Comments on: Azzarelli’s Hits the Highway http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/ Houston, Texas real estate development, home buying, landscape, and design Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:30:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Mike http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-40765 Mike Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:23:35 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-40765 Frank Triola is a scumbag. My wife worked at one of his restaurants several years ago as a chef, several of her payroll checks were returned NSF, and he refused to pay her for 60+ hours of labor. If you are a vendor, do not do business with him. If you are looking for work, you would be better off working at Burger King, at least they pay their employess. I have his address, he will be receiving a gift basket of bananas and petroleum jelly from us. Frank Triola is a scumbag. My wife worked at one of his restaurants several years ago as a chef, several of her payroll checks were returned NSF, and he refused to pay her for 60+ hours of labor. If you are a vendor, do not do business with him. If you are looking for work, you would be better off working at Burger King, at least they pay their employess. I have his address, he will be receiving a gift basket of bananas and petroleum jelly from us.

]]> By: SMAN http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-17381 SMAN Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:53:21 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-17381 Frank Triola, owner of Azzarellis is a talented chef.... but like way too many chefs not a very good manager. His failure to pay staff, vendors, default on his lease, overextend his capital, struggling to open one location while simultaneously operating his other two locations (marginally) is so common. He micromanaged everything about his operations instead of adequately empowering, training, and trusting his management to do their jobs. Unfortunately in the F&B industry, his business model is way too common, ending up with these results. Operators beware: do responsible due dilligence, have more capital than you think you will need, underestimate pro-forma revenue, and overestimate pro-forma costs, have reasonable rate of return expectations, know you neighborhoods where you locate, spend lots of time doing site-location analysis, and operate ethically. Frank Triola, owner of Azzarellis is a talented chef…. but like way too many chefs not a very good manager. His failure to pay staff, vendors, default on his lease, overextend his capital, struggling to open one location while simultaneously operating his other two locations (marginally) is so common. He micromanaged everything about his operations instead of adequately empowering, training, and trusting his management to do their jobs. Unfortunately in the F&B industry, his business model is way too common, ending up with these results. Operators beware: do responsible due dilligence, have more capital than you think you will need, underestimate pro-forma revenue, and overestimate pro-forma costs, have reasonable rate of return expectations, know you neighborhoods where you locate, spend lots of time doing site-location analysis, and operate ethically.

]]> By: arturo mercado http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-16728 arturo mercado Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:41:54 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-16728 I was a worker there,they sure didn't pay us a month payroll.I going to miss the nice people of cinco ranch and their families.We were really kids friendly,we sponsored all kind of kids sport teams in the area. I was a worker there,they sure didn’t pay us a month payroll.I going to miss the nice people of cinco ranch and their families.We were really kids friendly,we sponsored all kind of kids sport teams in the area.

]]> By: veronica http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-16416 veronica Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:12:35 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-16416 First of all, I heard he was behind for many months on Azzarrelli rent. The rent at Villagio is not high at all...instead it is lower than La Centera and many other spaces in Katy. Too bad for Azzarrelli because it is such a nice center. First of all, I heard he was behind for many months on Azzarrelli rent. The rent at Villagio is not high at all…instead it is lower than La Centera and many other spaces in Katy. Too bad for Azzarrelli because it is such a nice center.

]]> By: Amda http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-16262 Amda Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:19:20 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-16262 Too bad they didn't pay rent. The place was packed the few times I went there. I am sure a better operator will go into this location soon. Too bad they didn’t pay rent. The place was packed the few times I went there. I am sure a better operator will go into this location soon.

]]> By: conejo http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-16258 conejo Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:17:37 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-16258 Insider info: This place is locked up because many bills from the construction were never paid and liens were put on the building. This plus several months of unpaid rent caused the lockout. There is WAY too much money owed to get it opened again. As for the I-10 location, it was actually supposed to be opened BEFORE the Villagio, but the developer couldn't get it ready in time and Villaggio came first. The owner Frank was going to open 10 restaurants in 10 years, but he didn't say how many he was going to close! The new place probably won't last wrong due to financial management problems.. Insider info:
This place is locked up because many bills from the construction were never paid and liens were put on the building. This plus several months of unpaid rent caused the lockout. There is WAY too much money owed to get it opened again.

