another landmark gone soon?

[BonzoHansen]

http://www.njherald.com/20171029/chatterbox-owner-agrees-to-sell-property-to-wawa#

Dammit, first circus now this....

[ar0ck]

To WaWa of all places? Sad!

[BonzoHansen]

I blame Nick

[unstable bob gable]

Suckorama

[IROCZman15]

holyyyy smokes this sucks! I go there 3-4 times a year will be a LOT of sad hotrodders in the north area

[PolarBear]

I read it that the guy is just selling out to get a crap ton of money and doesn't give a crap about the community or people if he is only selling "because he is getting old". The only other logical explanation is that it is operating under a loss and he can't logically keep it open and the reason to sell out instead of someone else and keep it open.

[redsoxsstink]

I'm sure WaWa has a pretty sweet offer for him since that is a decent piece of property but it sure does suck it wont be there anymore.

[BonzoHansen]

I read it that the guy is just selling out to get a crap ton of money and doesn't give a crap about the community or people if he is only selling "because he is getting old". The only other logical explanation is that it is operating under a loss and he can't logically keep it open and the reason to sell out instead of someone else and keep it open.

That is certainly his prerogative

[PolarBear]

That is certainly his prerogative

It certainly is, but with these statements

Hall credited the "tremendous" support from Sussex County residents with keeping his business afloat over the years. If the Chatterbox does eventually give way to a Wawa, he said, he will fondly remember his time as the restaurant's owner.

"I've made tons of friends here," Hall said. "Some of the best people I've ever met in my life, I've met here. My employees are top-notch, and some of these people will probably stay friends for life."

He is basically saying thank you for making me a lot of money and if he really cared about people he wouldn't sell it unless it was financially ruining him. Not to mention the employees that are not going to have a job when Wawa buys it and closes it down. Why not sell it to someone else who wants to keep it open, if he cares so much about the support from the residents.


I think the whole thing stinks, Just my two cents

[The_Bishop]

Well, nuts. This place is a family favorite!

[BonzoHansen]

...He is basically saying thank you for making me a lot of money and if he really cared about people he wouldn't sell it unless it was financially ruining him. Not to mention the employees that are not going to have a job when Wawa buys it and closes it down. Why not sell it to someone else who wants to keep it open, if he cares so much about the support from the residents....

Don't gloss over his choice of wording "keeping his business afloat" - that does not sound like "making me a lot of money'

The problem that guy and the circus people run into is that the property is worth way more than the business. Both are essentially seasonal businesses, although CB to a lesser degree but I bet its pretty dead Nov-March. The margins in the restaurant business are pretty low, so you don't really get rich off such single businesses, and that's before only having 6 months of income. Its a labor of love and if you make it long enough you probably improve margins a bit from the inevitable slowing of investment back into it - the old assets/liability/equities math.

If you try to sell it for what it is worth, it is simply impossible to make the business profitable, so you get what happens here. You aren't walking into a commercial lender and getting an $800,000 loan with a projected negative ROI. Sure, you can be all big hearted and sell it for less just to keep it open, but the next guy won't so he makes the big cash off your years of hard work. Nope, you can't do that to yourself or your family. If he will I'd like to be that next guy.

And if you wait too long that opportunity might disappear, at least in your useful lifetime. The current deal might be the best one he ever sees. Go ask the Tree King guy on quakerbridge about missing his opportunity. Holding out (albeit for money not altruism) cost him rewards he will never recoup. He said so himself in a newspaper article a few years ago.

Every time I am in there 95% of the employees seem to be high school & college aged. They'll be fine. He's not putting a team of physicists out of work. Wawa might actually employ more folks over the course of a year, certainly more total hours.

If there is a true demand then something new will pop up. If not, well, he made the right call. That's how capitalism works.

It sucks for us, we love that place. But life moves on. Maybe we should buy his milkshake machine.

[ThoR294]

Would be nice if it was a Sheetz instead of a Wawa... Oh well. Bonzo is correct

[BonzoHansen]

Would be nice if it was a Sheetz instead of a Wawa... Oh well. Bonzo is correct

My son likes Sheetz better - as he calls it "Wawa with a fryer" lol

[Blackbirdws6]

Sucks but business will be business. I'm sure these decisions do not come lightly.

[unstable bob gable]

My son likes Sheetz better - as he calls it "Wawa with a fryer" lol

Sheetz FTW! It's one of the only good things about Pennsyltucky!

[LTb1ow]

Would be nice if it was a Sheetz instead of a Wawa... Oh well. Bonzo is correct

You are incorrect.

Sheetz sucks. Hate going into sheetz territory

[wretched73]

You are incorrect.

Sheetz sucks. Hate going into sheetz territory

The last Sheetz I went to, I had a really good hamburger and a soft serve ice cream cone. Wawa can't compete with that!

