City Garden (formerly Bleu Garten)

[BoulderSooner]

The owners are very nice people, but I think they may have bit off more than they could chew with how rapid they wee expanding. Vision comes with a price; I think all 3 concepts were cool but requires a ton of cash to keep that train on the rails.

they never ran blu garten well .. from the very first day on ...

[Jeepnokc]

They had inconsistent hours, and were not very communicative of times when they would be closed (or open, for that matter). It is on their operator for them failing, not the environment or COVID, in my opinion.

I actually had thought they closed last year and didn't realize they were still open at all.

[Roger S]

Wasn't it known from the get go that this was just a temporary operation?

[BoulderSooner]

Wasn't it known from the get go that this was just a temporary operation?

yes .... but "long term" temporary ..

[Roger S]

yes .... but "long term" temporary ..

• Term is for three years and may extend beyond that.

Not if you look at #1 in this thread

[BoulderSooner]

Not if you look at #1 in this thread

they planned for at least 5 years from the start ... and thought they would have 8 ...

[Roger S]

they planned for at least 5 years from the start ... and thought they would have 8 ...

Ok... They made it 7+... What's your point?

It was known up front this was a short term operation.... So why all the uproar and speculation about why it is closing?

[BoulderSooner]

Ok... They made it 7+... What's your point?

It was known up front this was a short term operation.... So why all the uproar and speculation about why it is closing?

i don't think we are saying any thing different ..... (but 7 years for a restaurant is not really temporary )

[runOKC]

i don't think we are saying any thing different ..... (but 7 years for a restaurant is not really temporary )

Ok you have completely lost me…. They thought that they’d make it 5-8, made it 7, and your point is….. I’m still not really sure lol

[LocoAko]

It was known up front this was a short term operation.... So why all the uproar and speculation about why it is closing?

I suspect most of the general public didn't realize it was never intended to be permanent, and they always seemed successful/busy.

[Anonymous.]

Yea, I am with runOKC & Roger. I don't really follow the operator-fault narrative unless there is stuff people just aren't saying publicly. I know the hours were always iffy, but that was because weather dictated basically the entire thing. Even so, it was easy to check their social media as they were frequent posters.

This to me is more about the value of the corner and increased competition in the area. Collective and Sunset have both poached significant numbers of patio-seeking patrons. Which is completely fine. It seems to me that Bleu served its original purpose beautifully.

[Roger S]

I suspect most of the general public didn't realize it was never intended to be permanent, and they always seemed successful/busy.

Right.... I expected that from the Facebook commenters since they are clueless most of the time..... Wasn't expecting to see it from this crew.

[onthestrip]

Guess I dont get some of the negativity towards Bleu. They were a trendsetter for midtown and pretty much were what anchored the initial midtown crowds. Competition has arrived and peoples tastes have changed and that probably explains the smaller crowds but I say bravo to them for 7 or whatever years of running this business attracting lots of people over the years. As Pete mentioned, they were far and away more successful than any other food truck yard.

[Pete]

Their last day is Sunday.

Very strange to end things so abruptly and when we have are just getting into the best days of fall.

[shawnw]

Doing a Costanza, going out on top

[Plutonic Panda]

Pete, maybe a development is imminent?

[Urbanized]

Their last day is Sunday.

Very strange to end things so abruptly and when we have are just getting into the best days of fall.

My guess is that it was hastened by a staffing shortage.

[Pete]

My guess is that it was hastened by a staffing shortage.

That's a good point, given the fact they can only offer inconsistent hours.

[Pete]

Was just told that the McNellie's group is taking this over.

[Urbanized]

Excellent news. I’ll bet that place will eventually/soon be first-season busy again.

[chssooner]

So not apartments or condos?

[Pete]

So not apartments or condos?

I said all the way along that I seriously doubted Midtown Renaissance was anywhere near ready to develop that property.

And they are on the record saying they will never build any for-sale units, so you can rule out condos on any of the large lots they still own in Midtown. And that's too bad because Midtown condos would likely sell well. All that is available are the ultra-pricey Villa Teresa units.

[Plutonic Panda]

Why would they never build for sale units? Is there something harder about building for sale vs for rent?

[Pete]

Why would they never build for sale units? Is there something harder about building for sale vs for rent?

They want to hold their properties.

[catch22]

Great news!