Letter to the Editor
Food Factory
Published Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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To the editor:
I am writing today to talk about the Food Factory closing in North Pole.
Throughout the years, I have visited this restaurant many times, as well as other restaurants in North Pole. After I read the News-Miner article about the closing, I read the many online comments regarding Food Factory.
These comments were mostly aimed at owner Jay Ramras and many of them became political “bashing” and were very snide and venomous. In fact, the comments got so out of hand, the News-Miner actually disabled comments on the story. Mr. Ramras also typed a very heartfelt and, I thought, honest response.
I feel he was right.
The choice to close is Jay’s. No one else’s. And I’m sure it’s one he didn’t take lightly.
But economics are such that it’s getting harder to run your own business, let alone a restaurant.
I have known Jay my entire life. It’s no secret to people who know him, as well as many of his employees throughout the years, that he is generous and giving. Just ask the Food Bank.
Like many local business people, he donates many hours of personal time and corporate dollars to our community.
Rather than focusing on negative comments about Jay “deserving” his restaurant closing due to his political views, let’s talk about the employees he will try to relocate and the local charities he will continue to support, both in Fairbanks and North Pole.
He does this because he loves the Interior and serves it well, both at his businesses and also in Juneau.
I respect Jay, am glad to call him a friend and will continue to support him in the future.
Let’s stop attacking and start working together to make this a better town and a better state.
Community Discussion
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yeah, i couldn't believe how everyone was hammering food factory so bad. Everytime i was there is was great. My family and i were really bumbed to hear that it was gone.
Switch food factory to rural moose harvest model!
10,000 wolfs can't be wrong!
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Look , I think what some people have learned about food factory is that he doesn't really care anymore. I too, remember going to Jaybird's Wingworld and seeing him frying away, just working really hard to make his business a success and it became that. I began to believe that the 40 pc. Yukon Extra crispy was my best friend! But one day the price went up (expected, and I was willing to pay) but the chicken was much smaller. I asked, what happened to the drums, It looks like you got the chick's...chicks and fried them up? All I got were shugs. I changed to Lady Diane chicken sands instead..but they too seemed to get smaller or not as good as they once were. I don't fault the man for being what he is, a business man, but it really has come down to more than that, it's about the quality , the atmosphere, the service. The band of ladies who run the shop don't tell him everything( until someone cries foul and wants to take it up with Jay). But he has eyes and he tends to ignore alot until it all come to a head. Now some people are shouting and giggling with glee over his decision to close one store. AND HE'S SHOCKED....?? His response? I've done sooo much for you people..I mean, this town! AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT EITHER! Agreed.
Jay
Show your employees that you value them, not just the GM's, and don't take your customers for granted. Period. Oh. yeah..and being back the old ..old Yukon Extra crispy.
Still waiting to hear the name of the business run by newsminerbrainminers.
Yo g! You first.
I have never been to the Food Factory in North Pole but, if it is anything like the one in Fairbanks, why would you take your family there. There is more female flesh hanging out than a strip club. I am not a prude in the slightest sense of the word, but with those "uniforms" the wait staff wears, Food Factory is anything but a family restaurant.
My father is one of the creditors owed by the Food Factory when Jay bought it from the IRS to save foreclosure on a resteraunt that had proven itself as a Fairbanks fixture BEFORE we had big chains come in and kill the mom and pops.
Jay, as a BUISNESS PERSON bought the Food Factory for pennies on the dollar, literally. As a MAN he didnt pay what he was told, HE PAID MORE!!! That is correct, he paid the people that where owed more money than he was required to by law and the agreement made with the bankruptcy court. WHY? Because he has lived in this town since he was a boy, he has a sense of community and he has character to do what he believes is right. That doesnt mean I agree with him all the time, but he has shown me that he is a person if integrity even when he is saying something foolish.
The buisness world we are living in today is not made out of character it is about profit and loss, dont blame the guy for having to do what he did, I for one know that is not what he would have wanted to do, it is what he had to do.
I appreciate Jim’s outlook on his friend Jay. With that in mind I understand his frustration over why other people see something different. My experience with Jay is much the opposite I an not a long time friend although I have worked WITH him on occasion ( I was not employed by him) over the last 10 years. When I speak to Jay, even to the extent of saying hello, he is always looking past me, for someone or something else. For most people this reaction is no big deal, when your not in the position Jay is in. He is a political representative and a business owner, both of with he relies on me and the rest of community for support. I’m not bashing by any means just writing to say that maybe if Jay slows down and takes a little more time, and looks at us instead of through us, makes me believe that the words I speak do not fall on deaf ears, the community might get to see what his friend Jim is talking about.
cmunro-i agree with you about the "strip club".
i couldn't believe what the waitresses were wearing when we ate there in the summer. as soon as the weather got warm, the skin started showing. i don't know the owner personally so i am not going to attack him as a person, but i agree that this is not a family restaurant because of the way the waitresses dress. before we moved out of fairbanks we had family visit from the east coast and we wanted to take them there because we liked the food, but we weren't about to take our grandparents into the restaurant to see the skimpy outfits.
the food was good but the clothing is optional/minimal for the waitstaff.
Got to agree with "glacierles" on this one. Plus, I read the comments about the restaurant closing early on. Pretty damn vicious.
Especially the one about "staff looking like they just came off the stripper pole," etc.
Granted, I've never been out to that restaurant.
But I talked to Jay last week about the situation, and the responses. The man literally looked like he had been shedding tears, telling me how hurt he was.
I've lived here over 20 years, and remember Jay in the chicken suit outside of Jaybird's Wingworld on Old Steese Highway and 3rd Street.
