Don't give up, Meadowland

I like places that age well and develop character along the way and that's why I went to the Meadowland Restaurant. It was a short walk from my Miller Street home and its restaurant a quick and good alternative. Having a meal and a drink in a place that has been operating since 1934 is a treat.

The Herald is reporting that Meadowland is closing its restaurant but evidently will continue as a bar with a limited menu. The Herald's reporter, Jason Vallee, went to the restaurant and spoke to its owner and customers and turned out a solid report. What I especially liked about this story was how it tied the restaurant's decision to broader changes in the city. But as I read this story, I was also troubled by its message. Is the restaurant owner retreating or fighting back? I suspect the former.

Here's an excerpt from the story.

One problem for Meadowland has been the loss of old customers without the ability to draw today's younger generation. With a shift in the city's makeup during the past decade, Fournier said his business has seen a sharp decline in the number of younger customers entering.

"There is just no industry left, nothing to keep people in the area for long periods of time," James said. "As our older customers continue to age, they can't come as often or unfortunately pass away and we aren't getting the younger generations to make up for it."

The problem [restaurant owner James] Fournier has experienced is not unique. For Connecticut in general, this has been a growing economic problem. The state ranks second to last, sitting just above Alaska when it comes to retaining college graduates and residents ages 20 to 29.

The restaurant was also burdened with sharp increases to electrical costs, gas costs and food pricing.

It's tough for college graduates in Central Connecticut. The area doesn't have the opportunity or the potential of major Metro areas. But that said, plenty of college graduates -- especially those who have attended CCSU -- stay and make a good life for themself.

Meadowland is in a stable neighborhood. I know my former neighbors on Miller Street continue to invest in keeping up their homes. This neighborhood is not in decline. Far from it. It's a very good place to live.

So what's the problem?

I don't doubt the truth of what the restaurant owner is saying. But what is the Meadowland doing to attract new patrons?

The Meadowland has a lot going for it. It really is a little gem of a place that needs to reach out to people and look for ways to change with the community. The Meadowland is also important to community. Young people, especially, who decide to live in an urban area want to be close to attractive places. Businesses like the Meadowland can help make a neighborhood a warm and inviting place to live.

There are, for instance, many hobbyist photographers in the city -- why not invite them to display and sell their photography? Invite artists as well. CCSU has a strong arts community. It would moderinze and enliven the decor and probably draw in new customers.

Mr. Fournier, from this story, strikes me as a thoughtful and opinionated person -- the ideal blogger. Creating an online presence, a blog, is a means to engage a broader audience. People go to bars to interact with others, and a blog continues that discussion once they leave.

Perhaps the Meadowland is already doing some of these things. I haven't been in there in some years, but I'll make a point of it next time in town, in a month or two. The next story I read in The Herald about the Meadowland will, hopefully, be one about how landmark has become optimistic about the city and its own future.

It’s an easy thing to give up on New Britain. It’s easy to overlook how much the city has that makes it a nice place to live. The Meadowland is one of things.