Top Hat – Part I

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• I was reading your post at the same time as I was listening to AM800 announce that city council approved Burger King's plans to relocate to this historic piece of Windsor real estate.

  I also heard that LaCuisine is shutting it's doors as well after 32 years of serving Windsorites.

  I fear for the future of our downtown. Many thanks to the Drakich family for their lifetime of work making downtown Windsor a destination and thriving place to conduct business.

• I thought a while back BK got shot down on the top hat site because city council didn't approve a drive through. Did this get changed or was that just a rumour?

• Topher, I have mixed feeling about the decision. On one had the city has no business meddling in private business' affairs, but I'm always concerend about our loss of history.

  On the other hand, if someone wanted to buy the building and reopen a restaurant, it would have happend by now. At least this BK deal (while not what I would want to see on the site) will remove 1/3 of the blight from that block. The Armouries and Bus Station remain vacant with no plan of reuse on the horizion.

  The loss of another long time business like LaCuisine is sad, but they also seem to have rested on their laurels for too long. I never saw any advertising, and although they had a monthly special, their website was infrequently updated, and as a result anytime I thought of them I couldn't get the information I needed.

  There are still a few long time restaurants still open, make sure you visit and support the Tunnel BBQ and the United Grill (on University). Both of which have been around over a half century.

• PW - It did get shot down. BK went back to the drawing board and resubmitted new plans. The new plans were approved last night.

  For what it's worth, both set of plans were approved first by the PAC (Planning Advisory Committee) before going to council.

• La Guardia is another easily forgotten longtime restaurant in downtown, a few years away from celebrating 30 years in business.

  My fav downtown is still TBQ. Don't even need to look at the menu - full slab o' ribs please! :)

• Top Hat always had good food and I loved the interior. It was like going to another place in time. I used to order take out from there quite a bit as well. The bread pudding was the best I ever had anywhere! The whiskey sauce was just outstanding!
  I wish I could have the recipe to both.

  A big thanks to the Dragich family for their support of downtown and their contriubtion to a once great city.

• I agree with Andrew, even if it is a Burger King that's getting the land maybe it will lure others to the rest of the empty real estate around it.

  I also seen this in the Star......Last month, Kurt Deeg announced he was closing Ye Olde Steak House on Chatham Street on Sept. 30 after more than 40 years in business.

• As I have stated many times. Who needs competition when you have these idiots (mayor and the politburo) runningm or should I say attempting to run the city?
  They are our worse enemy.

• I heard that the reason all these restaurants are shutting down is because the business taxes on restaurants have skyrocketed on downtown restaurants (a lot higher than restaurants outside of downtown) to pay for all the extra policing because of the nightclubs and they can't afford to stay in business anymore.. Any truth to that?

• Thank you for the lovely tribute.The real reason the Top Hat closed as we had deal that was later scuttled .The main reason for the businesses that are closing downtown is city hall ,they want our properties for their own so they have made life unbearable .