Blaw-Knox towers and Nashville

[Doug Drown]

I've been to a Sonic only once, in Beloit, Wisconsin.  I loved it.  Any 
place that serves thick chocolate malted shakes is great in my book.  -Doug

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Fybush" <scott@fybush.com>
To: <ssmyth@psualum.com>
Cc: "(newsgroup) Boston-Radio-Interest" 
<boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 7:09 PM
Subject: Re: Blaw-Knox towers and Nashville


> Sean Smyth wrote:
>
>> Until 10 or 12 years ago, there still was a Waffle House in either
>> Wilmington or Tewksbury, off 93 or 495 (forget which). I'm guessing
>> it was attached to the chain at the very least as a franchise, since
>> it had the same logo.
>>
>
> Huh...THAT I don't recall at all, but I didn't spend much time up that way 
> when I lived there.
>
>> Sonic has finally broken around Boston, with locations in Peabody and
>> Wilmington. The website lists a location in Wallingford, CT, too.
>
> I wonder how they'll do. I don't think their northern ventures into 
> Indiana or Ohio did well.
>>
>> As Scott says, real estate is a big reason for it, but I think it's
>> slightly different from what Scott said: In addition to prime parcels
>> having been taken, there also is the fact that real estate inside 495
>> is expensive, and parcels generally are small. Those are some of the
>> reasons why you don't see Sheetz or Wawa operating further north.
>
> I suspect when we start talking gas stations, C-stores and supermarkets, 
> there's another issue, too: given that limited amount of real estate, much 
> of it is already owned by supermarket and gas companies that don't want 
> any new competition.
>
> I'm quite certain that's why it took so long for Rochester's beloved 
> Wegmans to begin making inroads on New England - and look how far out of 
> town they had to go to find the land they needed!
>
> As for Blaine's mention of Quaker Steak, I don't think it's a test-market 
> issue; I think Fort Wayne was simply a logical extension of their existing 
> western-PA based marketing region that stretches from Buffalo into Ohio. I 
> wouldn't be at all surprised (and would be quite pleased!) to see them in 
> Rochester at some point, too.
>
> (I'd take a 99, too...it was amusing to see them, as well as Giant Glass, 
> advertising on the outfield wall in Fort Myers, more than a thousand miles 
> from either company's nearest location!)
>
> s
>