I don’t know the owners personally but do know that they are longstanding restaurateurs who are known for making socially conscious decisions and whose patrons are invested in them at a fairly deep level since they were local gastronomic pioneers in many respects. But could it be that they made their decision, made their announcement and really are not all too concerned with the community relations impact of their choices once the direction was cemented in their head? WE cannot force them to concern themselves with something they choose not to occupy themselves with.

I read with interest reader comments that The Gallery location does not seem to fit T/H’s brand identity. But whose branding decision is that? Theirs? Or ours? It’s a good point you bring up. My take: while there is a whole community of peeps who are concerned with their brand and its impact on us, I think we may be assuming a lot to presume that they’re equally concerned. Yes, it’s correct from a PR standpoint to be concerned, that that doesn’t mean they’re using the same playbook, or that they’re doomed to fail because they aren’t.

They may or may not be consumed with THE BRAND as we believe that all good business should be. Are they not entitled to make a good old-fashioned business decision as used to be made routinely before the general public became obsessed with every company’s brand and everybody’s “personal brand?” I think if they were that concerned they certainly could have/would have made this move in a more elegant way.

Correct, they never stated in the article that this was a financial decision. But don’t businesses make non-financial decisions every day? Our society in this economic downturn has become accustomed to negative news stories that focus ONLY on cost cutting, but I believe we need to think beyond that frankly short-sighted/over-emphasized rationale in the case of a well-established, successful local restaurant. They said in the article that they could not oversee three locations with excellence, and I think it’s awfully transparent to put that out there. I also believe, given their track record, that this realization that they have limited resources is ENTIRELY consistent with their brand. To me it makes a huge statement about the quality that they are known for.

Many a restaurant has expanded beyond its resource level in an effort to be all things to all people and has failed. Given their track record, I doubt this will be the case. And I doubt that, aside from the anger, there will be significant long-term negative impact on the business as a whole resulting from their decision. AND I don’t believe they would ever abandon their flagship Market Square location for Farragut/Turkey Creek. But if they were to ever do it, I’m sure it would be a well-informed, deeply considered decision made by two private business owners with limited resources.

The thing that frustrates me most about this and other “either/or” business decisions is that it’s always cast as an “us vs. them” thing by the public. Now it’s Maryville and also Downtown Knoxville OR Maryville + Downtown Knox as one entity vs. the Evil West Knoxville. I think people are making more of this than it is. Sure, Maryville is a great place to live, work and visit, but that does not change the fact that these folks with limited human capital have a business to run as they please. I’m sure if they thought they could support all three locations up to their standards they would do so.

Also lot’s not forget that they have offered ALL Maryville employees opportunities at The Gallery. Does that not count for anything? I’d love to see somebody in Maryville interview those employees to see what they think of the T/H brand.

Would people rather see any one location suffer as the others thrive? THAT’s not good for the brand.

So yes, people are both excited and hurt. I’m sure it will be a test of the T/H brand to see if spurned customers will drive to either Market Square or The Gallery. I think some will, and some won’t regardless of how or whether they were “asked” by T/H to follow its trajectory. Whatever the end result, I hope the “us vs. them” can stop – for the good of the entire region. My guess is that, with its announcement, however ill-executed, T/H does not want to be a part of the endless and fruitless “us vs. them” war, either. I choose to believe they just want to serve good food to the best of their ability.