irvinehomeowner
Well-known member
So we've all seen many places come and go in Irvine, most of these are usually food establishments. I think for Irvine, it's very hard to succeed given such high rent, fickle consumers and similar options everywhere.
For example, the BYO pizza shop. Some are successful like Blaze and Pieology (now with 2 locations in Irvine) but others just don't seem to stick (like Pizza 90).
Then there are boba tea shops, so many all over Irvine but their success depends on weird factors. When I lived in Woodbridge, there used to be a Lollicup, but it closed and at the time, it was the only boba tea shop in that area. Now, in that same vicinity, there are 3, TasteTea, Cha and the infamout Omomo that has ridiculously long lines every day. In the Arbor Village Center, there are 6 boba tea/drink shops and there is even a Tapioca Express across the street. How do those places survive (well, being in a non-TIC retail center probably helps)?
Then there are Korean BBQ joints. I Can BBQ, All That BBQ, Shik and KangHoDang are always packed, but Korea House is almost always empty. The owner of All That told me that he researched the most profitable businesses in Irvine and even though he had never done a KBBQ before, that's the one he chose.
So a pretty expensive AYCE place like KBBQ can find success in Irvine, but continental buffets like Hometown Buffet can't. Although Souplantation is always crowded and not very cheap (does anyone remember Soup Exchange in the Crossroads center?). Seems like only expensive AYCE meat places can survive in Irvine (Texas De Brazil and Agorra).
And what about fast food? There used to be 3 Burger Kings in Irvine... now there are none. Two of them are now The Habit, and the other is Del Taco. Along with Del Taco, Carl's Jr and McDonalds have been in Irvine forever... even Jack and Taco Bell have a presence, but why not Burger King?
And Diamond Jamboree... AKA Irvine Asia... has seen quite a bit of turnover. Why couldn't Yogurtland survive there but Afters can (although Afters may not be there much longer as I never see it crowded).
And then all the old school places are gone. No more Claim Jumpers, Marie Callenders, IHOP (although the airport one is hanging on) and Denny's in Old Town Irvine seems to survive on the hotel occupants (same for Knowlwoods). But breakfast places like Snooze and Stacks can thrive (btw, is Republic of Breakfast open yet?).
In another life, I would have liked to open an eatery but it just seems so hard to build a following. I'm still puzzled by how Omomo generated such hype because whatever they did, it doesn't look like it's slowing down. I always see that line when I go to CVS (too lazy to move our scripts to a closer one and that one is 24-hour).
I would do something like the BYO Pizza/Chipotle/Poke style... but I don't think schnitzels are high in demand.
I know IC said he tried to open a boba tea shop... and qwerty would become either a Taco Bell franchisee or open QwerburgerTown. An old school IHB member used to own a frozen yogurt shop... not sure where they are now.
If you had the capital and time, what kind of place would you open?
For example, the BYO pizza shop. Some are successful like Blaze and Pieology (now with 2 locations in Irvine) but others just don't seem to stick (like Pizza 90).
Then there are boba tea shops, so many all over Irvine but their success depends on weird factors. When I lived in Woodbridge, there used to be a Lollicup, but it closed and at the time, it was the only boba tea shop in that area. Now, in that same vicinity, there are 3, TasteTea, Cha and the infamout Omomo that has ridiculously long lines every day. In the Arbor Village Center, there are 6 boba tea/drink shops and there is even a Tapioca Express across the street. How do those places survive (well, being in a non-TIC retail center probably helps)?
Then there are Korean BBQ joints. I Can BBQ, All That BBQ, Shik and KangHoDang are always packed, but Korea House is almost always empty. The owner of All That told me that he researched the most profitable businesses in Irvine and even though he had never done a KBBQ before, that's the one he chose.
So a pretty expensive AYCE place like KBBQ can find success in Irvine, but continental buffets like Hometown Buffet can't. Although Souplantation is always crowded and not very cheap (does anyone remember Soup Exchange in the Crossroads center?). Seems like only expensive AYCE meat places can survive in Irvine (Texas De Brazil and Agorra).
And what about fast food? There used to be 3 Burger Kings in Irvine... now there are none. Two of them are now The Habit, and the other is Del Taco. Along with Del Taco, Carl's Jr and McDonalds have been in Irvine forever... even Jack and Taco Bell have a presence, but why not Burger King?
And Diamond Jamboree... AKA Irvine Asia... has seen quite a bit of turnover. Why couldn't Yogurtland survive there but Afters can (although Afters may not be there much longer as I never see it crowded).
And then all the old school places are gone. No more Claim Jumpers, Marie Callenders, IHOP (although the airport one is hanging on) and Denny's in Old Town Irvine seems to survive on the hotel occupants (same for Knowlwoods). But breakfast places like Snooze and Stacks can thrive (btw, is Republic of Breakfast open yet?).
In another life, I would have liked to open an eatery but it just seems so hard to build a following. I'm still puzzled by how Omomo generated such hype because whatever they did, it doesn't look like it's slowing down. I always see that line when I go to CVS (too lazy to move our scripts to a closer one and that one is 24-hour).
I would do something like the BYO Pizza/Chipotle/Poke style... but I don't think schnitzels are high in demand.
I know IC said he tried to open a boba tea shop... and qwerty would become either a Taco Bell franchisee or open QwerburgerTown. An old school IHB member used to own a frozen yogurt shop... not sure where they are now.
If you had the capital and time, what kind of place would you open?