Going from those meager beginnings to where he is now earns you a great many friends AND "haters" as well. Comes with the territory.
Trying your hand at statewide elected office, succeeding at that your first time out, AND owning said business that has now grown incredibly and spread from just the restaurant business to now include the tourism industry as well? You've really created a monster.
In essence, you can't win no matter what direction you steer yourself in, and what choices you make on issues.
Somebody is going to be pissed off. And THIS town has a way of hanging you on the hook, and NEVER letting you off.
Unfortunately Jay, you're just one of the favorite targets.
Alot of people don't want to hear about the hard work you've put into being successful, OR the many times you've put your neck on the line rising to a certain level.
The "Hater-Aid" mentality is just a huge sign of the times these days.
And Fairbanks is no different.
Folks talking the "Land of the Golden Heart" talk. Yeah, keep drinking THAT Kool-Aid. Just don't step out of line, you'll see how hard that "Heart" really can become.
I'm not defending anyone here, but Jay is one of the reasons I chose not to offer my services to elected office. And trust me, I have been asked to serve on different levels locally, and statewide.
No thank you. I bite my tongue enough in my current occupation...the News Media.
Alot of the personal attacks I read here would have me looking for some of these folks, seriously.
No matter what you believe in, some of it just isn't necessary.
I consider Jay a friend. But even if I didn't know him, I'd feel the same way.
And one more thing....I too miss the Old 40 piece Jumbo Crispy Yukon chicken.
Bring it back man.....bring it back.
Food Factory had bad food and slow service so it closed. Most of the comments the other day were about the wretchedness of the restaurant, with a few political jabs peppered throughout.
To have a profitable restaurant you must attract new people and get repeat customers. To do that you must serve good food and have good service. When I'm visiting an eating establishment for the first time I look at these four things first, in this order: Cleanliness, Service, Quality of Food, Price. FF NP fell short on my account and I'm obviously not the only one who thought so.
R.I.P. Food Factory, North Pole.....FBX FF will be there soon if it isn't "fixed"
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Jay is a front man for a business group. Who composes his business group would be interesting to know.
I have an idea if you don't like the Food Factory don't go. If you don't like the food at Food Factory or Pikes don't eat it. If you don't like hot looking women then, ah never mind. If you don't like Jays politics then don't vote for him. If you are not in his district then tough we voted for him, it was our choice. If you don't like Jay don't hang out with him.
Right On-CoolRon!
CoolRon, I think people have already taken your advice. That is why FF North Pole is closing.
I have mixed feelings on Ramra...
Personally, I have a distaste for his politics. A history of being a Big Oil supporter and his reputation as a GLBT basher really puts me off, and his antics in the legislature really make me cringe.
On the other hand, I respect someone who has made thier own way as an entrepreneur and done so well. I respect his donations and charity work. We need more people like that in this state. I have never met him personally, and I must admit some bias from talking to former employee's of his... but I cannot fault him for closing in NP. It is his choice and a business choice, and I really applaud him trying to keep his workers in jobs.
I like Food Factory, I wish I could eat there, but I boycott it because I do not want to support his politics. I hope that, should he not be re-elected, I will go there again. Its good food.
Well, at least they are repainting the wretched blue and gold building that houses Blockbuster and the Fbx FF. It is now a toned-down, off white/yellow mix. Tons better.
As for Jay, I worked for him out of high school, he wasn't very pleasant and was a bit of a party guy. Now, I dunno, ... but those first impressions are hard to get by, even 14 years later.
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Here's a thought for ya folks....check out Dalman's and Pagoda... they are not struggling and closing their doors.
Maybe Jay should actually pay attention to what was said as a wake up call. He'll be closing more businesses if he doesn't pay attention to what goes on in "his" establishments.
Much to do about nothing!! After the up-comming election Jay will have alot more time to spend running his business's. VOTE THE BUM OUT!!!
Cool Ron - I have to agree with you, we all have choices. I also have to agree with Big Mike. Pikes used to be a wonderful place to go for nice or "special" meals. Then, they decided to be "family" friendly. Well, having everything breaded and fried isn't very friendly for my family.
I would love to have the wonderful old Pikes back. Leave the grease at the Food Factory.
I get time to read the paper every couple of days and every time I do I see the same things. Someone writes an opinion column with their real name on it, then a select group of posters proceed to bash everything in the most negative way possible. Never any useful criticism or suggestions, just venom spewed randomly at everything. It's embarrassing that several of you, and you know who you are, have nothing better to do than to try to discredit or disagree with anything you see. Miserable lives are everywhere, it seems...
I do not like Food Factory. I like Pikes though.
it seems that the right wingers have conservative talk radio. the left wingers have internet blogging. this is an internet blog. many of the people who contribute here (certainly not all of them) are left wingers. some very far left. of course they hate jay because he is a private entrepreneur. left wingers hate those kind of people. add that to the fact that that jay is an elected conservative official and there you have it. nothing but venom. i personally don't eat at the food factories because i don't particularly care for the food genre. but as a resident of north pole i thank jay for giving it a shot here. it certainly did nothing but help the local landscape.
I'm conservative, and don't like the guy. My disdain is based on working relationships through the years and even being an employee of Ramras while a teen, ... there is room enough in this post for different opinions, I think.
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One of the prices you pay for becoming a political figure is you open your life to examination and opinions of the public. If you can not stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Pun intended.
The Food Factory went from the best food (Big Bob), small, over priced bad food. The closing is natural selection, like the Dodo bird. If people don't support (like)the product you sell and better restaurant options emerge...you can say bye-bye.
I hope Jay takes the clue and improves the offerings at his Fairbanks store before he finds himself only running a hotel.