Lip Smackers

[Mr. Blue Sky]

You can still do many of the little things that cost little to no money. I can't believe he has that big sign available to him to use that can be seen from I-44 and he thinks he doesn't need it. Here is a Google Maps view. Zoom in on the tall signage seen just above the blue awning. The sign right below the VIP sign is his - but it advertises the last business that was there. https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en...px8wEnoECAsQCQ

He laughs it all off with me and says, "It's all about the food." Then, in the next sentence complains about the lack of traffic into the restaurant. I say, "Jabbar!!!" and he just laughs again. I'm a regular and he knows who I am I'm sure. I'm never rude - only encouraging in my suggestions.
Such a shame because, as almost everyone says, the burgers are top-tier in the metro.

[stile99]

He has a point, if the food is good enough, a lot of sins can be forgiven. The trick, however, is how anyone is supposed to know the food is good if they never know the food is there to begin with.

[TheirTheir]

With so many good burgers to compete with, a visible sign from I-44 would, at the very least, be a reminder of it's existence to those who have been there. I use I-44 every day and I think about Lip Smackerz 0% of my day unless I see this thread. I would have gone 5+ more times if there was a sign to remind me of its existence.

[TheTravellers]

So it may not be money problems that are behind the shorter hours, read this in Lackmeyer's chat this morning:

I am very sympathetic to the plight of the homeless but the situation along Pennsylvania Avenue, I-44 and NW 23 is out of control. There is a great new restaurant located at I-44 and Pennsylvania, Lipsmackers, that has ended evening operations. The owner told me early on dinner hour was a challenge due to the perceived and real issues of safety in the area.

[Pete]

^

I live literally right down the street from Lipsmackers.

Yes, there are a lot of panhandlers at the I-44 & Penn intersection and I've never had a problem or heard of anything happening there. And in fact, I've only eaten at Lipsmackers in the evening and I've done so about a dozen times.

Repeating this sort of thing is dangerous without real info and data.

[TheTravellers]

^

I live literally right down the street from Lipsmackers.

Yes, there are a lot of panhandlers at the I-44 & Penn intersection and I've never had a problem or heard of anything happening there. And in fact, I've only eaten at Lipsmackers in the evening and I've done so about a dozen times.

Repeating this sort of thing is dangerous without real info and data.

I live at 35th/Venice and I do see homeless folks around our neighborhood, and on 23rd, but not sure it's at the level of dangerous. So maybe next time someone hits up Lipsmackers, they can ask Jabbar for specific incidents and then post about the conversation to clear this up (sorry, won't be us, we're not doing burgers for a little while)...

[Thomas Vu]

Even if this were the case, which I don't believe it is cause I was told otherwise on multiple occasions, I'd still put the onus on Jabbar for lack of scouting the location when setting up shop.

[catch22]

You can still do many of the little things that cost little to no money. I can't believe he has that big sign available to him to use that can be seen from I-44 and he thinks he doesn't need it. Here is a Google Maps view. Zoom in on the tall signage seen just above the blue awning. The sign right below the VIP sign is his - but it advertises the last business that was there. https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en...px8wEnoECAsQCQ

He laughs it all off with me and says, "It's all about the food." Then, in the next sentence complains about the lack of traffic into the restaurant. I say, "Jabbar!!!" and he just laughs again. I'm a regular and he knows who I am I'm sure. I'm never rude - only encouraging in my suggestions.
Such a shame because, as almost everyone says, the burgers are top-tier in the metro.

Oh, so that's where it is. I think about it occasionally when driving down I-44 but I could never place it in my mind where it was.

[TheTravellers]

Even if this were the case, which I don't believe it is cause I was told otherwise on multiple occasions, I'd still put the onus on Jabbar for lack of scouting the location when setting up shop.

So who'd Jabbar give a false story to - you or Lackmeyer? Interesting that he's told 2 different people 2 different things. I'd imagine it's actually a combination of both.

[Thomas Vu]

So who'd Jabbar give a false story to - you or Lackmeyer? Interesting that he's told 2 different people 2 different things. I'd imagine it's actually a combination of both.

That's what I was thinking as well.

[TheTravellers]

I live at 35th/Venice and I do see homeless folks around our neighborhood, and on 23rd, but not sure it's at the level of dangerous. So maybe next time someone hits up Lipsmackers, they can ask Jabbar for specific incidents and then post about the conversation to clear this up (sorry, won't be us, we're not doing burgers for a little while)...

Well that's news to Mrs. Traveller here, who needs a burger fix on a pretty regular basis. :- I'll have to have a chat with Mr. Traveller.

[foodiefan]

^

I live literally right down the street from Lipsmackers.

