CammoTX said:

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Ain't no reason Waco can't have a few nice white tablecloth restaurants. Look at Oxford, Mississippi. One fifth the population of Waco and has some great restaurants.

Take the 1424 concept, move it downtown, make it chef driven, fresh/farm to table, hire good waitstaff and get a good bar and you will have a successful restaurant in Waco.

There are a bunch of local ranches you can partner with for meat, Brazos Valley for cheese, etc.

Good Lord, I might need to make a business plan and make this thing happen myself...

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You could take 1424, right where it is, clean it up a bit and work in some competent management that actually cares and knows how to operate a restaurant, make it chef driven, and it would be just fine.

Their problem is consistency and cleanliness

CammoTX said:

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Good Lord, I might need to make a business plan and make this thing happen myself...

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My cousin that lives in Dallas hasn't been there so I can't risk it with a meal. Now when does that Pappadeaux get here?!?!?!!?

trey3216 said:

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CammoTX said:

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Ain't no reason Waco can't have a few nice white tablecloth restaurants. Look at Oxford, Mississippi. One fifth the population of Waco and has some great restaurants.

Take the 1424 concept, move it downtown, make it chef driven, fresh/farm to table, hire good waitstaff and get a good bar and you will have a successful restaurant in Waco.

There are a bunch of local ranches you can partner with for meat, Brazos Valley for cheese, etc.

Good Lord, I might need to make a business plan and make this thing happen myself...

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You could take 1424, right where it is, clean it up a bit and work in some competent management that actually cares and knows how to operate a restaurant, make it chef driven, and it would be just fine.

Their problem is consistency and cleanliness

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Honestly I have the same problem with Taste. One time we'll have an excellent personalized experience and the next we'll go 25 minutes without anyone even taking our drink order.

BaylorHistory said:

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trey3216 said:

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CammoTX said:

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Ain't no reason Waco can't have a few nice white tablecloth restaurants. Look at Oxford, Mississippi. One fifth the population of Waco and has some great restaurants.

Take the 1424 concept, move it downtown, make it chef driven, fresh/farm to table, hire good waitstaff and get a good bar and you will have a successful restaurant in Waco.

There are a bunch of local ranches you can partner with for meat, Brazos Valley for cheese, etc.

Good Lord, I might need to make a business plan and make this thing happen myself...

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You could take 1424, right where it is, clean it up a bit and work in some competent management that actually cares and knows how to operate a restaurant, make it chef driven, and it would be just fine.

Their problem is consistency and cleanliness

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Honestly I have the same problem with Taste. One time we'll have an excellent personalized experience and the next we'll go 25 minutes without anyone even taking our drink order.

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There's a dearth of talent in the service business in Waco right now. Not enough management to keep everyone in line and working, making sure that service is priority #1.

BaylorHistory said:

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PartyBear said:

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The elitism of Baylor posters regarding restaurants and entertainment etc going back a couple decades from the beginning of Baylor fans to present has always been humorous. It's like watching a Frazier rerun.

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Some of us actually like good food.

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I know. Some of y'all perpetually remind us on these types of threads that there is no good food in Waco even if it is a popular chain that you actually like in other cities, for some reason the one in Waco somehow serves bad food. But enough for y'all trashing Waco and its restaurants, I want to hear more about this potential billion dollars that is about to be dropped in Waco/ or in McLennan County by a few corporations altogether. If that is true that is an economic explosion about to happen.

Grinnin bear said:

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trey3216 said:

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Sure hope we don't see any Cajun bikers. Big trouble there

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Just a rung or two below Carnies in my book.

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Carnies. Circus folk. Nomads, you know. Smell like cabbage. Small hands.

BaylorHistory said:

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CammoTX said:

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Good Lord, I might need to make a business plan and make this thing happen myself...

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My cousin that lives in Dallas hasn't been there so I can't risk it with a meal. Now when does that Pappadeaux get here?!?!?!!?

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Unless things have changed from a few years ago, the demographics don't fit.

How many folks in Waco are spending $20/person for lunch on a Tuesday?

CammoTX said:

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Take the 1424 concept, move it downtown, make it chef driven, fresh/farm to table, hire good waitstaff and get a good bar and you will have a successful restaurant in Waco.

There are a bunch of local ranches you can partner with for meat, Brazos Valley for cheese, etc.

Good Lord, I might need to make a business plan and make this thing happen myself...

