Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Metro GOOB Watch: Rainforest Café

The closing of restaurants and stores isn't really all that uncommon, even in the best economic times.

But lately, I seem to be noticing more Going Out Of Business signs than usual, and they are cropping up in places around the metro that you wouldn't normally think of as economically challenged.

But, as the economy continues to slouch toward depression, it has become apparent that there aren't any places that you can't think of as economically challenged.

So today we introduce a new feature, the Metro G.0.O.B. Watch (G.O.O.B. = Going Out Of Business, get it? Clever no?)

Our first honoree is the popular dining establishment Rainforest Café. Formerly located in Oak Park Mall, the metro area's Taj Mahal of capitalism, the pseudo-environmentalist jungle-themed restaurant abruptly closed its doors and moved out this week.

On Tuesday, a group of mall workers cleared the eatery of its Rainforest décor like a bunch of Brazilian cattle ranchers.

I can't really say I'm sad to see it go. My 6-year-old daughter loved the place, but the food was palatable at best. But it does go to show that despite large crowds on weekends, midweek traffic wasn't enough to keep the green coming in.


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3 comments:

  1. one visit was enough for me, after you seen the thunderstorm over and over and over it became old fairly quick

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  2. The food there is like a Sizzler with a hole in the roof during rainy season.

    Good. Riddance.

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  3. It's really saddening to see Rainforest Cafes close. They're real works of art. I remember when my local one closed also in January of '09. Wasn't happy at all.

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