The Counter in Santa Monica: Oprah Nation incurs their wrath!
I just heard on Merrill Schindler's radio show on KCRW tonight that the reason The Counter in Santa Monica has been so crazy is because Oprah Winfrey apparently gave it a mention on her show or something and there has been a 500% increase in business!!! According to Merrill The Counter had been doing business in the range of $45,000 a month and considered itself successful (as anyone who has ever gone there can attest to) and now post-Oprah they are doing $245,000 a month!!!
This place is sadly a victim of its own success. I went there several times shortly after they had opened and found a great lowkey casual place with a fun concept and great food. Nowadays you couldn't pay me to wait around to get in there and then elbow my way through my food. I'll admit I haven't bothered trying the place in a few months or so though.
Does anyone know when Oprah gave the place her blessing and in what context? I'm curious to know if they got too busy to bother with from their own success or simply because of Oprah.
Anyone been there recently to see what a 500% increase in business looks like?
CNYinLA
Sep 03, 2006 02:10AM
The Oprah Winfrey Show has been on summer hiatus for months. Could it have been a mention in O Magazine? A rerun of an old show? When did the crowding occur?
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I recall an article about Oprah "saving" this restaurant. A friend took her there for lunch and Oprah really liked it. The owner told her that business was down and she was probably going to have to close. Oprah gave her money to help pay the bills and publicized the place in her magazine and maybe on the show. I think this was some time last fall.
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you may be thinking of the Art Of Sandwich in San Luis Obispo, Ca just a few hours up the coast. Supposedly a friend of Oprah's told her about this little restaurant that made its own bread and had a great curried chicken sandwich, but the owner was going to close (after 9-11) and Oprah rescued it. (it was never all that great).
Now the owner has closed the restaurant and is writing a book about it.
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Sounds like we have the makings of an urban myth.
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I agree with your theory. I actually saw a feature about Art of Sandwich on Oprah.
I wonder if the AofS owner's book will end up on the Oprah book club!
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....actually I got the name wrong!
Art Cafe, in a converted creamery building in downtown San Luis Obispo, Ca. It has closed.
here's a link detailing it. Not an urban myth, the locals were tittering about Oprah for weeks. (I go along with the owner, "It's just a sandwich")
http://www.ktvu.com/news/3577941/deta...
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Per BusinessWeek, it was on her TV show, in February.
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/...
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wow. you found it Robert Lauriston!
That's exactly what I was looking for. I didn't realize the owners had decided to franchise. It's interesting to see the effect Oprah has. I seriously doubt she has ever eaten there. I get the impression she has a staff who cherrypicks special businesses that seem to be on the cusp. Or maybe their unique idea appeals to someone and they decide to advocate it to the masses.
In the case of The Counter its kind of thrilling and sad. While the idea of seeing 'the next big thing' make it to mainstream America is exciting to me since I've eaten there since they first started, it also makes me sad to see the homogenization of our culture. Part of what makes The Counter special is it's an only in LA thing that you can take friends to as part of 'those wacky self-indulgent things you only find in LA'. I guess I'd rather see those other markets come up with their own spin on 'The Counter' rather than just transplant the concept. Oh well, I guess that's how millionaires get made.
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That article suggests that the franchising deal might have been in the works before the Oprah story.
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Good catch, Robert. I've never been to The Counter, but it was my impression that it was popular quickly and has maintained that popularity.
What I don't really understand is what is so special about the concept. I've been to many places, in different parts of the country, that allow you to build your own burger, some with "gourmet" ingredients, but all with numerous choices.
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The article mentions an expansion beyond CA starting with Arizona (and other states). Arizona already has a place called "The Counter", a trendy slightly disney-esque soda-fountain spot with housemade pop-tarts, 25-cent coffee, and good sandwiches. It's owned by a major local restaurant operator (maybe about 15 restaurants, mostly in Arizona) who has expanded a pizza place called Sauce into a mini-chain, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had something similar in mind for The Counter.
Guess they'll have to fight for the name...:-)
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wait a sec, on the sf boards, there actual is a locale of Santa Monica's The Counter opening up in Palo Alto.
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Like it said in the BusinessWeek article, "Currently, the pair is in the midst of rolling out 60 restaurants over the next three years in California. The first is slated to open in Palo Alto at the end of August, while another 12 to 15 are planned to launch next year. Nationwide plans call for 400 to 600 restaurants, starting with locations in Florida, New York, Arizona, and Nevada."
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I went and it's great. I've never been to the Santa Monica location but our family had fun at the Palo Alto restaurant. Root Beer float was awesome.
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i actually remember seeing that episode of oprah... her friend Gayle was on the quest to eat the GQ list of burgers and she visited many on that list, including the counter. i am guessing that more people watch Oprah than GQ, hence the surge of popularity after her show versus the GQ article.
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Yes, I remember my brother talking about what an awful episode that was, it was as if Oprah was having Gayle do their bidding...
Anyway, the Counter always had it sights on being a chain. Not only did the Oprah mention help, but also a month or so ago Brad Pitt got his picture taken coming out of there. But it's always been rather popular because of their concept, but I've always been dispointed by their execution, fries coming first, the burger not being seasoned, the toppings piled on haphazardly so nothing really melds together... :P
There are a couple opening up in the Bay Area now, there is a post on the Chain Board about it and a link to a discusting blog post about the total menu counter burger..
--Dommy!
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