BIZNOTE: Great American Diner and Bar update

You might have noticed that the old Shelby’s signage was taken down this week, five and a half months after that restaurant closed (which in turn was five and a half months after it opened). So we checked with the new tenants in the space, Great American Diner and Bar (here’s our in-depth May interview), for a progress report. They tell us they’re waiting on their liquor license, and hoping to get it around June 27th.

26 Replies to "BIZNOTE: Great American Diner and Bar update"

  • David June 18, 2017 (3:58 am)

    I hope that the Great American Diner owners repaint the building. The current color is an eyesore. I won’t go into a restaurant that looks hideous on the outside. Maybe it was one of the reasons that the last of many at that location failed. We spend quite a bit of money going out and are always looking for new options.

  • Alki Guy June 18, 2017 (2:26 pm)

    LOL, I had the same impression when Shelby’s picked that color. Doomed from the start. And it looks terrible in the picture above. 

    Also agree with the many people that posted on the earlier thread, before they invest in a sign they should pick another name.

  • Mike June 18, 2017 (3:00 pm)

    Call it West Seattle Diner, paint it blue, have good food and service at reasonably priced rates for plate sizes, winner winner chicken dinner.

  • hi June 18, 2017 (3:09 pm)

    So many haters. “the color of the building is not pleasing”. Really, that is why you won’t check it out?

    grow up.

    http://www.bartleby.com/17/1/62.html

    • SueY July 1, 2017 (5:54 pm)

      Thank you!  Really, people, do you want the owners to spend their $$ on outside aesthetics or spend it on quality food and decent wages for their employees?  Please grow up!

  • WSOWE June 18, 2017 (3:28 pm)

    What’s wrong with the name?

    • WSB June 18, 2017 (4:43 pm)

      The name was explained by the new owners in our previous report, linked in this one. – TR

  • WGA June 18, 2017 (6:35 pm)

    This corner seems to be cursed. Shelby’s in particular was fighting an uphill battle. I never understood why someone thought an ice cream parlor would make a profit when a neighborhood institution was a half block away for any ice cream fix.

    The interior finishes were very cheap as well. I visited the store during last summer’s street fair when they let people in before it opened (not to open by the time of the fair seemed a bad omen too). The vinyl “wood” floor was already bubbling up.

    I hope these guys spend a little more money to make the space appealing. The food will hopefully be excellent and sell itself.

  • Mike June 18, 2017 (7:12 pm)

    They’ll probably check it out, but appearance is vital for food establishments to gain popularity, even with spectacular food.  The best bahn mi is from a little shop in White Center you probably wouldn’t even want to set foot in and violates health codes left and right, but damn they make a tasty bahn mi sandwich.

  • Nice Sign June 18, 2017 (7:53 pm)

    Note when you drive by that the sign is being held down by dumbbells. They’re pink hand-weights, tied to the bottom of the plastic sign. Hopefully for the owner, this isn’t a metaphor of the service and/or food in the restaurant.

  • Jon Wright June 19, 2017 (12:42 am)

    Couldn’t one also argue that is an indication of anticipating and proactively dealing with a potential problem (i.e. sign blown up and over the wall)? It could signal a management that is really on the ball and thinks of everything.

  • brian June 19, 2017 (7:48 am)

    Could we not also argue that the weights tied to the bottom of the sign are an oblique reference to the capitalist chains that weigh all of us down? And the sign itself a metaphor for the way we prostitute ourselves and our labor to be exploited by the benevolent land barons? And the rope that connects the sign to the building an allegory for the ties that bind all of us to this mortal coil as we burn for an indefinite amount of finite time?

    • Brian June 23, 2017 (5:45 pm)

      Yes we could.

  • Andy June 19, 2017 (8:40 am)

    I’m anxious for the Great American Diner to open. I’m hoping they’ll be serving up a lot of good old fashioned American food. I, for one, am tired of the over abundance of ethnic food restaurants here in West Seattle and look forward to something new and different.

