El Guapo is the new "Soundbites Cafe"

[billharnois.livejournal.com]

The sound bites guy bought El Guapo (which is next to the current Sound Bites). I guess he plans on turning El Guapo into the new "Sound Bites Cafe". I don't know any other details other than that. And I only know because there is a sign outside.

It also looks like Urban Gourmet is finally in construction mode. Though I don't consider it as big of a deal anymore, now that I know that City Slickers pizza is the same thing.

Comments

[vanguardcdk.livejournal.com]

I wonder if the new space will help eliminate the Line of Doom I see outside of Soundbites every morning...

[spatch]

THIS IS A MOST UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE AS I HAD YET TO VISIT, OWING TO MY BUSY MUSTACHE CONVENTION SCHEDULE

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

HA HA NO BURRITO FOR YOU!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Well, SoundBites has needed a bigger space for a long time. This could be a good thing.

Gee, I live next door to the guy who owns Ball Square. :-/

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

El Guapo came with a liquor license, I believe, so that should make the Soundbites Cafe a little different from the old Soundbites.

[nalz.livejournal.com]

Hopefully with more space they'll be less jerkish about wanting to actually eat your food there.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

They aren't jerkish if you go there when they're not busy. (Of course, this requires being available on a weekday, or awake and dressed and out the door in time to get there by about 8:30 on a weekend. But I live a couple minute walk away and usually wake up by 7. ;)

[zmook.livejournal.com]

yeah, Sound Bites is great weekday mornings, or after 1 pm or so on summer weekends. i've got no problem with french toast for lunch.

[lonelyholiday.livejournal.com]

One time I got to work and our building had no power. So my boss was like, "Okay, take your laptops and work from home." And I was like, "Dude, I'm going to Sound Bites and THEN I'll work from home."

There were only three other people there, and I sat with my book and took my good old time eating. It was the greatest thing ever. I wish I had more weekday opportunities like that.

[watchamacallit.livejournal.com]

Geez. He owns the entire square. Am I the only who doesn't see this as a good thing?

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

I don't think he bought the entire square on purpose. It's my understanding that Victor, who owns Victor's next door to Sound Bites, told Yasser that he wasn't going to renew Sound Bite's lease. Victor owns the building that both Victor's and Sound Bites are in.

So Yasser bought the Wings place across the street to move Sound Bites to. But there was a clause in the contract that said Yasser could not turn the Wings place into a breakfast establishment.

So Yasser bought the Urban Gourmet. But that burnt down.

So Yasser bought El Guapo. And it sounds like this time his plan may work. My husband saw Yasser today, and Yasser said that he just got El Guapo yesterday, and that it will be open as the Sound Bites Cafe in a couple of weeks.

[billharnois.livejournal.com]

Why wouldn't Victor renew the Sound Bite's lease? Was there a reason? What do they plan on doing with that space once it's empty?

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I've heard that Victor and Yasser dislike each other, but, from a business perspective, it doesn't seem too wise to not renew the lease of a profitable business in your building.

[davedwig.livejournal.com]

When I was in there the other day, Yasser said that the folks at Victor's were planning to open up their own breakfast place in the Sound Bites spot. (He went on to editorialize that, in his opinion, it would never survive.)

[ron_newman]

I assume he doesn't yet own the White Hen or Kelly's?

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

Tell me he doesn't own True Grounds.

[watchamacallit.livejournal.com]

Doubtful. Seeing as the name isn't Soundbites!

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

He doesn't. True Grounds is owned by a young couple.

[amethystmoon.livejournal.com]

I don't actually think they're a couple-couple, just two people who both own it. But I'm really not sure. In any case, Amy and Rhett own True Grounds, not Yasser.

[tut21.livejournal.com]

Oh, gross. One *less* reason for me to visit Ball Square. I will never patronize businesses that are rude to customers.

[capsicumanuum.livejournal.com]

I've never had anything but good service at Sound Bites. Then again, I don't go there during their peak hours.

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

I go there during peak and non-peak hours. I've never had bad service or rude staff on any occasion (of course, I also help them out by not taking forever to order, and I pay my bill and leave when I'm done eating). That said, it'd be really nice if they had a bigger space and everything was less rushed.

[c-m-i.livejournal.com]

Once an employee of the municipal water supply was mean to me! Now I do not use any tap water!

I am so outraged! I am so thirsty!

[tut21.livejournal.com]

Touché. And pretty funny. But I'm still entitled to my preferences. A few years worth of reports to the contrary could change my mind.

[zmook.livejournal.com]

To each their own. Me, I just go for the food.

[thegecko.livejournal.com]

what about saturday night karaoke at el guapo? and delicious margaritas and chips & salsa? El Guapo wasn't the best food in the world, but it was handy for last minute weekend plans.

[watchamacallit.livejournal.com]

Sorry man, you can only go to Soundbites, Soundbites, Soundbites, or Powderhouse Pub. *shiver*

[tahnan.livejournal.com]

Shhh, don't make a fuss, dear. You can have Soundbites, egg, sausage, and Soundbites. That's not got much Soundbites in it! (Me, I love it! I'm having Soundbites, Soundbites, Soundbites, Soundbites, Soundbites, Soundbites, baked beans, Soundbites, and Soundbites!)

are yall sure?

[shellyckickinit.livejournal.com]

i thought the sign on el guapo said it was closed but going to open back again on Like march 27th or 29th or I forget which day in march, but soon!

Re: are yall sure?

[kalessin.livejournal.com]

There is now a banner on the doorway of El Guapo, saying that it will soon be Soundbites Cafe.

It will probably make sense, after the move is complete, that Yasser will close both of the current Soundbites locations.

I won't miss El Guapo. They subscribed to the bar-owners' school of interior design, which is to make the whole space very dim and very loud. In the bar world, the darker and louder a place is, the more alcohol people will buy. I couldn't see the food, and I couldn't converse with my dinner companion.

[studeronomy.livejournal.com]

Yes, the loss of Saturday night karaoke will be painful. Some friends were planning a birthday party for a girl this weekend and wanted karaoke, and when we discovered El Guapo was closed we had a helluva time finding another, comparable setting that featured karaoke on a Saturday (rather than just Wednesdays or Tuesdays). If the liquor license is transferred, it'd be nice if they could continue something like this...if it doesn't, karaoke and DJ Dan will certainly be missed.

[billharnois.livejournal.com]

I agree that I'll miss El Guapo. The food and service was never really that great, but it's nice to have a place like that in walking distance. I hope they keep the Karaoke. Though I've never heard of a "Cafe" that serves booze.

I've never had anything good at Victors. I've eaten there about 3 times for lunch, and it's always disappointing.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

It's too bad that El Guapo is closing, if only because it was owned by a very nice local family, and they spent so much money to refurbish the place before opening, and that was just about 2 years ago. I wonder why they sold? Victor's has great food, so perhaps Victor will use the space to enlarge his own place. They desperately need more space. ALso, I'm not sure that the liquor license is automatically transferred to the new owner. If so, they would lose all control over the types of establishments with a liquor license.

liquor license transfer

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

The liquor license has already been approved and transfered by the city of somerville, at the february meeting

[enhf94.livejournal.com]

Yasser says Thursday!

This morning, Yasser said that as long as the electrician comes, he's planning to open the new Sound Bites this Thursday morning. Woo hoo!