Back here in the UK, Florida got a big mention last weekend in the biggest Sunday newspaper over here, the Sunday Times. Now is the time to buy apparently, for Brits in Florida.
In a feature article, 'the market in Florida has collapsed, but the worst is over.' Key West specifically was not mentioned but South Beach and Sarasota got a shout out as desirable places to buy right now.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
What needs to change? Knife, fork, spoon, Key West...
I was thinking just now that in our fast paced world where everything seems to change, actually, some things stay stubbornly the same.
The trend over the last 30 years has been to converge, to minimalise, to update, to modernise, to evolve, to jump to a new technology and a new way of doing things.
But then I thought of the knife, fork and spoon. They have not changed. They have not converged or minimalised. To me there seems real opportunity here. Three becomes two?
Key West's a bit like that too. Not changing.
Is that a good thing that they've not changed? have they not changed because no one can be bothered, or because it's too much trouble to change, or because they are the best solution to the problem (of how to eat, in this case). What about just giving one of them up? And which one? The fork maybe.
I think Key West hasn't changed because it's too much trouble for the kind of folks that live there. That's not too much of a bad thing.
If we did, what bit of Key West would we give up to 'minimalize' the island? Well, unlike other towns, we've only got 1 Starbucks so we can't get rid of one of those. But do we really need Faustos? Do we need both (all!) the trolley tours? Lose one of the piers (so we lose some of the cruise ships)? Do we need all the veggie restaurants or art galleries? Sloppy Joe's is just like the Hog's Breath Saloon; Antonias is like La Trattoria - do we need both?
The trend over the last 30 years has been to converge, to minimalise, to update, to modernise, to evolve, to jump to a new technology and a new way of doing things.
But then I thought of the knife, fork and spoon. They have not changed. They have not converged or minimalised. To me there seems real opportunity here. Three becomes two?
Key West's a bit like that too. Not changing.
Is that a good thing that they've not changed? have they not changed because no one can be bothered, or because it's too much trouble to change, or because they are the best solution to the problem (of how to eat, in this case). What about just giving one of them up? And which one? The fork maybe.
I think Key West hasn't changed because it's too much trouble for the kind of folks that live there. That's not too much of a bad thing.
If we did, what bit of Key West would we give up to 'minimalize' the island? Well, unlike other towns, we've only got 1 Starbucks so we can't get rid of one of those. But do we really need Faustos? Do we need both (all!) the trolley tours? Lose one of the piers (so we lose some of the cruise ships)? Do we need all the veggie restaurants or art galleries? Sloppy Joe's is just like the Hog's Breath Saloon; Antonias is like La Trattoria - do we need both?
Sunday, November 29, 2009
What's the strategy?
It was fascinating to read the Option page of today's Citizen about the forthcoming vote on CityView trolley tours. Key West does not seem to have a strategy (=direction) on development and tourism.
No one seems to get that Key West's charm is in its natural,authentic state. Modern day impositions like real estate development and modernity dilute the Key West 'real thing.'
For Pete's sake, there are enough trolley tours already. Too many actually. Tourists should walk more! (You'd think all those visitors straight off the ships would want to stretch their sea legs not get right into a confined trolley tour!).
I always think one of Key West's usp's is that you can walk everywhere you need to in old town. Why more trolleys then? Madness prevails.
No one seems to get that Key West's charm is in its natural,authentic state. Modern day impositions like real estate development and modernity dilute the Key West 'real thing.'
For Pete's sake, there are enough trolley tours already. Too many actually. Tourists should walk more! (You'd think all those visitors straight off the ships would want to stretch their sea legs not get right into a confined trolley tour!).
I always think one of Key West's usp's is that you can walk everywhere you need to in old town. Why more trolleys then? Madness prevails.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The battle of Fleming Street - Green Republic vs Help Yourself!
In the last few months, Fleming Street has become a battle ground between competing veggie cafes.
Today we went into both veggie restaurants on Fleming Street:
Green Republic
('be lean, be green')
just off Duval
Opened a few months
All veggie but not organic
kitchen: total separation between front of house and kitchen, cannot see good being made
design: Minimalist, high design interior, lots of open wait space inside, air conditioned
Green Republic website
Help Yourself!
