Dora’s Brazilian Grill on East Cary Street has closed. A sign in the window states that due to the economy, the restaurant had to shut its doors.
Doras opened last year and served Rodizio style meals, a form of Brazilian cuisine where customers pay one price and are served a variety of dishes throughout the evening.
It was was also a popular night spot, but apparently that weekend evening traffic wasn’t enough to sustain the business.
Hmm, well what should I do about the restaurant.com gift certificate I’ve been holding on to..? Would be sweet if I could use it at Texas de Brazil instead!
Sweet, yes. Likely, no.
I cannot buy their arguement about the economy. The restaurant form has proven to not be popular with Richmonders. A similar effort near Innsbrook also failed. I went to that one with several Brazilians, and they were underwhelmed. The Rodizio model simply does not work here. This is one time where it was not the economy stupid.
…. they will be missed…
The economy has something to do with any business shutting down right now, especially a restaurant. I never ate at Dora’s so I can’t comment on their concept, but there is a reason that national chains are advertising so many meals for under $10, combo meals for under $15 and so on. It’s to draw business because business isn’t there. Just like stores were offering up to 75% off on Black Friday — because 25% of a sale is better than no sale.
A survey out last week said 74% of all people have already finished their Christmas shopping. They took the 75% off but won’t take the 50% off that’s left. The economy is IN-THE-TANK. People do not have luxury money to spend when food prices go up 15% in two years while incomes go down 6% and no one is hiring even at the reduced salaries. I have no doubt that the economy kept people out of Dora’s and contributed to their closing. It’s happening in every industry.
Well, the economy is a long way from righting itself to the ‘new normal’ level.
However, the restaurant industry has a high failure rate in the best of times. There are a miriad of reasons. A bad economy will only intensify the effects of these reasons for failure:
Marginal concepts that are marginally capitalized and operated by marginal management
who hire marginal service staff who serve marginal food from marginal locations.
My advice, if you don’t have most of the pieces and parts for success, don’t open a new restaurant concept in a MARGINAL ECONOMY.
Their problem was being too ambitious. The amount of seating for an upstart restaurant in Shockoe Slip was extraordinary and the restaurant style didn’t appeal to corporate travelers at the Omni Richmond Hotel, which drives much of the business in the neighborhood. The food and service was terrific, but given their prices and concept, it just wasn’t in the right market.
City Dogs and Urban Farmhouse Market opened when the area was just beginning to slow down, yet they’ve been very successful. Restauranteurs need to understand Shockoe Slip is already saturated with fantastic, medium to high priced restaurants. If anyone is going to have success, look at cheaper alternatives.