Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by babs »

Super S wrote: August 11th, 2022, 8:22 am
babs wrote: August 10th, 2022, 10:21 pm
lake52 wrote: August 10th, 2022, 7:46 pm I would venture that Cracker Barrel, being a mostly rural/wealthy suburban chain, just doesn’t have the patience and experience to deal with these issues. Not saying the issues don’t exist, but given the large amount of chains on the island and continued opening of new chains, it certainly isn’t dying, at least not yet.

The other four locations in Oregon are far away from any “safety” concerns. If that is true, they’re exiting due to sales but using politics as a scapegoat. I also have seen rumors that the union word was being thrown around this location. There could be a statewide union push that’s spooking them (or making their business outlook feel “unsafe”)

Jantzen Beach was never in a very desirable place to begin with. Until recently, downtown Vancouver was not desirable (the overall redevelopment along the waterfront is excellent) and the north end of Portland has always been rough (quite a few parts especially around Mississippi Ave are significantly better than they once were). If Oregon ever were to toy with a sales tax, Jantzen Beach would clear out. It really is only kept alive by Washingtonians looking to save 10% on large purchases.
Jantzeñ Beach us likely done if the Interstate Bridge project happens. As I understand it, the interchange on Hayden Island would go away and access would be from a separate bridge heading north from Marine Drive. If that happens, few will go shopping at Jantzeñ Beach.
If I remember right, the old Montgomery Ward at Jantzen Beach was close to the top in appliance sales due to the sales tax factor. Jantzen Beach is kinda risky right now because of the bridge replacement which has yet to be finalized. But that didn't stop Floor & Decor from demolishing the Safeway and building a new store, which could potentially be in the path of a new bridge depending on the layout...

As for Cracker Barrel, maybe they should try opening in a smaller town that lacks good restaurant options nearby. Longview-Kelso and Centralia-Chehalis come to mind.
Every version of the bridge project I have seen goes through the new Floor and Decor store. I really don't know what they are thinking. I know they have been struggling finding locations for their 80,000 sq ft stores so maybe this is a risk they thought they'd take.
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by storewanderer »

Super S wrote: August 11th, 2022, 8:22 am

If I remember right, the old Montgomery Ward at Jantzen Beach was close to the top in appliance sales due to the sales tax factor. Jantzen Beach is kinda risky right now because of the bridge replacement which has yet to be finalized. But that didn't stop Floor & Decor from demolishing the Safeway and building a new store, which could potentially be in the path of a new bridge depending on the layout...

As for Cracker Barrel, maybe they should try opening in a smaller town that lacks good restaurant options nearby. Longview-Kelso and Centralia-Chehalis come to mind.
Cracker Barrel may work in those secondary type of markets in addition to working in Eastern Washington.

I am not convinced Cracker Barrel will work on the west coast. I guess we will see. I just don't think the food is good enough, and I think those types of chains are really falling out of favor. There are just too many other places. People are also more interested in how do I put it to not sound offensive... people are more interested in more flavorful food at this point. Meat and potatoes thrown on a plate with a bunch of salt and not much else (gravy-okay-more salt) is not on the top of many people's list at dinner anymore, especially out west. Too many other options. Add into OR/WA, especially WA, having far greater availability of seafood, and many people in WA eating seafood more often, demanding fresh quality seafood (not frozen stuff which is what these low end chains all sell) and there is even more competition that I don't think Cracker Barrel can successfully counter.

If some other boring plain bland food restaurant chain goes bust in the market, maybe it will create an opening for them, but I don't really see that happening either. Shari's and Elmer's also are present in OR/WA and while I am completely turned off by these types of restaurants, they seem to have a loyal customer base who likes this type of food, and to some degree push Northwest products in their marketing, again something Cracker Barrel does not do.
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by Brian Lutz »

Centralia already has a Cracker Barrel type place called Country Cousin on Harrison Avenue that's been around since 1973, so a Cracker Barrel there would be competing with that. I've been there once several years ago, and it's not the type of place I'd go out of my way for but it was decent if you're looking for something that isn't fast food on the way down to Portland.
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by jamcool »

Yet Cracker Barrel has 9 California locations...including Hollywood(!)
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by lake52 »

jamcool wrote: August 12th, 2022, 10:07 am Yet Cracker Barrel has 9 California locations...including Hollywood(!)
The Hollywood location is a ghost kitchen…

Not personally familiar with the Southern California locations, but using Google Maps it doesn’t appear that any of their brick and mortar CA locations are near somewhere where I’d worry about safety. The Sacramento Howe location may get some stragglers every now and then, but still a relatively safe area with large chains such as Ruth Chris nearby.

This Jantzen Beach location just seems like a bad location overall. Practically no one lives there and the hassle of having to deal with the constantly congested Interstate Bridge just doesn’t seem worth it for mediocre breakfast foods in a unique ambiance.
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by storewanderer »

lake52 wrote: August 12th, 2022, 4:18 pm

The Hollywood location is a ghost kitchen…

Not personally familiar with the Southern California locations, but using Google Maps it doesn’t appear that any of their brick and mortar CA locations are near somewhere where I’d worry about safety. The Sacramento Howe location may get some stragglers every now and then, but still a relatively safe area with large chains such as Ruth Chris nearby.

This Jantzen Beach location just seems like a bad location overall. Practically no one lives there and the hassle of having to deal with the constantly congested Interstate Bridge just doesn’t seem worth it for mediocre breakfast foods in a unique ambiance.
The Hollywood location is a TGI Friday's that makes Cracker Barrel food for pick up only.

I am assuming they thought the same folks who would flock to the chain stores at Jantzen Beach would be interested in eating at Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel often locates in large retail areas adjacent to interstate highways, that seems like a typical location for them to be in.
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by bryceleinan »

While Cracker Barrel has cut hours at the Oregon / California stores (due to a lack of help), this store is the only one that will close, at least according to a manager I talked to recently. He also spent time at the Jantzen Beach store on temporary assignment, and wasn’t shocked it closed.
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by Super S »

Looks like Stanford's at Jantzen Beach is closing, at least temporarily:

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/ ... 5f55954944

I have noticed that they have also closed the Elmer's at Delta Park, and the Shari's there doesn't even open until around 8AM if I remember right. There is still a Denny's at Jantzen Beach, which moved to a vacant Newport Bay restaurant. Not sure if it is 24 hours at this point though.

When I still lived in Vancouver, I visited Jantzen Beach often and never really felt unsafe there. Times are changing.
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by bryceleinan »

In a somewhat shocking (to me) development, the Beaverton, Bend, and Tualatin stores are closing immediately, leaving only Medford...

https://www.kgw.com/article/money/busin ... 46e6afeda0

I've been to all of the Oregon locations, and outside of Jantzen Beach and maybe Medford, I would have thought the remaining stores would be safe. Sad to see them close.
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Re: Cracker Barrel closes Portland Jantzen Beach location

Post by babs »

bryceleinan wrote: March 20th, 2023, 1:38 pm In a somewhat shocking (to me) development, the Beaverton, Bend, and Tualatin stores are closing immediately, leaving only Medford...

https://www.kgw.com/article/money/busin ... 46e6afeda0

I've been to all of the Oregon locations, and outside of Jantzen Beach and maybe Medford, I would have thought the remaining stores would be safe. Sad to see them close.
Oregon is a hard place for many restaurant chains. High taxes and the lack of a tip credit against wages makes it financially challenging.
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