An idea - get a Restaurants of 30A organization formed. Appoint someone to orchestrate (during the high season and off season for snowbirds), a weekly or bi-weekly progressive dinner where you rent out the soon-to-be operational "Blue Bus of 30A" which can pick up diners at one end of 30A and eat their way down 30A - an cocktail here, an appetizer at the next stop, a first course at another, second course at another ... and keep on going down the line.
Coco's is closing soon.....
- Thread starter Jdarg
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Punz...I think Amore is closed on Tuesdays now.But like your vigor! I wish to say I meant "monthly" during the off season for the 30A idea.
Correct. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Thanks, Punzy!
Curtis
Beach Lover
Curtis love your thinking! And I already thought you and Tango were doing something together as I see a lot of cars on both sides at times!
Hey Kat,
We reserve the gallery for weddings, private events, etc. That's why the cars are on both sides of the road.
The way I see it, restaurants in the area have 3 distinct target markets.
1. Locals. I like Indigo Jills Idea or the Eat Club.
2. Owners and frequent visitors. I think Skunky's new blog will be great! I can't wait to read it
3. Random tourist. I really think the key to getting the random tourist to eat at the local restaurants is to print an updated book of menus and give them free to people to put in their rentals. Could the newly formed Sowal Independant Restaurants Assoc. put this on their TO DO list?
1. Locals. I like Indigo Jills Idea or the Eat Club.
2. Owners and frequent visitors. I think Skunky's new blog will be great!
I can't wait to read it3. Random tourist. I really think the key to getting the random tourist to eat at the local restaurants is to print an updated book of menus and give them free to people to put in their rentals. Could the newly formed Sowal Independant Restaurants Assoc. put this on their TO DO list?
Count Stinky's in as well! Please keep us informed or if there is anything we can do to help get things going!
Sorry Coco's
Sorry Coco's
The way I see it, restaurants in the area have 3 distinct target markets.
1. Locals. I like Indigo Jills Idea or the Eat Club.
2. Owners and frequent visitors. I think Skunky's new blog will be great!
3. Random tourist. I really think the key to getting the random tourist to eat at the local restaurants is to print an updated book of menus and give them free to people to put in their rentals. Could the newly formed Sowal Independant Restaurants Assoc. put this on their TO DO list?
I think frequent visitors and the random (read annual repeat) tourists are the target market here. The locals are aware of our great restaurants and are eating out as much as their schedules and pocketbooks will allow. The tourists that come back faithfully to 30A every year are the ones that need to be shown that there are restaurants up and down 30A. Many of them never venture a mile further from their vacation rental. I speak from experience- we never left Grayton when we were on vacation. I had no idea what restaurants were out there, and had no easy way of finding out. Geez- I was on vacation- didn't want to do research!
Now if I had had a real restaurant guide (not that cute hand drawn deal that we saw every year- no offense, but it never swayed us to do anything different), I might have taken the guide down to the beach and perused it while turning into leather in the hot sun. Maybe by 5 pm I would have made a decision about dinner.
I think a SoWal Seafood Festival would be great way to show off the wonderful bounty of the Gulf of Mexico and local farmers. Also a great way to bring local artist and chefs together doing what they do best. Preparing Fresh Seafood in imaginative ways! I think we can really establish the culture of this wonderful area under one groove. Couldn't you see it: Beautiful fall Saturday somewhere in Pt. Washington eating ice cold Apalachicola oysters with Lemons grown by Hydrostan or A girl named Toni while having a cold beer jamming out to Dread Clampitt! Or a nice piece of Fried Triggerfish with some great homemade slaw! I could go on and on but in the late 70's and early 80's the Destin Seafood was an event that brought a community together! Unfotunately it is no longer acceptable in my book but the early years were nothing but fresh local seafood, great music and cold beer on the Destin Harbor. For the people who lived here back then you know what I am talking about! Just some thoughts.........
I think festivals and other one day/weekend events are nice, but they are not going to hit the market that needs to be hit, since all the visitors aren't here on one weekend. There are so many events every weekend here- I honestly think that this area is almost "over-evented". There are several every weekend, and that leads to burnout. We are suffering from it at my house - since we are still new residents, I feel like I need to get us out and about and go to some of these festivals. After the first 6 months, I gave up and just went to the ones that came with high recommendations.
I bet the Destin seafood festival was fun "back in the day". Now, in addition to being less than what it used to be, I'm sure it competes with at least 2 or 3 other area events.
I bet the Destin seafood festival was fun "back in the day". Now, in addition to being less than what it used to be, I'm sure it competes with at least 2 or 3 other area events.
Reminds me of how wonderful Arts Quest used to be at Eden...before it was moved to Baytowne where it became "just another art show"--I, and most of my friends don't go any more. It became the art show version of a "chain".
I am glad peeps are thinking of ways to preserve local...just hope it is not too late already.
You're BOTH right!!
I would agree that for our independently owned businesses to THRIVE...
Lots of folks (visitors & locals alike) must be Engaged via ongoing creative, cost & time efficient efforts.
Besides a menu publication in each rental unit (essential!)....
what else does nearly every visitor do as part of their Saturday-check-in routine?
Go to Publix? If so, maybe Watercolor Crossing would be amenable to hosting Saturday Sidewalk Samplers... courtesy of "The Allied 30A Restaurant Rotation".
On "Whatever" Weekly Rotation the Allied Restaurants schedule themselves, then THAT week's featured restaurant offers seasonal samples & copies of the local restaurant menu guide.