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3 restaurants at Irvine Spectrum close
July 3rd, 2008, 1:14 pm · 29 Comments · posted by Nancy Luna, Staff Writer and Blogger
The Irvine Spectrum Center has seen three restaurants shutdown within the last few months, including Fox Sports Grill.
Fox’s website said the bar and grill is moving to Anaheim. “Thank you for your patronage at the FOX Sports Grill in Irvine Spectrum Center over the past five years. It has been our pleasure to serve you and we hope that you will visit us in Anaheim in early 2009, when we relocate this unit.”
The other Irvine Spectrum restaurants that have closed include Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and the Fish Market. Irvine Co. spokesman Bill Rams confirmed the closures, saying the current state of the economy is hurting all retailers.
“As you know, the restaurant business is a very challenging business that has a limited success rate even in the best of times,” said Rams.
The news comes as the restaurant industry saw a slight uptick in sales for May, according to the National Restaurant Association. However, restaurant operators are still “pessimistic” about foot traffic rebounding significantly over the next few months.
Roughly 44 percent of restaurant operators surveyed by the association reported traffic declines in May.
Irvine-based Juice it Up is among them.
Chief executive Frank Easterbrook said the soft economy has forced the chain to close four smoothie shops over the last year. None were in Orange County. He said more stores could close during the winter, the slow season for the 155-unit chain.
Rams said the three restaurant closures have not affected the Irvine Spectrum Center’s overall traffic, which “continues to soar to new heights and overall sales are solid, despite the softened economy.”
He said the mall has not named new tenants to replace the shuttered eateries.
For a list of retail closures in Orange County, read Hang Nguyen’s OCRetail blog.
(Photo of Fox Sports Grill courtesy of Irvine World News )
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Maybe the blood sucking Irvine Co should lower rents and keep the local economy stimulated rather than being so greedy.
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
pull me out of your you know what
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:25 pm
It’s not the Irvine Co’s problem, look at the amount of people they attract to there mall, the good places stay open ie. Javiers, Yard House and few others, these three that are closing kind of suck.
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Javiers? ROTFLMAO its bad! been there a few time, and everytime, the food was cold, tryed to hurry us out of there, so wont go back again! besides, the Irvine Co, is in total control of Irvine, and they are all about the mighty dollar! and screw the tentants, and this includes the people who rent apartments from them.
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
look out Javers, ICE just hit the block, uh, spectrum.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Yea, blame the Irvine Co. David is correct, only the strong survive.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
it is what it is. If you can’t compete, you go out of business or move. Irvine Co. is hardly to blame for anything. If they can’t survive in the current economy, then supply-and-demand and will determine their future. Not being able to afford rent and overhead costs is not Irvine Co.’s problem. That’s like asking your landlord to lower your rent because your minimum wage job doesn’ t pay enough… go get a higher paying job, duh.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I’m sure that dealing with the Irvine Co. and paying the high rents had a big impact on whether to keep the business open or not. Fox is moving to Anaheim so there is definitely more than just the economy.
When The District opened in Tustin many businesses closed their Irvine stores and moved there. I’m sure that dealing with the Irvine Co. was a major factor in that decision.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Could it be that every shopping venue does not need a plethora of fast food restaurants? It seems that the grease and fat that expand America is more than prevelent at every corner.
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:48 pm
It is absolutely the Irvine Company that is too blame. Yard House survives on their happy hour only, and there is a rumor that they are not going to renew their lease. I guarantee Javier’s will be closed in the next few years. The Irvine Company is only interested in getting their money, and not interested in building reliable name brands that bring people back. They killed Sloppy Joe’s, Rock Bottom, Sing Sing, The Crazy Horse, Gameworks, Nascar Cafe (Which did suck) and countless smaller retail shops. The Spectrum has reduced itself to being a Target and an Old Navy (which will probably close) that are just too far a drive to rationalize going.
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Let be the first to tell you all that it mostly is the irvine company’s fault. i was an exployee at fox sports grill for a quite a long time… our rent was $75,000 a month and the Irvine Company was suing us to pay more $$$… the reason that we closed this location is because our lease was up and the irvine company unwillingness to negotiate… They were trying to move our rent to $120,000 a month… we did offer very many fair proposals and all of them were shot down imediately…. imagine your rent going from $75,000 a month to $120,000 in a bad time for the economy… the Irvine Company bullies people around because they know they can.
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I got to agree with Colt and Rob. The company I worked for was trying to renegotiate their lease terms. The Irvine company would not budge and raised the lease. They are trying to run all business out of Irvine I suspect.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Seems pretty clear, if they are trying to raise the rent that much in an economy that is struggling then the Irvine Co has alot to do with it!!! IF that dollar amount is true, regarding the raising of the rent! Ouch!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Don’t think I am taking sides but imagine what the insurance and taxes must run on the land they hold, although they are grandfathered..
