Monday, February 13, 2006

Something new for Twist

Changes coming to Twist.
What those changes are however remains uncertain, but one thing is for sure: Twist won't be the same.

New Ivey building owner Stefan Latorre and Twist restaurant majority owner John Weinbrenner recently met in civil court. The biggest beef is this: Latorre accused Weinbrenner and other Twist partners of violating the lease. It requires the property be run primarily as a restaurant and open during the day. Anyone who drives along Church Street knows Twist is empty most weekdays and functions as a club on weekends. Saturday nights used to be jumping.

Weinbrenner, who also owns City Tavern, says he is ready to sell Twist, which was previously a City Tavern and a place called Palladium. He has his hands full running his City Taverns restaurants. He’s about to open one in Wilmington in a Birkdale-style development. The problems is Weinbrenner’s partners don’t want to sell. Twist has tried to do the restaurant thing, but hasn’t been able to make it work. Weinbrenner’s also been looking for a buyer, including offering to sell his share to Latorre.

Weinbrenner says a Chicago-based cajun restaurant has expressed interest in buying the property, and he's also talked to company about opening an Asian restaurant. If he can’t find a buyer, Weinbrenner says he’ll renovate the place, change the concept and get cranking again as a restaurant. The presiding judge said she would mail her ruling to them.

My question are: Why hasn't anything worked in that spot and what type of restaurant would you like to see there?