Future Meets - Buy Local?

[ruggedman]

For as long as I can remember having car meets they've almost always involved food. If there's one thing we all share an interest in besides cars, it's food...I mean we need it to stay alive

.

In the past few years the importance of supporting local businesses has become more and more obvious and apparent to me. We as a group at our meets typically number in the 40's...maybe more in the future. This number is something that most restaurants will go out of their way for because it's guaranteed business. This number is however significantly more important to a local business than a chain. 40 people to the Olive Garden is not the same as 40 people to something like Norm's East End.

Sure all restaurants provide jobs for the people of Maine, but these local businesses can offer significantly more to the community. Local businesses give us a chance to experience things here we cant get anywhere else, in both atmosphere and food quality. I propose that MainelySubarus should live up to its Mainely name and support local businesses at all our meets in the future. Every area we have meets in has local businesses that can benefit from our support.

Always here to stir the pot,

-Andy

In addition here's the top 10 reasons to buy local from Portland's Buy Local campaign.

[*]KEEP DOLLARS IN PORTLAND'S ECONOMY

For every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $45 stays in the local economy, creating jobs and expanding the city's tax base. For every $100 spent at a national chain or franchise store, only $14 remains in the community.

[*]EMBRACE WHAT MAKES PORTLAND UNIQUE

Portland is a city of neighborhoods. Where we shop, where we eat and hang out

 

[Carter]

Sorry for the validation delay...someone moved it but didnt approve it...

 

[internalcombust]

I like the idea of supporting local business as well, but there are local eats in more places than portland. Some of the best food around is from the non-chain restaurants.

 

[-=Lobstah=-]

Totally agree with you. Not that I've been to many meets lately, but I sure as hell try hard to support local breweries at home

 

[internalcombust]

Totally agree with you. Not that I've been to many meets lately, but I sure as hell try hard to support local breweries at home

 

[saabaru]

Local brews, hell yes.

 

[brighton]

I don't know if anybody is interesterd in the new Sea Dog Brewery in S.portland. I has there for breakfast on Tuesday morning enjoys a few IPA and stouts. (MMMMM I worked all night it was lunch time) I talked to Zeek the owner about MS and the monthly meetings we had.... he said NP for 60ish people and would let us have the back area all to our selfs... He is remodeling it right now and it will be done in June.

 

[ruggedman]

Any local business that wouldn't take us would be insane.

With so many great options all over this state, I see no reason we'd ever have to go to Red Robin, Longhorn, or Bugaboo ever again.

 

[internalcombust]

Any local business that wouldn't take us would be insane.

With so many great options all over this state, I see no reason we'd ever have to go to Red Robin, Longhorn, or Bugaboo ever again.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[Mark]

it's getting increasingly hard to schedule meets with 40+ people. we'd love to have them at local establishments, but we also need seating for 40-60 people, parking for 30-40 cars, preferably together, a wait staff accustomed to working with that large a party, and a menu people will agree on. we take any and all suggestions into consideration. let us know your ideas for a portland meet. norm's with 55 people and 40 cars? i'm not sure how that would work at all. i'm all for local restaurants too, let's get some ideas thrown out there so we can scout them out. i know personally i scouted out the bugaboo scene a month ahead of time. that's how i knew the TGIF parking lot would be free. IMO the bugaboo meet was one of the smoothest to date.

 

[internalcombust]

Bugaboo meet did go very well!

 

[ruggedman]

Last time I was at Norms I asked if it would be possible to reserve the entire upper room. They said it was fine, and i counted the seats to be 60 if you include the bar

.

The big hangup for most on downtown spots is that you have to park in a garage and walk a bit (ZOMG EXERCISE!?!?!). There are tons of options, and I'm sure there's no reason we ever have to go to a national chain again.

As for service, the staff at local places may not have to wear pieces of flair, but I'm sure they're still good. I mean for the most part got their start at a chain when they learned the ropes

.

 

[wzrd]

Great idea

to buy local....If we can get past the idea that cheaper isn't always better

[walmart product vs. maine-grown product] And be willing to pay a person a fair liveing wage, US worker vs 3rd world labor practices .We will be on the right economic path....Mainely subaru could set a positive example to the community[and do a good thing

],by agreeing to spend our money as a group,while helping to support your local- home grown- maine made -neighborhood business.sorry for going a bit off topic ,but it got me thinking

 

[ruggedman]

Great idea

to buy local....If we can get past the idea that cheaper isn't always better

[walmart product vs. maine-grown product] And be willing to pay a person a fair liveing wage, US worker vs 3rd world labor practices .We will be on the right economic path....Mainely subaru could set a positive example to the community[and do a good thing

],by agreeing to spend our money as a group,while helping to support your local- home grown- maine made -neighborhood business.sorry for going a bit off topic ,but it got me thinking

Not off topic at all...exactly what I was getting at with the OP

 

[saabaru]

I think it has been done before, but what about Gritty's in Freeport?

 

[Mark]

the next meet i run the show for, i'll have several options and run a poll. that way the majority can choose where they'd like it.

 

[Stein]

IMO the bugaboo meet was one of the smoothest to date.

Bugaboo meet did go very well!

Definitely because I went

.

I'm all for eating local. Too bad we don't have any [real] Mexican food. There's one in Brunswick right on the main road (Pancho Villa) that I actually ate at on a road trip from Washington down to Oregon (yes, really). Small world.

There's also one in South Portland that used to be next to the synagogue (the one that was just rebuilt) but I don't know where it moved to.

 

[Berttmann]

I don't know if anybody is interesterd in the new Sea Dog Brewery in S.portland. I has there for breakfast on Tuesday morning enjoys a few IPA and stouts. (MMMMM I worked all night it was lunch time) I talked to Zeek the owner about MS and the monthly meetings we had.... he said NP for 60ish people and would let us have the back area all to our selfs... He is remodeling it right now and it will be done in June.

SEA DOGS BREWERY! i just had to join the mug club today

love the black and blue beer

 

[ruggedman]

Definitely because I went

.
I'm all for eating local. Too bad we don't have any [real] Mexican food. There's one in Brunswick right on the main road (Pancho Villa) that I actually ate at on a road trip from Washington down to Oregon (yes, really). Small world.

There's also one in South Portland that used to be next to the synagogue (the one that was just rebuilt) but I don't know where it moved to.

Tortilla flat on 302 would work. The food when i went three years previous was kinda meh...but i went the other day and had a great meal there. It's a huge restaurant too.

But yeah all the other local mex places are way too small around here. If you like mex though give burrito in westbrook a shot. Fajita Grille has real mexicans working at it if that's what you're looking for. And pollo loco on washington ave is downright delicious. All are way too small for meets though.