Bug-A-Boo may reopen soon
March 24, 2011 at 7:00 pm in Alexandria Echo Press
It looks like Bug-A-Boo Bay will be back again.
The transaction is still pending but the restaurant is in the process of being sold to new local ownership John and Caren Timmerman of Osakis. Continue Reading
Are you kidding me?? Same NAME, same MENU!! Isnt this the reason it shut down in the first place? Because everyone was sick of the poor quality of food, menu items, and atmosphere Bug-a-Boo had to offer. This place will never make it again if they keep the same menu, and especially the same name!! Why not at least change the name to attract new customers, rather then scare them away with the thought of hearing that old name again. Bring us something NEW!!!!! Maybe the new owners have a little more money to cover the overhead, but to keep the same old bad “rep” of Bug-A-Boo isnt going to help at all! Again, bring us something new in this community, and especially in that building!! We want CHANGE!!!!!
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Hi, we are extremely excited to get into this project! Maybe I should clarify, we are keeping the Caribbean theme and the Bugaboo name because the theme and the menu are great concepts. We are in the process of interviewing with some great, experienced chefs and although the theme remains the same, you will not see the same old menu recycled again. You can follow us on facebook over the next few weeks. We are looking forward to getting feedback on what you want to see and what you don’t.
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You could start a pool, but we are in this for the long haul! We have lived in the community for 10 years now, our kids go to school here, this is a firm commitment to keep it going. We have a great plan to make Bug-a Boo a fun destination for locals as well as the summer crowd.
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Good luck to you in your new venture. I agree the theme is a great theme, it just needs some TLC to get the place back to the good old days. I hope it works out for you guys and thanks for taking a chance on my favorite hang out.
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Shane – I think I wiped you off of my boot last week, after I stepped in some dog waste while shoveling behind my house.
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I have a great idea: if you don’t like it, then don’t go. I wish the prospective new owners the best.
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I as well wish the new owners very good luck in all their endeavors. No one wants to see someone fail. I just feel that the younger crowd (which in reality, brings Bug-a-Boo most of their business), is very sick of that name. Maybe keep the theme, which is great, but at least change the name to attract new customers. Also, some of the interior really needs some renovation, including the tight area between the bar and half wall along side the handicap ramp. This area causes major congestion when the place is packed, and results into people running into eachother, and waitresses dropping their orders on the floor. A simple suggestion would be to maybe re-route the handicap ramp to the area between the bar and restaurant. But regardless of the layout, many people agree that having at least a new name would be very helpful, as keeping the name would only harm the new owners. Again, good luck to the new owners, and please put this into consideration.
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Best wishes to the new owners.
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The problem with last years “venture” was they clearly didn’t know what they were doing. It was easily the worst managed restaurant/bar I’ve seen in a long, long time. Not sure what they were thinking but it was clearly visible that they were in way over their heads and in talking with a number of people who worked there the mis-management went deep and started at the top. Bug-A-Boo is a great place, a great location and a great concept, with the proper management it will be fine.
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Caren – Good luck – This facility is an important part of our tourist industry. A good menu and great service will be rewarded. I look forward to giving you a chance to provide these. Get er done!!
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I too wish the Timmermans the very best of luck with their new restaurant. I think this restaurant is important to Alexandria and I really hope it’s prosperous for a very long time.
For what it’s worth, I’ll offer my two cents to the new owners in the hope that my comments are helpful.
First, the name is not really all that good. Bug-A-Boo Bay? I never thought it was worthy of the place. Perhaps something simple like “The Bayside,” would do the trick. I don’t know.
More importantly, this restaurant never really represented a lot of value for my restaurant dollar in the past. I never thought the food was all that great for the price. The menu was kind of interesting, but the food seemed to disappoint more often than not. Travellers Inn downtown has always been the best value proposition in Alex for us, but the atmosphere there is nothing like BAB.
The service at Bug-A-Boo has always been a bit uneven. The wait staff seemed indifferent at best. Things like food brought at different times for different people at the table are really annoying and BAB was infamous for that.
The best thing BAB always had going for it was the atmosphere and the place itself. It is the best looking restaurant in Alex, bar none. It has a great look to it.
If you can capture the best of what the Darden restaurants have to offer with their food at a similar price and keep the look and atmosphere the same, I think you’ll have a winner.
Once again, best of luck. We’re rooting for you.
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I wish you folks all the luck you need for success. But IMO, keeping the name isn’t bad but its the menu. I have said it time and time again, that what this city needs is a GOOD seafood restaurant. Not ANOTHER Doolittles/Applebees/99 type. Bug a boo is more like them than original. Its a great location, pretty view, good size etc but its the menu that needs help. Again, seafood, a good steak etc works for me. Another generic restaurant….thanks but I’ll pass.
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good luck in your adventure..Hope you have deep pockets to cash flow the place during January and February. I witnessed the place more than once, with 3 couples seated at lunch on a Saturday in the winter. You’ll be heading south if that pattern continues to exist.
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I don’t think the name is the problem. It’s catchy & unique – I like it! When we started vacationing in Alex. in 2005, numerous people kept telling me we had to go to Bug A Boo. I think it was 2007 when we finally gave it a try. It was great! The food & service were top notch. I thought the prices were pretty much the same as all the other higher end restaurants in Alex. I mean, come on, you’re not at Perkins. It’s gonna cost more. That was the only time we were there because we try a different restaurant every year. I do agree that maybe offering more to the menu might help. Give people the option of a nice steak meal, but also give them the option of a less expensive burger & fries. A wider array of options & pricing will attract many more different types of people. As far as seafood, I don’t eat it but there’s plenty of people that do. So offer some great seafood items on the menu everyday or have a couple nights a week with seafood specials. Overall, just offer great food & service at a fair price and the place with do just fine. But I wouldn’t change the name. I wish the new owners the best of luck.
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I believe the carribean theme is a good idea to keep. Many tourists stop out there to see the designs or to enjoy outside. I just think that by keeping the menu exactly the same, would leave some of the locals unsatisfied. If you try to keep it the same, in my opinion, people will always compare it to the original, and therefore never be happy.
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Randy, nice comment. Another internet tough guy. Your a dime a dozen.
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The problem before was that the food was not worth driving out there. I always heard comments about poor staff. I am excited to give it a try again. If it is open for lunch – it would be nice to have quick service and meals – so there is enough time to drive there and back during the week for those who can’t stay there for over a hour for lunch.
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