by Alex Palombo(Photo at Right: Simeon's Owner Dean Zevros at the bar in his restaurant)
ITHACA, N.Y. - The Economy is spiralling around the state and around the country, and it is more risky than ever to open a restaurant. But Scott Miller, owner of Madeline's and now Wildfire Grill, noticed that Ithaca's food scene has been relatively unaffected.
"If you go to any other small city, you cannot find this number of restaurants," Miller said. "We have a disproportionate number of restaurants for the population."
If anything, the restaurants' vitality and variety have only helped the town attract more hungry customers. Ithaca resident Tanya Reynolds said she loved eating in the Commons for its dozens of options.
"Whatever you're in the mood for, you can find here," Reynolds said. You can have Thai, you can have a bar, you can have Chinese, you can have a sub or a salad. I like the diversity."
The Commons are about to become even more diverse with the opening of Wildfire Grill on South Cayuga Street, where the Lost Dog Cafe was located before closing. Miller said the grill will maintain Lost Dog's popular lounge and live entertainment, while featuring a "sophisticated comfort food" menu. He believes that his restaurant will actually help others in the area by attracting more customers.
"Good restaurants only help good restaurants," he said. "It brings more people downtown."
(Photo at left: The new Wildfire Restaurant dining area, still under renovation)
Reynolds was excited about the economic possibilities of the new and expanding restaurants.
"I think it's fantastic, especially if it gives people the opportunity to hire more local staff and students," she said. "And it encourages people to go out.”
Sammy Chafee, the owner of Sammy's Pizzeria on the Commons, said that the people coming downtown from both Cornell University and Ithaca College are who keep him in business - and the people making it possible for him to expand into a buffet restaurant in the coming months.
"I think because of both schools, we aren't as affected by the economy," Chafee said. "I think we are doing better than we were before.”
Simeon's owner Dean Zevros agreed. He said that most of his business comes from families visiting their student children and taking them out for lunch or dinner, citing Parents' Weekend as a busy time for his newly expanded bistro. He did say, however, that business is not always easy.
"New York State does not make it easy for individuals and small businesses to really grow," Zevros said. "There's a small margin for profit and a lot of taxes.
In addition to the higher taxes and stricter regulation, Chamber of Commerce President Jean McPheeters said that opening restaurants in the area is still difficult because of the lending industry.
"This is a difficult time, because lending hasn't tightened up here, so it's hard to get loans," she said. "There's a higher failure rate for restaurants. I think the big difference here is that there aren't many chains around here. There's a thriving independent restaurant community."
McPheeters also said that most of the Commons' most successful restaurants are on South Aurora Street, where Madeline's and Simeon's are both located. Despite this, Miller seems optimistic about Wildfire's new home on South Cayuga Street.
"There's so much room to grow," he said.
(Below: We asked people around the Commons - including restaurateur Scott Miller - what their favorite restaurants were in Ithaca)
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