As for the I-10 location, it was actually supposed to be opened BEFORE the Villagio, but the developer couldn’t get it ready in time and Villaggio came first. The owner Frank was going to open 10 restaurants in 10 years, but he didn’t say how many he was going to close!

The new place probably won’t last wrong due to financial management problems..

]]> By: mt http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-16256 mt Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:08:45 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-16256 Walking away from an investment like this is not easy or cheap. If the restaurant was, say, 4000 sf, he had close to a million dollars in capital invested in the project. Start with construction costs ($125/sf), Kitchen equipment ($100k easy, even with some used equipment) FF&E probably was another $50k. Throw in other expenses such as A/E fees, legal fees, POS computers, phones, AV, plus startup staff/food/working capital and you are looking at a million bucks no problem. He may have had some TI money from the landlord, but it was probably only $25-$35/sf or so. I feel kinda bad for the investors/lenders/landlord, but not that bad..... Also, If the lease is terminated, he is looking at phantom income for the forgiven rent (if the default is final) which will put a hurt on his tax bill. I would not hold my breath for the other location at Barker-Cypress & I-10 to ever get off the ground as I'm sure the food/booze suppliers and staff got stiffed in addition to the landlord. No more beer for you Mr. Azz! Walking away from an investment like this is not easy or cheap. If the restaurant was, say, 4000 sf, he had close to a million dollars in capital invested in the project. Start with construction costs ($125/sf), Kitchen equipment ($100k easy, even with some used equipment) FF&E probably was another $50k. Throw in other expenses such as A/E fees, legal fees, POS computers, phones, AV, plus startup staff/food/working capital and you are looking at a million bucks no problem. He may have had some TI money from the landlord, but it was probably only $25-$35/sf or so. I feel kinda bad for the investors/lenders/landlord, but not that bad…..
Also, If the lease is terminated, he is looking at phantom income for the forgiven rent (if the default is final) which will put a hurt on his tax bill.
I would not hold my breath for the other location at Barker-Cypress & I-10 to ever get off the ground as I’m sure the food/booze suppliers and staff got stiffed in addition to the landlord. No more beer for you Mr. Azz!

]]> By: Susan http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-16238 Susan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:21:13 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-16238 It is a locally/family owned business. They recently closed their Memorial location. It is a locally/family owned business. They recently closed their Memorial location.

]]> By: Conundrum http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-16236 Conundrum Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:24:38 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-16236 Too bad the property owners are having to waste money trying to get what is rightfully theirs from these deadbeats. Although I can't say I'm surprised. After eating there, I found the food mediocre at best, which even the worst of food can thrive in a community if it at least makes up for it in atmosphere and service. Which this restaurant didn't. It was not kid friendly at all, which can hurt business in a neighborhood like cinco ranch. You combine that with a general disinterest in serving your clientele you're business isn't going to be able to make the bills. I ate there once. Once. I don't know if the one on I-10 is necessarily owned by the same people, it could be a franchise operation that is just now moving into the area. Too bad the property owners are having to waste money trying to get what is rightfully theirs from these deadbeats.

Although I can’t say I’m surprised. After eating there, I found the food mediocre at best, which even the worst of food can thrive in a community if it at least makes up for it in atmosphere and service. Which this restaurant didn’t.

It was not kid friendly at all, which can hurt business in a neighborhood like cinco ranch. You combine that with a general disinterest in serving your clientele you’re business isn’t going to be able to make the bills.

I ate there once. Once.

I don’t know if the one on I-10 is necessarily owned by the same people, it could be a franchise operation that is just now moving into the area.

]]> By: kjb434 http://swamplot.com/azzarellis-hits-the-highway/2009-01-06/#comment-16235 kjb434 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:17:47 +0000 http://swamplot.com/?p=5340#comment-16235 Probably founded a cheaper place to rent from and just abandoned the other place. No wonder it's in litigation. Probably founded a cheaper place to rent from and just abandoned the other place.

No wonder it’s in litigation.

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