Still a need for downtown city club
The following is a Counterpoint column:
By Turner C. Church
I was mildly amused by Lorraine Ahearn's whimsical column (May 27) exploring ways to save the Greensboro City Club. While Alexander Bleu Cheese has never been associated with the club in any fashion, Roger Soles, our founding member and great benefactor, in whose name one of our premier menu items, Roger's Fresh Fish, does appear, is fondly remembered from the ground floor to the clock tower atop the 20th.
Although the reasons for the untimely demise of Greensboro's most prestigious fine dining address are far more complicated than could be addressed by a loose confederation of random fund raisers and donations, I commend the effort to keep our club in the community's consciousness. The hand-wringing and lamentation engendered by the announcement of the club's closing are but one in a number of compelling reasons why I'm convinced that a Greensboro City Club can and should be an ongoing and profitable facility available to those individuals and corporations whose best interests are served by such a uniquely well-appointed and well-run upscale food and beverage operation.
A profitable food and beverage operation cannot be run from the board room. As with anything, one can always be a "Monday morning quarterback" of anyone in any situation. Although the membership roles have declined appreciably since a shade before Sept. 11, our year-over-year revenue and volume have steadily increased, serving as testimony to the excellent job that all of the management and staff have continued to do.
Everyone has heard the old adage that there are three determining factors regarding a food and beverage operation's success: location, location, location. Need I be more specific on this issue? There are certainly ways of addressing all of the issues that confront a club such as ours which, if fully tenable, would result in the continued prosperous and successful operation of a club occupying the 19th and 20th floors at 100 N. Greene St. You know where to find me. I'll be here today.
Thank you to all of our loyal members and their guests from all of the staff at The Greensboro City Club.
The writer is banquet manager, Greensboro City Club.
Comments (3)
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Waaaa Waaaa Waaaa... the writer forgot to thank the most likely, minimum wage employees who actually MADE that place happen. The kitchen folk, etc. Without THEM, THEY would of been able to havie such an elite fine dining experience.
*mutters* typical.
Posted on June 4, 2005 10:46 AM
Okay. Get over yourself banquet manager. I've been to your club. I've eaten the food. Your food and service is no better than most conference centers and hotel banquets. It's good, but a far cry from "Greensboro's most prestigious fine dining address" It's a nice facility and the view is spectactular, but the food isn't that great. And the company is nothing special at all.
Just my experience.
Posted on June 6, 2005 3:47 PM
Remember what I keep tellin' yall about the "truth" now. Don't ch'all be fo'gittin.
Posted on June 6, 2005 6:44 PM