent restaurant community is one of the city’s best assets and the city has (or at least should have) a vested interest in independent restaurants surviving. I wish and hope we’ll see some action forthcoming from the city to slow the number of independent restaurants closing.

By: Jacob Payne

Jacob Payne — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:47:54 +0000

Melillo’s is my all-time favorite Americanized Italian joint and I eat there way too often, so take my bitterness with a grain of salt…
But…
Isn’t it really fancy how we can funnel millions and millions into ridiculous projects like Center Center and the waste that is “4th Street Live!” but never do anything to ensure that local– and popular– businesses are able to function?