Irvine Co. policy is to keep increasing rents until tenants move out, residential or commercial. There never has been nor will there be a reduction when it comes time to re-new. Taco Bells Corporate HQ is a good example they threatened to leave at the promise of a hike and since Irvine knew the CEO had just purchased in Newport Coast the hard line was and still is taken.
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
ling louie was bad.
wow that rent is high.
probably move to the gardenwalk in anaheim?
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Colt is absolutley correct, Fox tried to sell off half of the building and stay in the other half or even try to stay in either half. they tried to get our lease to 130k a month from 72k. Bottom line is fox gave a few options but the Irvine Company is interested in only having store that open strong stay a while and get out when the noney mon period is over. They will continue to build a bad name for themselves and scare others away. What do we all think the truth behind the Verizon Amphitheater and the water park closing soon is?? Turn it into condos and get more $$. They will eventually build themselves into a perverbial corner. If everyone expects all the restaurants to stay the same forever they are kidding themselves, eveything changes with employees and managers. All we as consumes can do is look at the benefit of the doubt sometimes and know that everything at our own employers does not always stay the same good or bad either
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Interesting insight into the workings of the Irvine Co. and their management of The Spectrum. Thanks to all the insiders that have posted here!
But I’m wondering what has replaced these closed spaces? Are there replacement restaurants rumored to be going in? Last time I went to The Spectrum a few months ago (to eat at The Fish House, ironically) the Sharper Image was going out of business and the big Saleen store was still empty several months after they’d left town.
What is filling the growing number of vacant spaces at The Spectrum?
And does anyone know where Fox Sports Grill may go? GardenWalk? It would be interesting to see ESPNZone at Downtown Disney face off against Fox Grill over at GardenWalk.
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
it doesn’t surprise me that it would have to do with the irvine company. there are many vacant spots in the spectrum now. the last time i was there i needed to go to t-mobile and lo and behold it was out of business. i got curious and asked the customer service desk for the mall. the said the reason was they didn’t renew their lease. hmm. wonder why. i don’t think it’s that t-mobile is struggling or going out of business. seems logical that it was because they didn’t want to deal with the landlord anymore.
and fox sports grill isn’t going out of business, they are relocating, so obviously this had to do with their lease. what’s interesting is that they are relocating to anaheim. looks like irvine might have to start competing with some others for money and entertainment.
competition is good.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:52 pm
The Irvine Company charges what they think someone will pay. If you think they are charging too much, take your business elsewhere.
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Looks like businesses are doing just that Ken.
So, I take it there are no new tenants yet for this growing list of vacant spaces at The Spectrum? Fish Market? Saleen Motorsports? Ling & Louie’s? Sharper Image? Etc., etc.?
July 4th, 2008 at 6:28 am
the fox sports grill will be relocating next to the Hilton near the convention center in aneheim…. They are also opening another one in San diego near the ball park
July 4th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Can’t blame Fox Sports if TIC is raising rents by that much. This may be a stretch but the city is just as much to blame as well, I’m sure anaheim’s leader’’s courted the Fox Sports Grill operators which helped the move. City of Irvine is too busy answering to Bren and fighting amongst themselves.
July 6th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Irvine co. sucks. They might change their minds when 75% of their tenants are GONE. It all rolls downhill…… they’re just holding out and not getting on the bus with everyone else and cutting costs. Seems they’re still living in the year 2005-2006 when things were booming…
July 6th, 2008 at 9:45 am
The fish market didn’t close because of the economy, it was just a really terrible restaurant with bad food and service!
July 11th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Donald Bren is the devil!
July 13th, 2008 at 2:57 am
FSG is coming to the Anaheim Hilton unless there is a major breakdown in negotiations. If they finalize it anytime soon and they hustle with the renovation, look for it to be open by January. They don’t want to miss the financial bonanza that the NAMM show brings.
Trust me on this one.
July 27th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Irvine Co is the Devil… I work in the city and they are comparable to modern day nazi’s… Take a drive by the Spectrum and you will see many shuttered businesses that have not been replaced, yet they still build more retail space… They are opening a Ruby’s next to a Johnny Rockets… WTF is that!!! The Fish Market was a great place to go, the management and food was good, the prices were reasonable and the atmosphere is fantastic… Rumor has it that Champs will be closing in the near future and that the Irvine Co doesnt want Yard House there anymore due to “it bringing to much of a night life” The Irvine Co is on crack and really need to realize that an occupied space paying the same rent as last year is better than a vacant space not making any money for them…
July 28th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Irvine Company Does Suck! Along with Fox Sports Grill, Fish Market and Ling & Louie’s so many others have gone from the Spectrum too. R.I.P. - Wolfgang Puck’s, Bertolinis, Thaifoon, Nara Nara, Mondeo, L’Opera, Sloppy Joe’s, Sing Sing, Rock Bottom, Crazy Horse, Sega City/GameWorks, Nascar (whatever that was called) and many more!
July 29th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Geez, haven’t been to spectrum in forever. All those places are now closed???
I do believe the Irvine Co. is the devil. I went to UCI and was forced to rent from them since they owned all the apt buildings nearby.