Saturday, January 13, 2007

Columbus Inn closing - locals lack phonebook to find new non-chain restaurant to eat at

Apparently the Columbus Inn on Pennsylvania Avenue is slated for closure, or at least will now be part of a clubhouse for condominiums that will be built next door. Comments on the two related stories (one and two) in the News Journal focus on the loss of a great landmark and a seeming inability to find a non-chain restaurant at which to eat their next meal.

The one or two times I was in the Columbus Inn I remember a rambling building with brunch spread through many different rooms. Those few visits were spread over 16 years of living in Delaware so I would say it didn't make much of an impact. I would be sad if they just tore the historical part of the building down, but they are not going to do that,. Otherwise it left no strong impression.

More humorous is that the commenters feel their next meal will be at Applebies or Stuckey's now that the last non chain restaurant in Wilmington is closing. Some are even bemoaning the loss of Kahunaville and drawing trendline through those two points. I think with a little imagination and a phonebook (the desperate can even use the Dining Section of the News Journal) they might find another good restaurant to patronize. If I wept for every great place to eat that has closed in my life I would be a dessicated shell. All things fade, especially restaurants. Long-lived ones are an anomaly.

My suggestions: Restaurant 821, Deep Blue, Eclipse, Toscana - and those are just in Wilmington. Do any Delawareans out there have a favorite restaurant in Wilmington that isn't mentioned here, especially one that they go to instead of the Columbus Inn?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

McDonalds

Anonymous said...

Most of the patrons at Columbus Inn are older than the historic building, so I won't miss the scene there much.

Here are some other options -- Dome (sister of Eclipse), Homegrown Cafe in Newark, Culinaria, Caffe Gelato.

The people bitching about chain restaurants are actually revealing they eat at the chains -- and secretly like it.