Downtown eatery sold, name to change

By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

Then we can "hope" that all the gondola traffic on the Miami River will stop in downtown Middletown and become "engaged" in the community!!!

This makes as much sense as most of the other "hopes" that City Hall wastes our money on.

Mike_Presta wrote: Murphy's "LANDING"?!?!? That's it!!! They can start with the Million bucks of taxpayers' money for "Middletown River Center", and then find several million "tucked away in some of our other accounts". Replace Central Avenue with a canal from the river to Murphy's "Landing" and do the same with the streets to "the Sorg", City Hall, and the former Manchester Inn. Middletown will be the new Venice!!!

NOW STOP IT MIKE! MURPHY'S LANDING IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE OTHER CHOICES THEY WERE CONSIDERING......GILLIGAN'S ISLAND OR MULLIGANS REEF.

BRILLIANT IDEA....GONDOLAS WITH A VENICE FLAVOR TO THE CITY. GONDOLA SKIPPERS LIKE LARRY MULLIGAN, MARTY KOHLER AND, IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH, THE "SINGING TROUBADOUR", LESLIE LANDEN AND, OF COURSE, "DANGEROUS" DANNY PICARD WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE MAZE OF CANALS AS YOUR TOUR GUIDES ON A FABULOUS TRIP OF A LIFETIME. KINDA HAS AN "OLDE WORLD CHARM" TO IT DOESN'T IT? GOES WITH THE ARTZY THEME THEY ARE TRYING TO CREATE TOO. SIMPLY BRILLIANT COMING FROM OUR ARTEEZE FRIENDS OF MIDDLETOWN DOWN AT THE OLD KALEIDESCOPE OF CULTURE. (FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS THE SPIDER WOULD SAY). HELL, LET'S JUST CALL IT "RENAISSANCE WEST", THE LONG LOST BROTHER OF THE HOSPITAL'S RENAISSANCE EAST, WHICH HAS YET TO PROSPER. WHO WILL WIN IN THIS EPIC STRUGGLE FOR NOTABLE THEME DEVELOPMENT? THE EAST END WITH THE MEDICAL THEME OF PROFESSIONALS OR RENAISSANCE WEST WITH THE ARTZY CROWD DEVELOPING THEIR PROPOSED COFFEE HOUSES, PROPOSED TRINKLET SHOPS, A STRUGGLING COLLEGE, AN OLDE TYME OPERA HOUSE AND A VAST ARRAY OF PROPOSED ARTS-APPRECIATING PROFESSIONALS WHO WILL OCCUPY THE OLDE JOURNAL BUILDING AND LIVE IN PROPOSED LAVISH APARTMENTS ABOVE THE MANY PROPOSED SHOPPES. IT WILL TRUELY BE A MECCA FOR THE MULTITUDES WHEN FINISHED.

I wish the Moorman's and Fairchild's much success in this new venture. It's easy to throw rocks, but much more difficult to invest your personal money, time and effort into a venture. I'm disappointed, but not surprised, by the lack of support from the members of this forum. This is exactly what Middletown needs if it is to start to pull itself back up. Done with private money, NO government money. If we had 30 Moorman's investing their money, time and effort into downtown ventures the city of Middletown could quit wasting their time, and our money, downtown and look somewhere else to waste our tax dollars since the downtown would be in GREAT shape.

Thank you Linda and Jay for doing this; for your time, money and effort. I will support them every chance I get.

processor---I patronized the place 5-6 times. They had a few good dishes, ironically my last meal there was my best. I usually dined alone at the bar because I couldn't get anyone to go there with me.

I prefer to patronize businesses that patronized mine. I eat around quite a lot. Stain was too quiet and empty--the bar was a boring place to eat(by yourself), and the dining room reminded me of a funeral parlor.

I like the Moormans and respect their accomplishments. I wish them well and will eventually give the new place a fair shot. Currently I prefer At the Square because it is a more lively friendly place with under-rated food. Stefano's is still the local king, and the best option to have a good meal among familiar locals.

I do miss The Cottage donuts.
A big loss imo.

It's not that easy operating a profitable business in the local climate.

processor:

"I'm disappointed, but not surprised, by the lack of support from the members of this forum."

