Eatzi's

[tamtagon]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-eatzi_23bus.ART.State.Edition1.3cf352a.html

Eatzi's changes next opening to Lovers Lane instead of in Plano
12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, September 23, 2009

By KAREN ROBINSON-JACOBS / The Dallas Morning News
krobinson@dallasnews.com

With the opening of an Eatzi's Market & Bakery in Plano stalled by the recession, restaurateur Phil Romano said Tuesday that he plans to open one instead on Lovers Lane in Dallas, within three months.

The new outlet, in the Pavilion on Lovers Lane shopping center near the Dallas North Tollway, would be the first Eatzi's to open in the three years since Romano regained control of the market he launched in 1996. But he said it wouldn't be the last.

"I'll grow in Dallas instead of around the country," he said Tuesday at the original Oak Lawn Avenue location as patrons sampled cornbread and ordered grilled salmon and Kobe meatloaf.

"I've got enough business in the Dallas marketplace to put maybe 10, maybe 20 more here – who knows?"
...
Romano said he'd still like to open in the suburbs but jumped on the Lovers Lane spot – a former Dallas City Market that closed Memorial Day weekend – when it became available.

"That's our customer," he said of residents near the location. "The same customer that comes here [the Oak Lawn market] once a month, that customer is going to go there three, four times a week."
...
"If it's Plano, good. If not, we'll look for another opportunity."

This makes me hopeful for an Eatzi's in downtown. The assumed atmosphere and real world product of the place makes a downtown location a no-brainer. I think the competition would also improve the viability of the Urban Market by allowing an easier path to product specialization.

[jredallas]

This makes me hopeful for an Eatzi's in downtown. The assumed atmosphere and real world product of the place makes a downtown location a no-brainer. I think the competition would also improve the viability of the Urban Market by allowing an easier path to product specialization.

It seems there is an opportunity for some sort of partnership with EatZi's and Urban Market. Not that a failed dot com is a good comparable, but I do believe the EatZi's products that GroceryWorks.com carried sold well. Why could they not try the same thing inside Urban Market replacing the existing prepared food/ salad bar there now? So, it would not be a full-scale EatZi's but kind of an EatZi's "lite."

[Uptown72]

This spot on Lover's is not very big. I think less than 4000 sf. Isn't Eatzi's in Uptown more than 8000 sf? Maybe they will get rights to the neighbors on either side if they are successful and want ot expand. I like the location, just not the exact location. Seems like they could have found 6-8000 sf around there pretty easily (Smink location, Antek's, Pier 1). Maybe they are starting small...nothing wrong with that.

[mjblazin]

Would they really need to cook the food at Lovers? I'd expect Eatzi's could transport prepared items from Oaklawn leaving room for counters and packaged food on shelves.

[vman]

It seems there is an opportunity for some sort of partnership with EatZi's and Urban Market. Not that a failed dot com is a good comparable, but I do believe the EatZi's products that GroceryWorks.com carried sold well. Why could they not try the same thing inside Urban Market replacing the existing prepared food/ salad bar there now? So, it would not be a full-scale EatZi's but kind of an EatZi's "lite."
I agree. Urban Market needs an recognizable name to draw people in. The cafe sadly has changed little (at least the wifi is back). and an Eatzi's would kill there and definetely get people to leave their offices, condo, and lofts to trek over there to shop and dine.

[MorganB]

I thought this concept was entirely dead. I had no idea Romano was planning on expanding. How about innovating on the selection while they are at it. I moved away from Dallas for 7 years and when I came back Eatzi's was selling the exact same items.

[TexasStar]

I thought this concept was entirely dead. I had no idea Romano was planning on expanding. How about innovating on the selection while they are at it. I moved away from Dallas for 7 years and when I came back Eatzi's was selling the exact same items.

But, what if people LIKE those exact same items.

[ericthegardener]

A commenter on Pegasus News implied that there was an Eatzi's banner hanging on a building on Sylvan. My guess is that it's on the part of Sylvan just west of I-35 and the building might be some kind of food prep center but I really have no idea. Anyone know for sure?

http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/outbursts/2009/sep/22/next-eatzis-to-open-on-lovers-lane-in-dallas-withi/

[MorganB]

But, what if people LIKE those exact same items.