('delicious, nutritious, natural food')
a few more blocks north - but not that far (Margaret Street)
Opened just before Fantasy Fest 2008 (so almost a year) - was Bubba's (but no relation)
organic
kitchen: right there by the till, watch your food being made
design: busy, carrots, experiential, wait space outside (shaded)
Help Yourself website
As you can read from the above they are quite different in style and menu (bearing in mind they are both veggie and after the same market).
Also both have set their sights on 'world veggie domination' with both having expansion plans for the future - although in both cases, Key West is currently their only outpost.
I really want both businesses to succeed, and have purchased from both this week (and there is no reason why they cannot as it's Key West after all - a diverse and busy eating out market).
But this week one of them has really annoyed me so time to get off sitting on the fence....
Green Republic
Fascinating menu
Really great 'chicken' (=i.e. veggie) nuggets
BUT... we asked on 3 different days for 'chicken' Marinara and they were out of it on every single occasion!!
I can deal with frustration in restaurants. Once. But this was 3 times!! And the third time there was no 'chicken' at all, knocking out several options.
And, worst really, the staff did not seem too bothered by the continued lack of this option.
Either have it, or remove it from the menu. It's all about expectation management!
Help Yourself!
So, unsatisfied and without purchase, we wandered up Fleming to Help Yourself!
We ordered pasta and a salad. Watched it being cooked in front of us by Charlie. Chatted to the new co-partner Annie who (is lovely and) has only been part of the partnership for a few days. Everything was fresh and delicious. It's more hectic experience (I liked at!) and the ladies are great folks, are committed to both the food and the community.
And the food was great.
End of round one: winners were....... Help Yourself!
But Green Republic will be strong competitors in the future I am sure.
My advice would be:
Green Rep: Guys...Be able to deliver what your menus says you can.
Help Yourself!: Ladies.. Slightly easier to navigate menu would be good and also have some things on the menu that are a bit naughty - remember that lots of your visitors are tourists and so don't care too much about being mega healthy.
Good luck to both!
(and, finally, how will they stand the test of time against that old timer, the Veggie Cafe?)
Here's Help Yourself's scarily good juice selection:
Today we went into both veggie restaurants on Fleming Street:
Green Republic
('be lean, be green')
just off Duval
Opened a few months
All veggie but not organic
kitchen: total separation between front of house and kitchen, cannot see good being made
design: Minimalist, high design interior, lots of open wait space inside, air conditioned
Green Republic website
Help Yourself!
('delicious, nutritious, natural food')
a few more blocks north - but not that far (Margaret Street)
Opened just before Fantasy Fest 2008 (so almost a year) - was Bubba's (but no relation)
organic
kitchen: right there by the till, watch your food being made
design: busy, carrots, experiential, wait space outside (shaded)
Help Yourself website
As you can read from the above they are quite different in style and menu (bearing in mind they are both veggie and after the same market).
Also both have set their sights on 'world veggie domination' with both having expansion plans for the future - although in both cases, Key West is currently their only outpost.
I really want both businesses to succeed, and have purchased from both this week (and there is no reason why they cannot as it's Key West after all - a diverse and busy eating out market).
But this week one of them has really annoyed me so time to get off sitting on the fence....
Green Republic
Fascinating menu
Really great 'chicken' (=i.e. veggie) nuggets
BUT... we asked on 3 different days for 'chicken' Marinara and they were out of it on every single occasion!!
I can deal with frustration in restaurants. Once. But this was 3 times!! And the third time there was no 'chicken' at all, knocking out several options.
And, worst really, the staff did not seem too bothered by the continued lack of this option.
Either have it, or remove it from the menu. It's all about expectation management!
Help Yourself!
So, unsatisfied and without purchase, we wandered up Fleming to Help Yourself!
We ordered pasta and a salad. Watched it being cooked in front of us by Charlie. Chatted to the new co-partner Annie who (is lovely and) has only been part of the partnership for a few days. Everything was fresh and delicious. It's more hectic experience (I liked at!) and the ladies are great folks, are committed to both the food and the community.
And the food was great.
End of round one: winners were....... Help Yourself!
But Green Republic will be strong competitors in the future I am sure.
My advice would be:
Green Rep: Guys...Be able to deliver what your menus says you can.
Help Yourself!: Ladies.. Slightly easier to navigate menu would be good and also have some things on the menu that are a bit naughty - remember that lots of your visitors are tourists and so don't care too much about being mega healthy.
Good luck to both!
(and, finally, how will they stand the test of time against that old timer, the Veggie Cafe?)
Here's Help Yourself's scarily good juice selection:
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