The Management of the 704 Food and Entertainment Complex has acknowledged that the impending closure of the Dixie Lee and Miami Grill franchises is in part because the businesses had never really taken off, coupled with the country’s economic decline.
In 2013, the complex was opened by Alfro Alphonso and Sons at the corner of Lamaha and Albert streets, with its food court on the ground floor featuring the American franchise Miami Grill and the Canadian franchises Dixie Lee and Papa Pete’s Pizzeria. Dixie Lee was first introduced by the company on the Essequibo Coast three years prior to that.
The Essequibo branch, which was the pilot restaurant, was the first to be closed, according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the corporation Andron Alphonso.
The CEO stated yesterday that blame for the closure cannot be pinned on any one thing, but noted that along with the rocky start, economic decline was also to blame for the poor state of the business.
“It is not just a single reason because everyone in business would know that there are a number of contributing factors. The Guyana food industry, I believe, is somewhat more complex than others, because if you start off a business on a not too sound ground, you don’t really have room to make it up,” Alphonso stated.
“People here want consistency. Dixie Lee did not really get off to a good start and had a troubling period, so that contributed to the decline in sales along with the economic slowdown,” he added.
Alphonso stated that unlike Dixie Lee and Miami Grill, the other components of the complex, those being Papa Pete’s Pizzeria, with a supportive client base, and the 704 Sports Bar, Lounge and Club, are actually doing quite well and so will remain opened. He stated that the management will continue to work to make the services better and thanked their patrons for remaining loyal.
With two of the three fast food franchises being removed from the food court, it still remains undecided how this space would be used, and whether the entire ground floor will be made to accommodate the pizzeria.
