How many BBQ joints does it take to make a good entrtmnt district?

[OurTulsa]

Now RibCrib is in the Blue Dome mix with their announcement that they're going to open in the old Met warehouse at the corner of 1st and Detroit. 

So by my count that makes three BBQ joints openning in the Blue Dome District.  Back Alley is openning up in a matter of months and Albert G's announced a shop over east of McNellies.

Back Alley seems like it's going to cater to a different crowd than Rib Crib, maybe more of a late-night crowd as well.  I'm not sure about Albert Gs though it seems like it may compete with Rib Crib for the same folks.

I think it's great that there's this sort of attention focussed on downtown.  In the end, Tulsa will have three commercial spaces renovated and activated.  The three will contribute to the synergy that is Blue Dome.  That's a win for downtown and for Tulsa.

[sgrizzle]

All 3 were discussed back in March on here:
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=17249.30

My prediction: Albert G's will fail. Rib Crib will succeed, but it will be catering to the same crowd for goes to places like Lyon's Indian Store while Back Alley will succeed catering to the people who've made the blue dome popular. Two different crowds.

[Townsend]

All 3 were discussed back in March on here:
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=17249.30

My prediction: Albert G's will fail. Rib Crib will succeed, but it will be catering to the same crowd for goes to places like Lyon's Indian Store while Back Alley will succeed catering to the people who've made the blue dome popular. Two different crowds.

Why will Albert G's fail?

I have no horse here, just curious.  I've never tried it.

Rib Crib is consistent, dry and blah.  The name recognition goes far here.

[Conan71]

Albert G's won't fail.  People who appreciate great Q will support it, as well they are going to have bar service if I've heard correctly.  Albert G's is consistently the best in Tulsa.

Rib Crib can afford to float this one for awhile if it's slow to take off and as mentioned the name recognition will keep people coming in.  It's the McDonald's effect.  It's not spectacular, but it's consistent and there are some people who aren't complete Q snobs who don't notice the difference from one place to another.

Bret Chandler and Chuck Gawey have close to 20 years in the business and have had a chance to perfect their brands and food.

I'm a big believer in Blake Ewing, but to be perfectly honest, Back Alley is the big question mark out of the three and has the greatest risk of failure, IMO.  They are going to have to have great Q out of the box and that's not an easy task.  It's easy to have a bad day in that business or to mis-judge your volume and serve some slightly under done and tough.  There's a huge difference between pizza and BBQ.  I think Back Alley will do great if the food and service are there.  I'm simply saying, they've got the biggest risk as they are new to the genre.

[tulsa_fan]

Rib Crib should and probably will also focus on downtown catering which will also keep them steady.  I'm not a big fan of their food, and will be excited to eat at G's, but I think both will do well.  I hope, even living in South Tulsa now (GASP) we still spend a lot of time hanging out downtown, I work down here and we enjoy coming down on weekends as well

[Cats Cats Cats]

Back Alley will depend on the food 80%.  It hasn't been proven yet.  So if its good it will do great.  It (should) be crap tons more fun than the other two.  On that note, Back Alley will have live music and a small stage.  That will not be too hard to duplicate that in any other location.  

The one time I have been to Albert G's and squeezed through their poorly designed gas station restaurant.  My meat wasn't very warm (during a busy lunch).

[sgrizzle]

Why will Albert G's fail?

I have no horse here, just curious.  I've never tried it.

Rib Crib is consistent, dry and blah.  The name recognition goes far here.

I tried it and it was overpriced crap. The meat wasn't bad but kinda dry and pretty flavorless. The sauce was ketchup with pepper added. All for $18 before drink and tax for my plate. For that I can feed a family of four with better food at Wrangler's.

[Gaspar]

They are going to have to have great Q out of the box and that's not an easy task.  It's easy to have a bad day in that business or to mis-judge your volume and serve some slightly under done and tough.  There's a huge difference between pizza and BBQ.  I think Back Alley will do great if the food and service are there.  I'm simply saying, they've got the biggest risk as they are new to the genre.

+1
On the Money!

BBQ is probably the hardest food to be consistent with.  Too many factors go into delivering it fresh.

10 minutes separates great ribs/brisket/chicken from trash.

You can only keep meat on the steam table for so long before you have to toss it or risk serving leather.  If you are attune to the quality of the product you serve, you need to be willing to throw a ton of stuff away and have the tolerance to loose a lot of money before you get things dialed in perfectly.

Even then, one bad day can tank your whole operation.  People are as willing to talk about the bad BBQ as much as they are the good, and a poor review can live for ever.

[Conan71]

+1
On the Money!

BBQ is probably the hardest food to be consistent with.  Too many factors go into delivering it fresh.

10 minutes separates great ribs/brisket/chicken from trash.

You can only keep meat on the steam table for so long before you have to toss it or risk serving leather.  If you are attune to the quality of the product you serve, you need to be willing to throw a ton of stuff away and have the tolerance to loose a lot of money before you get things dialed in perfectly.

Even then, one bad day can tank your whole operation.  People are as willing to talk about the bad BBQ as much as they are the good, and a poor review can live for ever.

I tried Wilson's on 11th several times for lunch and each time the brisket was incredibly dry.  Almost as if they were re-heating it.  Go to the one on Apache and you don't seem to have that issue.  Much of Wilson's growth and success over the years was J.B. Wilson.  BBQ is an art and you have to have a passion for it to do it right.  That's what's missing from a chain like Rib Crib is you don't get that passion in every bite.

Obviously everyone has their own preferences in BBQ much like Mexican.  Grizzle completely panned Albert G's but loves Wranglers.  I'm pretty meh on Wranglers.  Doesn't make either of us wrong, it's just differing tastes.

[sgrizzle]

Obviously everyone has their own preferences in BBQ much like Mexican.  Grizzle completely panned Albert G's but loves Wranglers.  I'm pretty meh on Wranglers.  Doesn't make either of us wrong, it's just differing tastes.

BBQ is much like Mexican, in that I'll eat every kind from everywhere. I just think I'll run into Rib Crib and get a Cribwich for lunch and be out the door for <$10 than I ever will go to Albert G's

[Conan71]

BBQ is much like Mexican, in that I'll eat every kind from everywhere. I just think I'll run into Rib Crib and get a Cribwich for lunch and be out the door for <$10 than I ever will go to Albert G's

And I won't waste the calories on a cribwich 

[Cats Cats Cats]

One thing that Albert G's will have downtown is the owner carefully watching over the food preparation, etc. 

[sgrizzle]

One thing that Albert G's will have downtown is the owner carefully watching over the food preparation, etc. 

With two locations? Is he multiple man?

[guido911]

+1
On the Money!

BBQ is probably the hardest food to be consistent with.  Too many factors go into delivering it fresh.

10 minutes separates great ribs/brisket/chicken from trash.

You can only keep meat on the steam table for so long before you have to toss it or risk serving leather.  If you are attune to the quality of the product you serve, you need to be willing to throw a ton of stuff away and have the tolerance to loose a lot of money before you get things dialed in perfectly.

Even then, one bad day can tank your whole operation.  People are as willing to talk about the bad BBQ as much as they are the good, and a poor review can live for ever.

What the hell do you know about BBQ?

ducking and donning body armor. lol

[Cats Cats Cats]

With two locations? Is he multiple man?

He probably will drop the harvard location or let somebody else run that one.  All his money will be on downtown and should get the attention.