Loading ...The Not-So-Jolly Latham Situation
Posted by Kirsten Henri on September 16th, 2008
Once upon a time, a really strange and inexplicably appealing bar named Jolly’s lived in the semi-subterranean ground floor of the Latham Hotel on the corner of 17th and Walnut Streets. A few doors down, still within the structure of the Latham, there was another bar, a piano bar, called the Redhead Lounge, also owned by the same person, also strange yet appealing.
One day, both of these bars up and moved to 19th Street where they promptly sputtered and died. Without knowing the nitty-gritty of the owner’s financials, etc., we can only speculate that the mojo of these two spots was intimately related to their location within the Latham and they couldn’t survive the move. Same owner, same names, basically the same neighborhood and still they couldn’t survive.
This is a cautionary tale of sorts, of how carefully a restaurant owner needs to heed the three words: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. This is also a Restaurant Yenta musing, as in: what, in a perfect world, should go into that ex-Jolly’s spot? The space has been empty (despite an orange liquor transfer sign) for what amounts to an eternity in such a primo location – it has an entrance on heavily trafficked 17th Street and a row of windows (stupidly tinted) on the Walnut Street side. We can only imagine that the Latham is desperate for our help, but afraid to ask. Don’t worry, Latham! We live to serve and we’re here to help – take our advice before you open up something lame.
Is it time for a craft beer bar on Walnut? A second Good Dog? A Monk’s, even? Something fancier? How about sushi by day and karaoke at night? A Distrito in the Center City Distrito? Or maybe this is the spot for the elusive barbecue joint in Philly?
Your thoughts?
Related Tags: Center-City-West, Latham Hotel, restaurant-yenta
September 16th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I always walk by that spot and think how a BLT Fish could be a perfect fit there. With the subterranean ground floor would give you the feeling of being “below sea level”. It’s funny you said BBQ because I thought that too. Glad someone agrees, that space needs its just do.
September 16th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I agree with the BBQ place, there is only one in philly, well manyunk really, the chef there is top notch reminds me of back home. I wish someone would open a BBQ spot in the city i think it would do very well, i know i would be there, not a famous daves please!!!
September 17th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Getz- have you not heard of Sweet Lucy’s? I mean,it’s not super-accessible, but it’s still in the city and it’s miles beyond anything else in town. I would love a CC outpost from the Sweet Lucy’s folks in that spot.
September 17th, 2008 at 10:17 am
The Lounge was great in the Latham. I tried it out when they moved, and it clearly had lost the speakeasy-ish atmosphere.
September 17th, 2008 at 10:22 am
If the bbq is good, they don’t need a prime location like that. sweet lucy’s makes a killing in a light industrial area. People drive from all over to eat there. a real bbq joint would need a cheaper space than walnut…maybe east of broad walnut or sansom. now a tex-mex bar with good bbq might be able to pay the rent.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Sweet Lucy’s is the only ‘que joint in Philly? I don’t head out into the great northeast much, but looking over the menu, it kinda reads like the so-called “urban bbq” movement (a big house restaurant that does all the meats, even though real good bbq joints are a lot more specialized), Dinosaur in New York state and the like. Anyway, I’m sort of head scratching over the Sweet Lucy’s or whatever it is in Manayunk. I mean Ron’s Ribs and Phoebe’s are almost across the street from each other and how inaccessible is South St.?
September 17th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
What Center City really needs is an accessible oyster bar, something along the lines of Neptune Oyster in Boston. A place where you can have a good glass of wine/beer and a half dozen oysters, throw a $20 on the bar and move along. Include some razor clams, grilled octopus, and tomato bread and you could have true Barcelona style tapas bar. Make the bar the “place”, skip the restaurant seats and you could have a winner.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Amen to D. Andrew, just what a friend and I’ve been thinking for quite awhile now. Keep it simple, good for a quick pitstop or perhaps a drink or ten.
September 17th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Sansom St Oyster House should fill that bill. If you’ve been to sweet lucy’s you’d know why it comes up. It’s some of the only good brisket I’ve had north of the mason dixon line. excellent corn bread and southern sweet tea. would I go there for just ribs? probably not. to be sure, if it were in texas, it’d be just another place. phoebe’s isn’t bad but why they obsess with serving everything cold I don’t know.
September 17th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Cheesesteak-
Sweet Lucy’s blows Ron’s and Phoebe’s out of the water entirely.
September 17th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Sanson Street closed months ago, plus it had a bad vibe
September 18th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Rittenhouse is in need of a fun sushi restaurant/bar similar to the Sushi Samba spots in NYC. All we have are traditional spots (Gengi, etc.).