Grill closes doors, thanks community for support
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After four months of sandwiches, pitas and subs, E.L. Moe’s Firehouse Grill, 565 E. Grand River Ave., closed Friday because of slow sales.
The Mediterranean and sandwich restaurant struggled to keep pace with nearby chain restaurants — namely Taco Bell — and wasn’t able to draw enough customers to stay open, manager Ahmad Elbast said.
“I tip my hat to small businesses and urge people to support them in order to keep them here,” Elbast said.
Elbast said the affordability of the grill’s value menu and lack of delivery service probably slowed business sales.
“We had a dollar menu, but that’s what hurt us,” Elbast said. “We didn’t have much of a profit.”
E.L. Moe’s Firehouse Grill opened in July and experienced slow sales during the summer, but — like many local businesses — received a boost at the start of the school year.
The grill was located in the building that once housed Taco Bell and then Spartan Gyros, which closed in March.
“There was tremendous support and love from students and residents, and I don’t know how to thank them,” Elbast said. “We had good support, but not enough to keep us going. I worked long hours and the economy hits everyone hard.”
Elbast, who also is the owner of Sahara’s Restaurant, 3536 Meridian Crossings in Okemos, said he’d enjoy opening another business in the area if the economy improves.
East Lansing resident Dan Hughes, who graduated from MSU in May, said he was disappointed to see the grill close.
“I think it was good food, and it’s too bad to see it go,” Hughes said. “It’s nice that it was a little independent place.”
Eric Skusa, general manager at The Peanut Barrel Restaurant, 521 E. Grand River Ave., said small business owners sometimes underestimate the level of competition they’ll face when opening near MSU.
“The competition is incredible, the rent is fairly high and a lot of places come from out-of-town and think it’s a gold mine with the university next door, but it’s tough,” Skusa said.
“If you’ve been here a long time, you’ve had a reputation built up, but when you’re new, you don’t have that.”
Commentary
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Jack
(10/08/08 9:38pm)Report
I looked at it a couple times but it just didn’t look appetizing. Any place that wants to take over needs to actually renovate, not just keep the same look with a different, shabbier menu. New menu signs wouldn’t hurt – maybe a touch of paint on the inside and some pictures – it’d go a long way to make it not look like a place for more food poisoning than food.
MS
(10/09/08 9:47am)Report
I’ve never even heard of this place before.
Sam
(10/09/08 12:37pm)Report
The food was really good, including the best gyros I’ve ever had. Nevertheless, the atmosphere wasn’t so great. Depressing news.
jeff
(10/09/08 1:12pm)Report
they should just put an extra taco bell in there, would probably get more business than any of the other places that have occupied the space…
elle
(10/10/08 9:04am)Report
It’s sad that so many people prefer Taco Bell over real food….
Jim
(10/10/08 9:28am)Report
Who calls a place that serves gyros and fried food “Firehouse Grill”? Why not have a name that accurately describes what type of food that’s served? Same with Memos up the street – the old awning still says “ice cream”, “burgers”, “salads” and it’s a Middle Eastern restaurant! Unfortunately, that will probably be gone by the end of the year, too. Take a course in marketing, people.
Bad Business
(10/10/08 6:15pm)Report
Another example of a business not going the research they need to do to make it in East Lansing, and then not understanding why they go out of business. Plus, they had a poor business model and opened at the worst time of the year for foot traffic. Business owners should learn that you can’t just open your door in a college town and make a buck. It is all about providing what people want, and Moe’s obviously did not go that.