PROCESSOR, I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET THAT THIS FORUM REPRESENTS MOST IN THIS TOWN AS TO LIKES, DISLIKES AND CULTURAL INTERESTS. MOST ON THIS FORUM WOULDN'T PATRONIZE THIS ESTABLISHMENT BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THIS BUSINESS PIGEONHOLES ITSELF TO ATTRACT A VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF CITIZENS IN THIS CITY. I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE AND I WILL KEEP ON SAYING IT....THIS CITY IS MOSTLY BLUE COLLAR FACTORY WORKERS INTERESTED IN NASCAR, BEER, SHOOTING BILLARDS AND FOOTBALL. IT IS NOT A WINE TASTING, CHEESE MUNCHING, OPERA GOING CULTURAL CROWD, NOR IS IT INTERESTED IN WHAT THE DOWNTOWN CROWD IS OFFERING. THIS TOWN HAS 10% CULTURE AND 90% BLUE COLLAR TASTES. ALWAYS HAS HAD SINCE I WAS AROUND IN THE 50'S. IT IS TOO POOR AS TO DISPOSABLE INCOME TO GO TO A PLACE LIKE THE MOORMAN'S ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH. MOST SIMPLY CAN'T AFFORD, NOR LIKE UPSCALE "FRU FRU" FOOD. IT IS NOT ENOUGH AND IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR WHAT YOU GET IN PORTIONS. IF THEIR INTENT IS TO BUILD A BUSINESS LIKE THIS, AND TO DO IT BY VOLUME, IT WILL NEVER WORK.......UNLESS IT BECOMES REAL POPULAR WITH THE CULTURED FOLKS FROM OUT OF TOWN AND THEY SHOW IN DOWNTOWN MIDDLETOWN EVERY WEEKEND WITH A PERIODIC VISIT THROUGH THE WEEK. THERE IS LITTLE INTEREST IN WHAT IS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN AND THE GAMEPLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT IS TOTALLY OFF BASE WITH THE CITY DEMOGRAPHICS.

YOU MAY SEE THIS NEW START FOLD IN LITTLE TIME IF THE SPECIAL INTEREST CULTURAL PEOPLE DON'T TAKE AN INTEREST IN IT. THEY ARE THE ONLY TARGET THE MOORMAN'S HAVE AND IT CERTAINLY ISN'T BROADBASED.

PROCESSOR: "If we had 30 Moorman's investing their money, time and effort into downtown ventures the city of Middletown could quit wasting their time, and our money, downtown and look somewhere else to waste our tax dollars since the downtown would be in GREAT shape"

NO, YOU WOULD STILL SEE A LACK OF RESPONSE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BE IT 1 MOORMAN OR 30 MOORMAN'S. IT DOESN'T MATTER THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIKE THE MOORMANS STARTING A NEW BUSINESS, IT IS THE CONTENT IN WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER, THE PRICE AND THE PERCEPTION THAT IT IS A GOOD DEAL THAT WILL ATTRACT OR NOT ATTRACT PEOPLE DOWN THERE. THEY SIMPLY DON'T OFFER WHAT THE GENERAL POPULACE LIKES AND ARE WILLING TO SPEND THEIR LIMITED CASH ON. TO MOST IN TOWN, IF THEY ARE HUNGRY, THEY WILL HEAD TO BURGER KING OR MCD'S FOR THE DOLLAR MENU BECAUSE IT IS PERCEIVED AS GETTING MORE FOR THEIR MONEY AND WILL ACTUALLY FILL THEM UP WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED. WHEN YOU HAVE AN EXTRA 10 BUCKS IN YOUR POCKET, YOU DON'T GO TO THE MOORMAN'S PLACE FOR ONE 5 DOLLAR BURGER, YOU GO TO MCD'S FOR A SACK OF DOUBLE CHEESEBURGERS. THE DOWNTOWN WILL NOT BE IN "GREAT SHAPE" UNTIL THOSE WHO WISH TO DEVELOP IT CHANGE DIRECTION, RE-FOCUS AND GET MORE IN TUNE WITH THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WE HAVE LIVING HERE, AND OFFER THEM WHAT THEY WANT, NOT WHAT THE BUSINESS OWNERS THINK THEY OUGHT TO HAVE. JMO

Just an observation, but between Brown's Run dues and "meal" commitment, Wildwood, Stefano's, The Square, Blue Goose (I assume it is still opened), and ease of driving to West Chester, elsewhere, can Middletown support multiple establishments? A question....I don't have the answer.

