Au Bon Pain Closed

[sharecropper]

I walked past it today at 1pm and it was closed and shuttered. Peering into the gloom I noticed all the price boards have been removed from over the counter, and I couldn't see any moveable items except tables and chairs inside. There were no notices outside it.

Closing in "high season" for a refurb seems fanciful. Does anyone know whether it has closed down permanently?Judging by the eerily empty mall today, it wouldn't surprise me, but I hope not.

[Ungabunga]

Perhaps Au Bon are feeling the 'Pain' too?

[sharecropper]

Perhaps Au Bon are feeling the 'Pain' too?

Yeah - maybe they're not making enough dough in the current crisis.

Edited December 16, 2008 by sharecropper

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Which store, or is it all of them?

[sharecropper]

Which store, or is it all of them?

The one on the ground floor, Marriott end, of Royal Garden Plaza.

[Pattaya Diver]

It's likely becuase they have a store in The Avenue. Once The Avenue store opened last year, the ABP delivery serives were moved and consolidated to there.

They probably think there's no real need to have 2 of them so close together

[sharecropper]

It's likely becuase they have a store in The Avenue. Once The Avenue store opened last year, the ABP delivery serives were moved and consolidated to there.

They probably think there's no real need to have 2 of them so close together

If you're right, I'd say they made the wrong choice about which store to close, going by location and customer numbers, and also potential customers in RGP relative to the much emptier Avenue.

[jimmybkk]

I thought ABP is a franchise, in which case proximity to another ABP would have been factored in when they granted the franchise, and as a previous poster suggested I doubt the Avenue site was taking much business from the RGP site. Last time I was over there they were glassing in the front section of RGP. Did ABP lose their outside seating area?

[imaneggspurt]

The one is bangkok/pattaya hospital is still chugging along,.

[Jingthing]

Not sure about ABP's business structure particulars but chains such as Starbucks are closing stores all over the planet and the top closure candidates are areas where there are multiple shops in the same area. Hard to say if the Royal situation is s remodel or closure without more info. Expect to see much more of this kind of thing in these, the bad new days ...

Edited December 16, 2008 by Jingthing

[siam4ever]

This will be devastating to the future of tourism in Pattaya. When punters come for their holiday and find they have to cross the street to order their bagel and coffee now, well, they won't be coming back to Thailand. The Thais just don't realize the gross weight increase in the average Western tourist over the last 10 years and how difficult it is for the obese to walk an extra hundred meters.

[Jingthing]

This will be devastating to the future of tourism in Pattaya. When punters come for their holiday and find they have to cross the street to order their bagel and coffee now, well, they won't be coming back to Thailand. The Thais just don't realize the gross weight increase in the average Western tourist over the last 10 years and how difficult it is for the obese to walk an extra hundred meters.

Well if it is true it is more jobs lost to local Thais.

[siam4ever]

This will be devastating to the future of tourism in Pattaya. When punters come for their holiday and find they have to cross the street to order their bagel and coffee now, well, they won't be coming back to Thailand. The Thais just don't realize the gross weight increase in the average Western tourist over the last 10 years and how difficult it is for the obese to walk an extra hundred meters.

Well if it is true it is more jobs lost to local Thais.

Actually, there might be an employment opportunity to enterprising local Thais here. Putting the extremely obese farang in covered wheelbarrows and carting them across the street for their pastries and coffee and then carting them back to the Royal Garden for lunch could become quite an earner for them.

[Jingthing]

I am not a big fan of the Pain place but they have healthy foods as well as pastries. A bunch of farang bashing here. So what if someone wants a sandwich once in a while?

[Heng]

Perhaps decided to pull out and focus on their branch in the new Central. Sucks to be RGP AND the Avenue.

[siam4ever]

They do have good oatmeal cookies. I've heard some rather rotund Scandinavian ladies saying they wished there was one in Hua Hin. Opportunity?

[Ulysses G.]

This will be devastating to the future of tourism in Pattaya. When punters come for their holiday and find they have to cross the street to order their bagel and coffee now, well, they won't be coming back to Thailand. The Thais just don't realize the gross weight increase in the average Western tourist over the last 10 years and how difficult it is for the obese to walk an extra hundred meters.

Fat people don't mind a short walk for good food, Take it from me!

[misterman21]

Which store, or is it all of them?

It is made clear in the OP - The Loyin Garden Branch

NB It has been on the cards for some time - the Avenue branch seems to have taken old and new customers

[catwho]

I had not been there for a while,and when i did go back twice in the one week,,half the staff and no customers,then again the r/garden did'nt have any either,

that was 2 weeks ago. i love the wraps

i hope it comes back it a good place for an optic.

cat

[barryofthailand]

Their prices are too high anyway. Let them all close, and they won't be missed.

Barry

[sharecropper]

This will be devastating to the future of tourism in Pattaya. When punters come for their holiday and find they have to cross the street to order their bagel and coffee now, well, they won't be coming back to Thailand. The Thais just don't realize the gross weight increase in the average Western tourist over the last 10 years and how difficult it is for the obese to walk an extra hundred meters.

Well if it is true it is more jobs lost to local Thais.

Actually, there might be an employment opportunity to enterprising local Thais here. Putting the extremely obese farang in covered wheelbarrows and carting them across the street for their pastries and coffee and then carting them back to the Royal Garden for lunch could become quite an earner for them.