Sure , keep the staples but innovate with seasonal menus. I enjoy Eatzi's and go there a couple of times a month. I would be compelled to go more often if their menu changed. At any rate an expansion is a welcome sign that Romano is serious about Eatzi's.

[aygriffith]

I thought this concept was entirely dead. I had no idea Romano was planning on expanding. How about innovating on the selection while they are at it. I moved away from Dallas for 7 years and when I came back Eatzi's was selling the exact same items.

And they're still as good as they were 7 years ago... Phil Romano is a restaurateur genius... Eatzi's, Fudruckers, Macaroni Grill... As long as he's at the reigns the concepts have no problem innovating its only when he steps away do they have problems.

Downtown has alittle way to go before they could open a full blown location. The lunch crowd would be their bread and butter but it remains to be seen how well their dinner business could do. Remember they need a place to park, pick up their food and leave. You can't support a take out establishment on the few people who live in DTD proper.

[tamtagon]

... Remember they need a place to park, pick up their food and leave. You can't support a take out establishment on the few people who live in DTD proper.

They could have a robust lunchtime delivery service.... but I agree there's probably not enough people living on the block to give Eatzi's take out a consistent dinner crowd.

[jredallas]

Maybe not enough people living DTD to support dinner, but it would seem very convenient for a DTD office worker to grab something from there for dinner back home in Plano that evening.

Again, I really think that Urban Market working a deal to carry some EatZi's products would add a great "brand" of products to Urban Market that would draw in some new customers and could be a good way for EatZi's to test the waters downtown without jumping right in.

[Rob]

I just moved to Chicago and I was excited to learn that there was an Eatzi's here... then I went over to the location and it was completely closed down... too bad.

[KesslerDweller]

I love Eatzi's but agree changing up the food selections would be warranted.

[dfwcre8tive]

Ribbon-cutting set for Friday at new Eatzi's on Lovers Lane
03:44 PM CST on Tuesday, March 2, 2010
By KAREN ROBINSON-JACOBS / The Dallas Morning News
krobinson@dallasnews
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/030310dnbuseatzis.16c26bd2b.html

Restaurateur Phil Romano and his business partners will snip the ribbon on a new Eatzi’s Market & Bakery at 10 a.m. Friday.

The new location, in The Pavilion on Lovers Lane shopping center, marks the beginning of Romano’s plan to expand in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Romano, founder of restaurant chains including Fuddrucker’s and Romano’s Macaroni Grill, hopes to open up to 20 Eatzi’s locations in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

The original location is at 3403 Oak Lawn Ave.

Starting Saturday (March 6) the new location at 5600 W. Lovers Lane, near the Dallas North Tollway, will be open during regular business hours from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily.

Romano opened Eatzi’s, which offers higher end meals, wines and desserts, with partners Jerry Meyer and Stuart Fitts.

[JSteffen]

The new location, in The Pavilion on Lovers Lane shopping center, marks the beginning of Romano’s plan to expand in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Romano, founder of restaurant chains including Fuddrucker’s and Romano’s Macaroni Grill, hopes to open up to 20 Eatzi’s locations in the Dallas Fort Worth area.


I would LOVE one in Oak Cliff.

[RobertB]

I would LOVE one in Oak Cliff.
30/Sylvan would be a nice spot, don't you think?

[JSteffen]

30/Sylvan would be a nice spot, don't you think?

Agreed, I would stop by after work quite often.. And I know the Kesler Park folks would as well.

[KesslerDweller]

Eatzi's should defintely open a store at I-30 and Sylvan.

[tamtagon]

Eatzi's should definitely open a store by the new convention center hotel.

[vman]

Eatzi's should definitely open a store by the new convention center hotel.
What they should do is take over Urban Market!! That place (the DTD site anyway) is on autopilot. And being Eatzi's and all, people will actually come from other areas of downtown and beyond to eat and shop there.