Alien,  I was aware BV received the loan. Of course there are amenities a city has to have to attract high income earners, it has it in the tennis club, Brown's Run, Wildwood, Weatherwax, private schools, the new health and fitness center is terrific, the Y, Stained previous and now Murphy's Place, etc.

The best marketing foundation it does have is the inexpensive college educational facilities, MUM and Cincinnati State. The problem is the crime and infrastructure has the 10x power to negate the positives adding allure and charm.

The article with the man possessing sniper gear, including night vision goggles, assault weapons, and enough ammunition to arm a battalion was unsettling. For many, the tipping point has been reached; when is one's personal safety a serious concern just living in Middletown is a family danger.

Its hard to be Oakwood or Lebanon when perceived to be Over the Rhine with evidence confirming such.  

Whether you personally like the restaurant; whether you think it will be successful; and whether you think it is will employee enough people is beside the point. My point was that here we have a local business guy who is spending non government money (so what he has investors..how is this different from getting a bank loan? and no there was NO government money for the restaurant) on a venture that he thinks will be successful. He has invested his own reputation, money, time and effort. This is what Middletown needs to begin to pull itself back up. I stand by my statement that if we had 30 people like this; downtown would be on the track to turn itself around. Government NEVER will be able to successfully turn a place around. It will take individuals who have a dream, work hard, and have resources to have a chance at getting this done.

If you don't like it, then DON'T go. But don't denigrate someone else who is giving it a shot. It's not your money at stake. Try building your own glass house.

Remember the guy who founded Fed Ex. He wrote the business plan for a college class. The professor told him it would never work and gave him a very low grade. Bet the professor wishes he had bought stock at the IPO.

Spider. Thanks for patronizing local places. The Moorman's will have to EARN people's business by providing them what they want. I hope and believe that they are up to the task.

processor:

"My point was that here we have a local business guy who is spending non government money (so what he has investors..how is this different from getting a bank loan? and no there was NO government money for the restaurant) on a venture that he thinks will be successful. He has invested his own reputation, money, time and effort"

PROCESSOR, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHERE THE $75,000 LOAN FROM THE CITY CAME FROM THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE MOORMAN'S A YEAR OR TWO AGO? IE- WAS THE SOURCE FOR THIS MONEY FROM PRIVATE CITIZENS.....OR WAS IT TAXPAYER MONEY IN THE CITY'S HANDS AND PASSED THROUGH TO THE MOORMAN'S WHO ARE CONSIDERED "FRIENDS OF THE CITY"? IF LOANED TO THE MOORMAN'S FROM THE CITY, HAVE THEY PAID IT BACK AS YET? IF IT WAS A "FORGIVABLE LOAN", HOW DID THAT LOAN HAPPEN IF IT WAS THE "PEOPLE'S MONEY"? COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THIS IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION. AS IT STANDS NOW, WITH NO OTHER INFO., THE PERCEPTION IS THAT THE MOORMAN'S RECEIVED THE PEOPLE'S MONEY WHICH TAKES THE LUSTER OFF OF YOUR COMMENT ABOUT IT BEING ALL THE INVESTORS AND THE MOORMAN'S MONEY.

IF, INDEED, THE MOORMAN'S RECEIVED A FAVOR FROM THE CITY TO HELP MAINTAIN THEIR BUSINESS, THAT WOULD INDEED BE A DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE FOR OTHER "NONE FRIEND" BUSINESSES AND THE SELECTIVE ROUTE FOR SPECIAL FRIENDS. THAT, IS WHAT SOME ARE ANGRY ABOUT. NOT, THAT THEY ARE REJUVENATING THEIR BUSINESS TO MAKE ANOTHER GO OF IT. MORE POWER TO THEM IF THEY WANT TO USE THEIR OWN MONEY.