And further opportunities for road crossing supervisors on Second Road, gamely trying to stop the murderous traffic as said cart is wheeled across to The Avenue.

This would also compensate for The Avenue's planners' spectacular own-goal, virtually guaranteeing its commercial failure in time, by not understanding the dangers faced by even fit people legging it across Second Road - a further disincentive for pedestrians visiting their crappy mall, and another reason why a location in RGP is far better than one in The Avenue.

[popshirt]

Their prices are too high anyway. Let them all close, and they won't be missed.

Barry

Sorry, the prices are reasonable for quality ingredients and tasty food. Their Arizona chicken sandwich is a real winner with the jalapenos! I eat one at least once a week.

[dave9988]

the food there is a crime against humanity

[PattayaParent]

This will be devastating to the future of tourism in Pattaya. When punters come for their holiday and find they have to cross the street to order their bagel and coffee now, well, they won't be coming back to Thailand. The Thais just don't realize the gross weight increase in the average Western tourist over the last 10 years and how difficult it is for the obese to walk an extra hundred meters.

Well if it is true it is more jobs lost to local Thais.

Actually, there might be an employment opportunity to enterprising local Thais here. Putting the extremely obese farang in covered wheelbarrows and carting them across the street for their pastries and coffee and then carting them back to the Royal Garden for lunch could become quite an earner for them.

And further opportunities for road crossing supervisors on Second Road, gamely trying to stop the murderous traffic as said cart is wheeled across to The Avenue.

This would also compensate for The Avenue's planners' spectacular own-goal, virtually guaranteeing its commercial failure in time, by not understanding the dangers faced by even fit people legging it across Second Road - a further disincentive for pedestrians visiting their crappy mall, and another reason why a location in RGP is far better than one in The Avenue.

Just making a wild guess here but I'd say it's likely that there's more people live the land ward side of Second Road (where The Avenue is) than the sea ward side (where RGP is) So the majority of people need to cross TO RPG, no the other way.

[sharecropper]

This will be devastating to the future of tourism in Pattaya. When punters come for their holiday and find they have to cross the street to order their bagel and coffee now, well, they won't be coming back to Thailand. The Thais just don't realize the gross weight increase in the average Western tourist over the last 10 years and how difficult it is for the obese to walk an extra hundred meters.

Well if it is true it is more jobs lost to local Thais.

Actually, there might be an employment opportunity to enterprising local Thais here. Putting the extremely obese farang in covered wheelbarrows and carting them across the street for their pastries and coffee and then carting them back to the Royal Garden for lunch could become quite an earner for them.

And further opportunities for road crossing supervisors on Second Road, gamely trying to stop the murderous traffic as said cart is wheeled across to The Avenue.

This would also compensate for The Avenue's planners' spectacular own-goal, virtually guaranteeing its commercial failure in time, by not understanding the dangers faced by even fit people legging it across Second Road - a further disincentive for pedestrians visiting their crappy mall, and another reason why a location in RGP is far better than one in The Avenue.

Just making a wild guess here but I'd say it's likely that there's more people live the land ward side of Second Road (where The Avenue is) than the sea ward side (where RGP is) So the majority of people need to cross TO RPG, no the other way.

But most foot traffic is concentrated on the other side, the Beach Road side of Second Road, and as RGP has easy access from the Second Road and from Beach, it sees more business.

[fivestar]

I walked past it today at 1pm and it was closed and shuttered. Peering into the gloom I noticed all the price boards have been removed from over the counter, and I couldn't see any moveable items except tables and chairs inside. There were no notices outside it.

Closing in "high season" for a refurb seems fanciful. Does anyone know whether it has closed down permanently?Judging by the eerily empty mall today, it wouldn't surprise me, but I hope not.

Perhaps their lease has expired?

[raro]

I predicted the demise of ABP already many years ago when they took their honey mustard sauce off the menu. Since I filed a written complaint to the management every time I ate there.

I am sure if they had ever listened to their customers' wishes they would have a thriving business not only at the Avenue Shopping Mall and the Royal Garden Shopping Mall but also at Mike's Shopping Mall, the deserted shopping mall at Bali Hai as well as the yet-to be opened Central Shopping Mall.

[BugJackBaron]

the food there is a crime against humanity

Wow someone here (besides me) with taste.

Agreed.

And for the life of me I can't understand why Phucket and Chiang Mai

are about the only places in Thailand(maybe Ko sa moi, not enough experience there)

that have Western standard Deli places...even Bangkok has fallen short in recent years..

(you should see the overpriced junk in Siam Paragon food court)

[jimmybkk]

I think their food isn't that bad. I like the chicken salsa wrap and the chicken caesar wrap, only trouble is that they're not big enough so eating one is never enough if you're feeling hungry, so it ends up being quite an expensive meal. Their bagels are really good IMHO, especially the smoked salmon on onion bagel. I would rather go to ABP than Subway.

[MeetJohnDoe]

I think the food at ABP is great and their brewed American style coffee is some of the best in Pattaya...so no slagging of ABP please

As to the "Loyin" closure...probably just for a remodeling as the entire center is being remodeled and that location must be a real money spinner (for both Bill and ABP). I'm sure Bill wouldn't do another Shenanigans fiasco...replace a thriving independant restaurant with a Minor Company "flash" place like Moore Pub that is always empty.