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

Don't gloss over his choice of wording "keeping his business afloat" - that does not sound like "making me a lot of money'



This is relative but my thought. It'd be a shame and I know Wawa pays premium because they are under negotiations for a place in Dover (not mine). They have a lot of requirements (x amount of traffic, x amount of frontage, 2 acres, etc.).

Would be nice to see another person buy it up, but I'm sure that won't happen now. A shame to lose such a destination place, especially with such solid food. It is busy for lunch/dinner during the week simply because it serves the same as a good diner. IIRC Justin's family knows Don personally.

[PolarBear]

"making me a lot of money'

If there is a true demand then something new will pop up. If not, well, he made the right call. That's how capitalism works.

It sucks for us, we love that place. But life moves on. Maybe we should buy his milkshake machine.

First off; there was a milkshake machine?
Second; I don't think you understood when I said "thank you for making me a lot of money". I meant off the sale of the property, for making it valuable, not necessarily off the operations of the business. Though I think some small restaurants CAN make a LOT of money, I can think of two that I frequent that I believe are very profitable.

He is being a capitalist, no doubt, but like I said I think he is saying one thing, but really doesn't give a crap about anything but money here. Which is, like you said, his prerogative I just think he is a two face a-hole, but I hate most people indiscriminately and this is one of the reasons why.

Sheetz sucks. Hate going into sheetz territory

I second this, I went to a Sheetz and got a plain/normal/regular sandwich and it was terrible. At least Wawa does the properly.

A shame to lose such a destination place, especially with such solid food.

That's the worst part IMO. The property outside of Pennington still sits vacant where we used to meet for dinner sometimes.

[BonzoHansen]

HI Rib was 100% a government issue. Hopewell Township screwed the pooch on that.

"I can think of two that I frequent that I believe are very profitable." - I bet they have a fewadvantages - increased average check based on the menu/type of restaurant, much steadier year round income, and they serve booze

[PolarBear]

HI Rib was 100% a government issue. Hopewell Township screwed the pooch on that.

"I can think of two that I frequent that I believe are very profitable." - I bet they have a fewadvantages - increased average check based on the menu/type of restaurant, much steadier year round income, and they serve booze

Yeah HI Rib, that was a damn shame. I didn't think the food was all that great, but I actually liked the ambiance inside and that giant fish tank.

One serves booze, the other doesn't. I don't know exactly what you mean about increased average check based on the menu. The non booze is also cash only, I don't think the menu prices are very high for what you get like some places, I think it is very reasonable for the location too. The other place is probably doing a lot better because of the alcohol for sure, but the restaurant also does very well on it's own, I frequent it a lot and sometimes I have to park on a side street just to get my take-out.
I am not saying all restaurants are very profitable, I am just saying they can be. CB is probably very season able, profit wise, since it is a destination place, but it doesn't necessarily operate in the red during the off season, I don't know.

[sweetbmxrider]

Shame but I can't blame him. He worked his ass off his entire life, he deserves to retire with some decency and this is the way to go.

[The_Bishop]

I understand the reasons and yes, it's probably the right thing for him but that doesn't mean I have to like the Chatterbox going away.

[WildBillyT]

Yeah HI Rib, that was a damn shame. I didn't think the food was all that great, but I actually liked the ambiance inside and that giant fish tank.

One serves booze, the other doesn't. I don't know exactly what you mean about increased average check based on the menu. The non booze is also cash only, I don't think the menu prices are very high for what you get like some places, I think it is very reasonable for the location too. The other place is probably doing a lot better because of the alcohol for sure, but the restaurant also does very well on it's own, I frequent it a lot and sometimes I have to park on a side street just to get my take-out.
I am not saying all restaurants are very profitable, I am just saying they can be. CB is probably very season able, profit wise, since it is a destination place, but it doesn't necessarily operate in the red during the off season, I don't know.

Man, why do you guys have to bring up HI. Ouch.

Yeah, their food wasn't the best, but it was still pretty good and not a Chili's/TGI Fridays/etc food factory.

[Featherburner]

I miss HI Ribs! I mean their actual ribs.:drool:

[qwikz28]

Work brought me to Augusta yesterday, so I planned a trip to Chatterbox since I've never been. It's a really cool place, I hope it doesn't go.

By the way, I doubt this is being sold to Wawa. Quickcheck had a sign up that they are moving next across the street. If in October they announced a contract to sell to Wawa, they must still be in a due diligence period so I imagine that deal will fall through. But then again, I've been wrong before.

[LS1ow]

Work brought me to Augusta yesterday, so I planned a trip to Chatterbox since I've never been. It's a really cool place, I hope it doesn't go.

By the way, I doubt this is being sold to Wawa. Quickcheck had a sign up that they are moving next across the street. If in October they announced a contract to sell to Wawa, they must still be in a due diligence period so I imagine that deal will fall through. But then again, I've been wrong before.

Im heading up there this weekend to see that light show thing they have at the baseball field for Christmas with the gf, and plan on stopping by the chatterbox for a bite to eat as well. Hopefully not for the last time.