Restaurant Business Expert: "Why Did Zinchenko’s Establishment Close? The main reason is the wrong location and the wrong concept."
Defender of London’s Arsenal, Oleksandr Zinchenko is selling his restaurant INCH in the center of Kyiv, reports real estate agency Keys Real Estate on its Instagram page.
Photo: InstagramIt’s time to talk about the restaurant INCH Restaurant owned by the Zinchenko couple. Let me remind you, the restaurant operated for a year, recently closed, and is now for sale for $2.5 million.
Why did it close? Journalists ask me, so I’m writing in detail here.
The main reason is the wrong location and the wrong concept. Sasha and Vlada’s idea was to create a high-end beer restaurant. I was involved in the project from the very beginning, and I immediately warned that the premises were not suitable for what was intended.
The location at 59 Zhylianska Street is a soundproof basement of a residential building, near a train station, there’s no parking, and the summer terrace is tiny. There are very few pedestrians who could be guests of a beer restaurant in this area, and premium audiences do not go to basements; they need parking and spacious, well-lit places. Colleagues I spoke to about this location just grimaced: why would it be good for them in this place?
But the Zinchenko family still bought the premises and started making large-scale renovations. By the way, from a technical standpoint, the location was problematic; a lot of money was spent on engineering.
To be honest, everything was done very well, the furniture, equipment, and dishes were nice and expensive. A famous chef, high-quality food (especially appetizers and pizza), good service—all of this was great. But to no avail. The shortcomings of the location outweighed the benefits. Also, prices that were too high for a beer format, large televisions that made the halls uncomfortable, and unclear communication. The star status of the owners did not become a magnet or the basis for communication.
In my experience, this happens often: people are so eager to become restaurateurs that they overlook the "details": an outdated concept, the wrong location, the wrong design. But the market does not forgive this eternal "I really want." The market has its own plans.
It’s a pity that the Zinchenko family never opened their successful restaurant. Maybe they will try again?
