“Abrupt close leaves some asking ‘why?’” |
| Abrupt close leaves some asking ‘why?’ Posted: 29 Nov 2010 09:01 PM PST If the locked doors and dark windows are any indication, Quiznos is toast. But no one seems sure why. The latest in a handful of business casualties in recent months, Quiznos' unexpected and unexplained closing two weeks ago took patrons and employees by surprise. Billy Gamy, an employee at the national sandwich chain, showed up for his scheduled shift on Nov. 16 after taking two days off, but the building was empty. "On the 13th, everything was just fine," Gamy said. "When you look inside and see nothing, it's kind of a heads up. I guess I don't work here anymore." Gamy said he sat outside the store and watched as other employees — dressed in full uniform — attempted to open the locked doors. They didn't know the establishment had closed either. Neither Quiznos management or Greenhill Capital — the company that owns the strip from Wynn Hair Studio to Vito's Pizzeria — could be reached to comment on why the downtown restaurant has disappeared. A customer relations representative from Quiznos said she was not allowed to comment because of privacy reasons. The location had been individually owned and operated, she said. Chris Warren, College Park's economic development coordinator, said he suspected the management, which he said had changed hands within the last couple of years, was having trouble running the business effectively. "My sense is that the rents are too high, and there's not a lot of walk-by traffic," he said. The strip seems to be gaining a reputation as an inhospitable spot to set up shop. It has experienced significant turnover the past few semesters — South Street Steaks, Wata-Wing and Chicken Rico also came and went quickly. Along with Cluck-U Chicken — which closed earlier this month but may reopen soon, possibly in a new location — Quiznos stands out from the rest because it's a national chain. Franchises have traditionally been considered safe from the revolving door of business downtown, but that assumption may not hold true any longer. "It makes people nervous," Warren said. "It makes students nervous that their favorite business will go belly-empty." Managers of other stores along the strip said they were shocked to see the business suddenly lock its doors. "They just disappeared," said Monica Estrella, general manager of Street Tacos, who said she'd talked to the manager that weekend. "He said, 'It's slow.' People complain about that sometimes, but I didn't think it was major." Steve Kroll, a manager at Vito's Pizzeria, mirrored that sentiment, saying such abrupt closures generate concern among business owners. "It's really unsettling," he said. "It was overnight." Gamy, who has lived in the area his whole life, said the surrender of Thirsty Turtle's liquor license last month has changed the city's economy and could be partly to blame for why Quiznos suddenly closed. The chain had recently extended its dining hours to accommodate the late-night crowd. "The nighttime economy here in College Park is dependent on the bars. Of course, you get drunk and want something to eat," he said. "Drunk business is good business." Student interest is an integral component of keeping a business afloat, Warren said, and some students said the eatery was never their first choice. Sophomore letters and sciences major Megan Lafferty said she knew there was a Quiznos location along Route 1 but went elsewhere to get a sandwich fix. "I usually stick to the same places," she said. "I did not know that Quiznos closed." roubein at umdbk dot com This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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