Why are Bob and Julie Dobski spending $4 million to build an upscale restaurant when the space at 1 Uptown Circle is still vacant?
Too expensive in Uptown?
They weren’t the “Right Fit”?
The Dobski’s know their patrons don’t want to park in a garage and walk?
They wanted to be in Bloomington instead of Normal?
Other ideas?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Is this really “news”? Is this really any of your business? I thought you were for capitalism, when someone is setting up business especially a restaurant, it’s up to the business to select their location. That’s what happened here.
I think you missed what was being said. No I know it. The question is….why do taxpayer dollars continue to be wasted to build up uptown and it remains a less than desirable spot for anyone that WANTS a successful business to locate. No doubt you are one of the council cretins or a mayor and this went right over you head. It is news as it points out how cretins such as yourself wish to continually waste money on ivory tower failures the Green Top Grocery comes to mind. The unoccupied space in uptown comes to mind…Sp let’s build some more….
Although the Dobskis have a good reputation with many folks and may very well deserve it, ole’ Bob has had his connections and used his influence over the years to capitalize on that for self interest rather than an overall concern for common business folks. Just don’t be fooled that they’re squeaky clean. Yeah ole’ Bob is establishment all the way. Smile for the camera Bob.
First, both Julie and Bob are just wonderful people. They do so much for BN, supporting local causes, creating jobs, and leading with a solid work ethic and strong business acumen. Whatever they do, I wish them luck (but they won’t need it.) I’m glad to see they’re not using any taxpayer dollars and don’t want to get caught up in playing games with local government. It’s not their style anyway. Hopefully, other businesses will stand on their own as well and not make a deal with the devil. Go, Julie and Bob!
Julie and Bob are successful. They make solid business decisions, because they are using their own money and not ours.
I think Dobski’s have owned that property for some time. Although I don’t know them real well, they are great people and a great asset to our community.
I wish them the best and am sure they will do well in that location.
You’re right. It sounds like they’ve owned the property for 20 years. With Café Italia going out of business, it also takes away a competitor in that area. With revenues from their Little Jewels childcare centers and the proceeds from their prior McDonald’s franchise sale, they definitely have funds available to invest. I appreciate all they have done for the community, in an economic sense and their charitable work. If only we had more people in the same mold.
It is real news! In case you missed the point Diane was tring to make….we have socialists running government that THINK they know business so they spend YOUR money directing business and building out their vision for business when they themselves have no clue what it takes to run a successful business. They think their way is the only way which is riddled with secrecy and corruption. I too applaude the Dobski’s for their good business ethics and not getting drug into the swamp . I wish them much success.
I applaud the Dobskis’ for their commitment to the community. I’m glad that they’ve become quite wealthy through their hard work and business acumen. I am saddened, though, at the thought that that commitment is likely to cost them $4 million or more. Illinois is one of the worst, perhaps The worst, states for businesses. Bloomington-Normal’s local governments seem to be doubling down on that, applying locally the same policies that have caused a mass exodus of good jobs, good workers, and good people. In an environment where a lot of businesses are closing, leaving, downsizing, or simply not opening in the first place, I don’t see a high-end restaurant that depends on those good jobs and good workers being viable in the long term.
At least they had the smarts not to locate in Uppity Town or in ghostown, I mean downtown.
Perhaps the Normal Council should move the taxpayer wasted $5,000 “Mark Peterson Plaza” signage from next to city hall over to the empty (except for city workers) One Normal Plaza building. It would show the true legacy of Koos and Peterson’s assault on the taxpayers.
“we have socialists running government”.
I’m confused. Did the mayor of Bloomington seize all the means of production? Does he and the government own all businesses? No. Did all utilities get nationalized? No. Sorry, you don’t have socialist running your government. You’re confusing city planning with socialism, which it isn’t. George Washington planned Washington D.C. with Pierre Charles L’Enfant as the “Federal City”. Most cities are planned rather just thrown up by happenstance.We have codes and building standards which ensures your house doesn’t fall down on top of you.
“Right fit” isn’t planning
You’re kinda right BLNOCITIZEN. Tari Renner isn’t a Socialist. He IS a hardcore Marxist and Stalinist. There is a difference.
He’s a “Stalinist”? How so? How many millions people has he murdered? You can’t worship or work because Renner is killing people for worshiping and working as they see fit? Is he somehow promoting state violence against you? You’re going to somehow be deported to Siberia to die? I don’t think so. Renner doesn’t have that much power. You’re also being ridiculous.
BLNOCITIZEN – you are clearly a leftist/establishment troll, based on your purposeful misdirection of the conversation onto idiotic tangents. One cannot be a socialist without nationalizing utilities or a Stalinist without at least a million kills? By your logic, clearly there are no Nazis in the US, perhaps even the world, as I am unaware of any large scale gas chambers in active use. And Trump cannot be a white nationalist because I saw black people roaming freely here in the US just this morning.
Quit being a (as many bleeps as may be appropriate).