AGAIN, IF YOU HAD ONE PERSON OR A HUNDRED PEOPLE WHO STARTED A BUSINESS DOWNTOWN, WHETHER THEY USED TAXPAYER MONEY, THEIR OWN MONEY OR OBTAINED PRIVATE INVESTORS, THE DOWNTOWN WOULD NOT "BE ON TRACK TO TURN AROUND" IF......IF, NONE OF THESE BUSINESSES OFFERED WHAT THE GENERAL POPULATION WANTED OR NEEDED. THE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT CROWDED DOWNTOWN, LIKE THEY WERE DECADES AGO, BECAUSE THERE SIMPLY ISN'T ANYTHING OFFERED THAT ENTICES PEOPLE TO GO THERE. EMPTY STORES, CRAFTZY/ ARTZY THINGS AND OVERPRICED FINGER FOOD/FRU FRU RESTAURANTS JUST DON'T ATTRACT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO CALL IT A SUCCESS.....NOT IN THIS TOWN. THE BUSINESS PEOPLE LIKE THE SPIDER CAN SHED MORE LIGHT ON THIS THAN I, AS A NON-BUSINESS OWNER, BUT ISN'T ONE OF THE SECRETS TO OPENING A BUSINESS OF ANY KIND, TO FIRST EXAMINE THE DEMOGRAPHICS, INTERESTS AND SPENDING POWER OF A COMMUNITY TO DETERMINE IF WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING FITS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY? DON'T YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AUDIENCE TO VIEW YOUR ACT BEFORE YOU CAN A) CALL IT A SUCCESS, B) EVEN REMOTELY STAY IN BUSINESS AND C) NOT CLOSE THE DOORS WITHIN TWO WEEKS BECAUSE THERE IS NO FOOT TRAFFIC COMING IN THE DOOR BECAUSE YOU DON'T OFFER WHAT ANYONE WANTS AT THE PRICE THEY CAN AFFORD TO PAY?

I'VE NEVER BEEN A BUSINESS PERSON BUT I WOULD THINK THAT YOU NEVER OPEN THE DOORS IF YOU KNOW YOU WILL BE CATERING TO LESS THAN 10% OF THE AREA'S POPULATION.....THAT IS, UNLESS YOUR GOAL IS A SHORT-LIVED EXISTENCE. NOT LOGICAL.

THE MOORMAN'S OFFER A NICHE BUSINESS AND ARE TOTALLY AT THE MERCY OF A SMALL ELEMENT OF SOCIETY AND IF THAT ELEMENT DOESN'T SHOW UP OR SHOWS AND IS DISSATISFIED, IT WON'T BE A GOOD THING. THE PRICES FOR THEIR FOOD AND THE PORTION SIZES, ESPECIALLY IN MIDDLETOWN, FURTHER EXACERBATES THE PROBLEM WITH REMAINING IN BUSINESS. JMO

Mr. Fairchild is a smart business man I wish him well in his venture, if he is able to turn a deaf ear to the distracting noise from the city people he may be successful. He has to be strong enough to tell those with no business track record to but out. IMO

"Moorman said Fairchild “knew Middletown was important to Perry and he wants to carry that on.”

When asked if he believes the new restaurant can be successful, he said “it’s not about money.”

Instead, he said, the goal is to make Murphy’s Landing something Middletown “can be proud of where everybody has a good experience. It will be successful if downtown is successful."

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This is established as a "non profit", not an LLC or corporation?

Same enthusiasm for the Towne Mall private equity firm ownership, also rather entrepreneur?

Wealth sharing- Johnny Java's, Murphy's (MCSD caters considerably to JJ). No cannabolism with sizeable pockets from public sector.

No it's not legally organized as a non profit....though it may be that.

I think what Jay was saying was that he did this to support and help downtown Middletown. The restaurant will need to financially support itself certainly, but Jay's main objective was NOT to make a bunch of money. If it happens great, but if it doesn't great too as long as the restaurant helps further development of downtown.

Got it....Oxford Township, not Middletown officer.

www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/butler-county/middletown/former-oxford-township-officers-drunk-driving-case-reveals-middletown-ovi-charges-often-reduced-p://