OT - Blimpy Is Back
Here's the news link:
http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/04/blimpy_burger…
Opening in late June downtown - just west of Main near Liberty, in the old Eastern Flame.
The question is whether I will attempt the experience/run the ordering gauntlet after having lived in A2 for nearly 40 years.
No doubt there will be a variety of opinions about the re-opening, even as there were when it closed. But, overall, good to see the icon renewed if only so we can see it on another episode of "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives."
but up for discussion....Not OT. Just my two cents. But great news!
It won't be the same with it being so far from campus. With that said, I think they should change their hours to stay open until 3 am for the post bar crowd. Right now there really isn't any good place to get quick food after you go to the bar on main street.
It's literally opening right next to fleetwood, which is open 24 hours. And is amazing drunk food.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:19 AM ^
That it is, but it is the only place around main. There are a ton of great bars but not a ton of great places to eat after. Even something as simple as a pancheros or BTB just off main would help fix that. I hope blimpy is open late night though
April 18th, 2014 at 12:11 PM ^
Blimpy's style of service + drunk asses trying to order =
April 18th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
I seem to be in a small minority here based on talking to others but my favorite place for drunk food on main st is Eastern Flame, the very restaurant Blimpie is replacing. I like Blimpie, but I'll be sad to see the Flame extinguished
The Eastern Flame is/was on Ashley, not Main.
And everything is ok in the world again
Horrible location. And now they'll have to compete with the Fleetwood for inebriated patrons.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
there's usually a shortage of those. Edit: Also, I like that word "patron." Makes me feel like I'm at Augusta National Golf Club.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:23 AM ^
Much preferred to the usual "drunk dickbag."
April 18th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^
April 18th, 2014 at 10:55 AM ^
You say "customers", I say "tequila".
I'm more concerned about competition in the other direction. I hope Fleetwood doesn't run into trouble because of this.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:01 AM ^
Why horrible? Because it's furthur from campus?
April 18th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^
Yes, farther from campus. A huge amount of their lunchtime rush was students. I don't know how many downtown works will head west of Main St to grab a greasy lunch. Dinner they should do fine, and who knows if they'll now choose to stay open post-10pm. If they do, they should do OK but Fleetwood will take a chunk of that crowd. I don't think they'll get nearly as many random walk-ins as they had before -- students won't head there in between classes and there won't be as many people walking around to grab food while visiting campus.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
but you say "west of Main St" as if it was a long journey. Its only one block....
April 18th, 2014 at 11:38 AM ^
April 18th, 2014 at 11:42 AM ^
Agreed. The only times I ever went to Main St when I was a student, even an upperclassman, was when someone's parents (including mine) were in town and we went out for dinner. Otherwise, I never left the general campus area. And I lived on the West side of campus.
to get to The Wiffle Tree with mom and dad. Otherwise, I never went near Main St. as a student.
The Wiffle Tree. I cooked there for about 6 semesters. I haven't heard about that place in years.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:06 PM ^
but my understanding of his sentence was that it applied to people who work downtown, in which case a block west of Main St is not that far.
As an aside, the attitude of students who almost abhor walking anywhere west of State St, let alone Main St has always baffled me. Downtown Ann Arbor is such a great place to explore on foot, and given the time every student should get out and about more IMO. Full disclosure, I am a townie.
It's not necessarily about exploring downtown, because sure, when you have time to just stroll (which isn't all that often) then downtown is one of many places to head. But if I just want some food, I don't want to walk from campus to Main St because there are lots of options that don't require that.
I think the point I'm trying to make, independant of restaurants, is that most students treat anything not "on campus" as a foreign country, which is a shame.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:44 PM ^
That's why as I get/am older, we hang out on Main and points west.
And if students never find/goto Old Town Tavern, even better!
April 18th, 2014 at 10:47 AM ^
to be a win win for both Blimpys and Fleetwood. It is well known in business circles that similiar service businesses can do much better when located close to their competition.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:53 AM ^
Fleetwood>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Blimpys
April 18th, 2014 at 11:21 AM ^
They are both great. It isn't a contest.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:01 AM ^
Great point...where are the snow bears gonna be now?
April 18th, 2014 at 10:22 AM ^
with both Fleetwood and Blimpy the air will be thick with grease... in a good way.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^
Wait, I don't think that sounds quite right ....
April 18th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
April 18th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^
I am overjoyed by this news, but my personal preference was for the creation of the Blimpy Food Truck. It would have been glorious.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:07 AM ^
an MGoProject.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:14 AM ^
Who thinks Blimpy is overrated?
April 18th, 2014 at 11:20 AM ^
Give it a rest. Other people like it.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
I never said they couldn't. I just don't get the devotion to this place. I don't think that makes me a troll. People are free to enjoy whatever they want.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^
It makes you a troll because (at least is seems like) you're trying to start an argument about why you don't think Blimpy Burger is very good. There is no product out there that 100% of the population likes. Some people think Rolexes or Mercedes Benzes are overrated too.
No one is contending that 100% of people go crazy for Blimpy Burger. But this is a thread celebrating its return, so you playing Debbie Downer is a bit troll-ish.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
Are definitely over-rated ... Until I can afford them. Then I'm going to buy several to get the hottest chicks.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:58 AM ^
I think other people like the idea of them liking it.
There's a lot of nostalgic suckers in that place.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^
Queue the "Blimpy/Zingernan's is overrated" trolls.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^
Yeah, neither of those are overrated in the slightest. The only people who think Blimpy's is overrated are the people who just don't like all the grease and the only people who think Zingerman's is overrated are poor.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:21 AM ^
April 18th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^
Thanks goodness. Can't wait to get that quad with a fried egg in my belly again.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^