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You just described Milo. Although they are certainly going through growing pains in the service department since this is the Chef's first brick-and-mortar.

That is the one I am thinking about.

BaylorGuy314 said:

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CammoTX said:

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Take the 1424 concept, move it downtown, make it chef driven, fresh/farm to table, hire good waitstaff and get a good bar and you will have a successful restaurant in Waco.

There are a bunch of local ranches you can partner with for meat, Brazos Valley for cheese, etc.

Good Lord, I might need to make a business plan and make this thing happen myself...

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You just described Milo. Although they are certainly going through growing pains in the service department since this is the Chef's first brick-and-mortar.

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Milo is trying so hard to be good. I'll give it credit for that.

Taste is a cluster.

Runningbearjr said:

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Out near Bellmead or over in the Hewitt area?

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In the Waco Industrial Complex. Out near Hewitt. Imperial Drive is the main road.

PartyBear said:

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Volunteer said:

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Hearing significant rumblings about major developments in the industrial complex. Rumor is the amount of total investment is running close to $1 billion and involves multiple corporations.

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I have not heard this but that is good news. There is also 750 acres across 35 from the hospital that the city owns for purposes of an industrial park. Is that the land you are talking about?

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From what I understand it's in the Industrial complex. I know this includes the area around Imperial Drive and Bagby which includes companies like M&M Marrs, Cat, Alcoa, Allergan, and others. The complex might also include the 750 acres to which you refer. I don't know for sure.

UBBY said:

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Volunteer said:

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Hearing significant rumblings about major developments in the industrial complex. Rumor is the amount of total investment is running close to $1 billion and involves multiple corporations.

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Any more details? Like PartyBear said is it the land off of loop 340 that is the "industrial complex?" What corporations?

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Sorry that I don't know more. I've heard this from a couple of different people and at least one of these should be in a position to know, but they are fairly tight lipped. I pressed for more info and asked if these were completely done deals. The response was that most were done but not yet announced and a couple of the deals were 90% closed. Not sure what 90% closed means, but it sounds positive.

Volunteer, to call this great news is an understatement should it pan out.

Volunteer said:

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PartyBear said:

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Volunteer said:

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Hearing significant rumblings about major developments in the industrial complex. Rumor is the amount of total investment is running close to $1 billion and involves multiple corporations.

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I have not heard this but that is good news. There is also 750 acres across 35 from the hospital that the city owns for purposes of an industrial park. Is that the land you are talking about?

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From what I understand it's in the Industrial complex. I know this includes the area around Imperial Drive and Bagby which includes companies like M&M Marrs, Cat, Alcoa, Allergan, and others. The complex might also include the 750 acres to which you refer. I don't know for sure.

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Oh good Hewitt Drive and Chapel Rd will become even busier. Just what we need




For real though this would be great news for the city.

There needs to be a complete infrastructure revamp out there anyway. Frankly 340 and 84 does as well there should be fly over ramps at that intersection similar to the 35 exit at 340 if driving up from south.

CammoTX said:

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BaylorHistory said:

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CammoTX said:

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Good Lord, I might need to make a business plan and make this thing happen myself...

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My cousin that lives in Dallas hasn't been there so I can't risk it with a meal. Now when does that Pappadeaux get here?!?!?!!?

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Unless things have changed from a few years ago, the demographics don't fit.

How many folks in Waco are spending $20/person for lunch on a Tuesday?

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BTW, you can get a whole lot of lunch in Waco for $20 on a Tuesday.

PartyBear said:

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Volunteer said:

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Hearing significant rumblings about major developments in the industrial complex. Rumor is the amount of total investment is running close to $1 billion and involves multiple corporations.

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I have not heard this but that is good news. There is also 750 acres across 35 from the hospital that the city owns for purposes of an industrial park. Is that the land you are talking about?

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If I may, that land is actually in the City of Robinson and the ordinance was just changed from dry to wet (on premises).

Still needs infrastructure, but is planned for residential and commercial use, including restaurants.

I think once the Schulman concept is up and running, that corner of the interchange will follow in development.

Depends on the national economy, of course. There is an election next year that could steer private investment into heavy taxes in a few years - and if that happens, I don't see developers taking the risk.

