|
|
|
G-Ho and Tria 3: Meant for each other?
The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.
G-Ho and Tria 3: Meant for each other?
 |
| triacafe.com |
Last night, Jon Myerow and Michael McCaulley of Tria presented in front of the South of South Neighborhood Association (SOSNA) to establish a dialogue with neighborhood residents regarding a proposed branch of the beer/wine/cheese café at 2054 South Street. Meal Ticket attended the meeting, which was held at St. Charles Senior Center at 1941 Christian Street. Our report after the jump.
Tria was introduced by James Romeo, who owns the property (formerly a MAB Paint store) that Myerow and McCaulley would like to turn into their third Philadelphia location. (Other businesses on this corner — 21st and South — include La.Va and Ten Stone.) The two parties are still negotiating the lease, so nothing is on paper in that respect just yet.
Myerow and McCaulley kicked off their portion of the presentation by providing background on themselves and the café. The duo possesses close to 40 years of combined experience in the industry — Myerow is the former director of operations for Neil Stein, while his sommelier partner's CV includes big names like Le Bec-Fin and Brasserie Perrier. They outlined the basic offerings of Tria — a rotating seasonal selection of 34 wines, 27 beers and 16 cheeses, with a small hot fare menu that caps off at $10.50. "We're into the real stuff," Myerow told the crowd, mostly composed of young professionals.
Myerow then presented a six-point list outlining why Tria would make a good neighbor — they don't serve hard liquor, they don't require a massive cooking ventilation system and they don't run one-cent swill happy hour specials that would attract the wrong crowd. (You can download a PDF of a three-page handout the Tria team distributed at the meeting by clicking HERE.)
If all this seems like common knowledge, remember that not everyone is up on Tria's concept — establishing such key points with locals is essential, since there are residents out there who hear the words "liquor license" and automatically hit the roof. It's often the biggest obstacle in a bar or restaurant's quest for unequivocal community support. "A new liquor license is a scary thing in a residential neighborhood," Myerow told the crowd.
The SOSNA board proposed a conditional attachment to the license that would link it unconditionally with Tria — basically, if Tria were to go out of business, a proviso would prevent a nuisance bar or other unwanted drinkery from sliding in without gaining neighborhood approval. Myerow, McCaulley and Romeo were all in full support of this suggestion. (Note that this project is still in its infancy — Tria has not yet begun the liquor license application process.)
Other vocalized concerns included the hours of a proposed outdoor seating area, wheelchair sidewalk access and parking strains. But for the most part, attendees were supportive, many throwing their voices behind Myerow and McCaulley in statements. SOSNA passed around a sheet for attendees to notarize their approval. There has been word of several neighborhood residents who stand in opposition of Tria's plans, but none of these individuals spoke up at last night's meeting.
Myerow expects to receive a letter from SOSNA, outlining advisories and community support, in the next two weeks. But that's just the first of many, many steps. "I think [the meeting] went well," Myerow said today, "but there is still plenty of opportunity for people to protest the liquor license application." Settling the lease is another priority. If/when both of those hurdles are cleared, it'll take three to four months to design the location before construction can even begin.
"It's really hard for me to say how this process is going to turn out," added Myerow.
- barstool scientist
- Booze
- Brew Revue
- Chef Salad
- Closings
- Coffee
- Contests
- Dealage
- Dirty Dishes
- Don't Front
- Eat This Immediately
- Field Trip
- Food and Art
- Food and Holidays
- Food and Movies
- Food and Music
- Food and Politics
- Food and Sports
- Food and Web
- Food Blogs
- Food Books
- Food Events
- Food News
- Food TV
- Gifted
- Happy Hour Hopper
- How-To
- In Print
- Interview
- Meal Ticket
- Menu Time
- Not So Quickfire
- Notes from the Weekend
- On Wheels
- Openings
- Patio Drinking
- Philly Beer Week 2010
- Photos
- Private Chef POV
- Product Placement
- Recipes
- Snack Time
- Stiff Drank
- SUPPER
- Tea
- Testing
- Ticket Stubs
- Top Chef
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Video
- Weekly Candy
- Weird Regional Foods
- We're Here to Help
- Where'd We Eat?
- Drew Lazor's Ill-Advised Rant Factory
- Pregame
- Ill-Advised Ranting
- The Week Without Meat
- Philly Beer Week 2009
- Real Big
- Where'd I Eat Last Night?
- Top Chef Masters
- The Good Word
- Next Iron Chef
- Arterial Terrorism
- Food and Radio