Yes, there are a lot of panhandlers at the I-44 & Penn intersection and I've never had a problem or heard of anything happening there. And in fact, I've only eaten at Lipsmackers in the evening and I've done so about a dozen times.

Repeating this sort of thing is dangerous without real info and data.

+1 x2

[TheTravellers]

^^^ Then why did Jabbar tell Lackmeyer there were "perceived and real issues of safety in the area"? He's the man that's working there day in and day out, so I'd think he would know, unless he's lying to Lackmeyer.

[Pete]

^^^ Then why did Jabbar tell Lackmeyer there were "perceived and real issues of safety in the area"? He's the man that's working there day in and day out, so I'd think he would know, unless he's lying to Lackmeyer.

You are assuming that this chat remark was a verbatim, in context and complete transcription of a specific conversation.

I'll ask Jabbar about it next time I see him and see how his response compares.

[catch22]

Even if he said that, correlation isn’t always causation. He might think that is the reason, but given that there’s several other outstanding issues it might not be the actual reason.

[TheTravellers]

You are assuming that this chat remark was a verbatim, in context and complete transcription of a specific conversation.

I'll ask Jabbar about it next time I see him and see how his response compares.

Cool, that's all I was thinking - someone should talk to the horse itself, get it straight from his mouth, not Wilburrrrrrr.

And catch22 - yep, agreed, said the same thing myself. Of course, potential danger is relative, also - runs the gamut of someone like us who's driven around the south side of Chicago and in Cabrini Green in a bright red Mustang without really thinking we're in danger to my mom who double-checked her car being locked and mentioned it a couple of times while it was parked in front of our house during the day on NW 35th/Venice during our move-in a couple of years ago...

[Pete]

And even if he did say it and meant it the way it was reported, it doesn't make it true.

People struggling in business love to blame everything but themselves.

I can assure you the Oklahoman has made similar reports about other restaurants and businesses without bothering to do any homework and finding they were in fact evicted, way behind on their bills and other things.

[Rover]

People FEELING threatened doesn’t mean they actually are. But people often react to how they FEEL, whether logical or true. That is why man,y are acquitted of murder claiming self defense when they merely FELT threatened. So, it Is possible a certain crowd stays away because the FEEL threatened. Doesn’t mean Jabbar, The Oklahoman, or anyone else is being deceiving.

[Pete]

Do you think the Oklahoman would have written this about Jones Assembly or somewhere in Bricktown? Of course not.

Whether it was said or someone 'felt' it is not the point. It is being reported as truth -- without any homework or investigation -- by the largest news media company in the state.

People need to understand that it is not reporting to merely repeat what someone tells you. You have a responsibility to do some work of your own, independently verify and provide proper context.

To not do so is irresponsible and unprofessional and just plain bad for the community.

How many people have actually said they feel unsafe? Why do they feel unsafe? Is it because there are people of color living in the nearby apartments or that they are just uncomfortable around homeless people?

And before someone brings up "it's only a chat", it's published online and in the newspaper.


As a homeowner who only lives a couple of blocks away and walks and rides my bike all around the general vicinity, it infuriates me. Especially coming from a reporter who lives several miles north of Memorial Road and has no idea about the area or neighborhood.

[stile99]

Do you think the Oklahoman would have written this about Jones Assembly or somewhere in Bricktown? Of course not.

Whether it was said or someone 'felt' it is not the point. It is being reported as truth -- without any homework or investigation -- by the largest news media company in the state.

People need to understand that it is not reporting to merely repeat what someone tells you. You have a responsibility to do some work of your own, independently verify and provide proper context.

Quoting because certain 'reporters' need to be made to write this 100 times on the chalkboard each morning before starting their shift. Another version I have seen make the rounds recently is if someone tells you it is raining, and someone else tells you it isn't, your job is not to print both sides, your job is to get off your butt and look outside the window to see which one is accurate.

[Rover]

Love the journalistic competition. Getting to be like our politics.

[Pete]

Stopped by tonight. Their hours are now 11-7 every day.

Jabbar said they only briefly closed in the evening because business was slow.

Said it had nothing to do neighborhood safety or the perception of the same. Also said he never made those comments to anyone.

I was there 15 minutes from closing with about a dozen others and on a Tuesday night.

[Thomas Vu]

Glad to hear things have stabilized for him.

[RadicalModerate]

Over the past few months I've had a chance to try burgers at Pop's (Nichols Hills), Lip Smackers, and Hopdoddy. They were all good, yet I think the one at Lip Smackers was the best. Just my two-cents worth.

[Pete]

As good as the burgers are, I actually prefer their Turkey Mediterranean Sub, which is served hot and is delicious.