    I have to say, however, I find it sad that so many of you seem to be so turned off by the restaurant’s name. It leaves me wondering what your issue really is. I’m guessing that maybe some of you aren’t as proud  to be an American as I am. I hope I’m wrong.

    As for the Great American Diner’s paint color, I’d like to see them re-paint it in some red, white and blue color scheme. Of course, I expect that some of you would object to that and the old guy at the counter, wearing the red hat and enjoying a piece of good old American apple pie and ice cream, too. 

    • Mike June 19, 2017 (9:22 pm)

      Pshhhhh, YOU  didn’t read about the restaurant at all, did you?  Ya, wear that red hat stating things are wrong and you’ll fix’er up.  I’m sure the guys starting this restaurant will love to serve you their take on the ‘merican dish.

  • erm June 19, 2017 (9:53 am)

    Wow, Andy.  Just wow. 

     

  • Steve June 19, 2017 (1:06 pm)

    You know, red, white, and blue does have a certain, what would you call it, panache? Maybe if they make it past 12 months they can be convinced to spend a little on a new paint job. What I really hope is they took the time to do something about the awful acoustics in that space.

  • Alki Guy June 19, 2017 (1:16 pm)

    I would like to respond to two comments:

    The Color; no it doesn’t matter whether I like the color or not, but any business, especially a restaurant, needs to be inviting to draw people in, even more so in the hyper competitive restaurant business. This color is not inviting. I was walking in the Junction with my then 16 YO daughter when it was first painted and even she commented on how awful it is.

    The Name; We can debate politics all we want but West Seattle is probably more liberal than liberal Seattle. Again the owners can do whatever, but why pick a name that will potentially offend 75% of your market and put yourself at a disadvantage???

    I have to agree with some of the other commenters that it seems like the new owners are not thinking this through and maybe this is a sign of how they will run their business. I truly hope they succeed. I think a diner is a great idea. Just visit Skillet Diner, or Geraldine’s Diner, they are amazing and very successful. 

  • History Buff June 19, 2017 (1:49 pm)

    Andy, you should know that apple pie is a British recipe, and the “American” version is actually French. Also, ice cream is Italian. Hot dogs are German and Chevrolet is of course a French name. As such, it would probably humble you to know that the building is owned by an Asian guy and the restaurateur is an Indian dude. The reason there is no bland American food left is because there are no bland Americans left. 

    Also, pink dumbbells is my new euphemism for Trump supporters. 

  • newnative June 19, 2017 (2:11 pm)

    Well, this has gone south quickly. 

    • Mike June 19, 2017 (9:24 pm)

      no no, the south is far worse than this thread.

  • HappyOnAlki June 19, 2017 (3:03 pm)

    Brian — you may just have the win here  :  )

    Alki Guy — are you saying that liberals have relinquished “great American”? Are you giving up that easily? 
    History Buff — OK, maybe you’re tied with Brian  :  )
  • Alki Guy June 19, 2017 (3:40 pm)

    Happyonalki, I am just commenting if I was opening a new business today, especially in a spot that has not done well, I would not want to take a chance on a phrase that is associated with the current POTUS, in a liberal city, My comment is strictly from a business / marketing point of view. Why in the world would a new business do that???

    I am not giving up on America being great, as a matter of fact America is already great, and lets hope it doesn’t get ruined in the next few years. 

  • BJG June 19, 2017 (7:20 pm)

    Hoping for good food, a nice place to enjoy a meal, good people running the place and enough in profits to keep the restaurant open and allow for future improvements. Paint can wait. Please, let’s give them a chance. They are our neighors. Patronize them once in a while. Not every place needs a Michelin star to make a decent burger or short stack. I hope it is “great” because we need it in the Junction. 

     

  • Lisa June 20, 2017 (6:03 am)

    Ha ha ha. Thank you!

  • WSOWE June 21, 2017 (11:42 am)

    This was supposed to be for Alki Guy. I understand why the name was choosen; I’m not sure what some commenters problem with the name might be. 

Sorry, comment time is over.