Yogi I'm almost certain that 750 acres of undeveloped land is actually Waco now and currently owned by the city I think and is set aside for an industrial park. I do think the deal required that 100 acres of it be set aside for entertainment. I imagine that 100 acres is the part that fronts 35 and 340. I read a story about the land in the Trib in the past several months that explained this somewhat. I do recall around 2006 a developer was wanting to build a neighborhood on some of that land, but I think things have changed for that tract of land. I seem to recall about 10 years ago a large For Sale sign on that corner by 35 advertising 750 acres for sale and honestly that tract may be alittle larger than 750 it may be 900 acres but 750 sticks in my head for some reason about it.

Everything on the east side of 35 from 340 south to Surrey Ridge is in City of Robinson. There is a big new Robinson water tower on the tract in question directly across from Hillcrest and Tractor Supply.

Then I dont know. Is that not even set aside for industrial park? It is just about 750 acres of vacant land sitting there? I just looked at what I think we are talking about on Google Earth Street view. The water tower isnt there yet. I have no idea how old the photo is but there is a sign on the land fronting the 35 access road stating 635 acres for sale. I first heard of the industrial park plan for what I thought was that land 3 or 4 years ago actually. I just know there is a huge plot of undeveloped land at that location still according to google earth that does measure out to about 750 or a little more acres.

PartyBear said:

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Yogi I'm almost certain that 750 acres of undeveloped land is actually Waco now and currently owned by the city I think and is set aside for an industrial park. I do think the deal required that 100 acres of it be set aside for entertainment. I imagine that 100 acres is the part that fronts 35 and 340. I read a story about the land in the Trib in the past several months that explained this somewhat. I do recall around 2006 a developer was wanting to build a neighborhood on some of that land, but I think things have changed for that tract of land. I seem to recall about 10 years ago a large For Sale sign on that corner by 35 advertising 750 acres for sale and honestly that tract may be alittle larger than 750 it may be 900 acres but 750 sticks in my head for some reason about it.

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I am certain that it is in Robinson city limits.

CammoTX said:

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Ain't no reason Waco can't have a few nice white tablecloth restaurants. Look at Oxford, Mississippi. One fifth the population of Waco and has some great restaurants.

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Different cultures. People actually give a !@#$ about great food. It's a part of life. Waco does not have a Deep South vibe/culture. It's way more ranch than plantation.

BarleyMcDougal said:

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CammoTX said:

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Ain't no reason Waco can't have a few nice white tablecloth restaurants. Look at Oxford, Mississippi. One fifth the population of Waco and has some great restaurants.

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Different cultures. People actually give a !@#$ about great food. It's a part of life. Waco does not have a Deep South vibe/culture. It's way more ranch than plantation.

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Just for clarity, white tablecloth does not mean great food.

Brian Ethridge said:

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WacoKelly83 said:

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Waco needs a Babe's Chicken Dinner.

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The family doesn't plan to do that yet.

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So I guess Leslie's Chicken Shack is gone? Not missing those rolls made of industrial sound deadening foam.....

The last thing Waco needs is another Central Texas Marketplace, drive to one place and leave. It is missing a confined walkable space with shops, restaurants, play areas, etc. Every city/town I travel to is going this direction. look at One Paseo in Del Mar California or even for locals a Austin's Domain-lite.

People like to be defeatist and live in the past, we have enough mid to upper class professionals, visitors and Baylor students that a place like that would be a hub for the city and it would thrive. And chains are ok if they are quality like North or something, Doc Bs and other Domain like restaurants would also be a huge upgrade.

Waco is certainly not southern but it isn't western either. This is no doubt going to scare some of the sensitive here, but it's vibe is a lot closer to an Austin type of funky and artsy type of place.

As to Leslie's I last ate there in 93. I think it must have closed around that general time period. The building has been gone now for 6-8 years I would say.

Brian Ethridge said:

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LionBear said:

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Brian Ethridge said:

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WacoKelly83 said:

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Waco needs a Babe's Chicken Dinner.

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The family doesn't plan to do that yet.

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So I guess Leslie's Chicken Shack is gone? Not missing those rolls made of industrial sound deadening foam.....

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Leslie's been gone for almost 30 years.

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I'm only slightly behind the times......

LionBear said:

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Brian Ethridge said:

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WacoKelly83 said:

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Waco needs a Babe's Chicken Dinner.

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The family doesn't plan to do that yet.

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So I guess Leslie's Chicken Shack is gone? Not missing those rolls made of industrial sound deadening foam.....

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Amen. I went to go get some pancakes at Sambo's this morning and they put a bank there!