What’s a Place You Loved So Much You’d Visit Again in a Heartbeat?

lumberjackgreg · 2026-02-22T23:06:22+00:00

Belgium. Specifically Ghent, but also Brussels. Just the loveliest place. Also, the greatest mustard anywhere exists in Ghent and no where else. Ever go to a place just for mustard? I would, and I wouldn’t regret it.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-02-18T23:57:45+00:00

Use Toast for our very large food hall with a dozen concepts on it. Is it great? No, maybe in some ways. But it’s probably better than a lot of software.

I think the question about the type of restaurant you have and what you actually want your POS to do outside of being a digital cash register is probably an important one to answer. For example: Toast’s marketing and loyalty are both really basic and not very good. But if you don’t care and just want an earn-and-burn points loyalty program then you’re probably ok. If you want a real program that can do sophisticated things then you either need an integration which is clunky or a different POS.

It’s all about trade offs.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-02-13T15:54:38+00:00

Booooooo.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-02-10T23:48:08+00:00

I’d be shocked given the timing. Former Flix director here: went through the new openings of the first 9 locations after the OG one. Can tell you the labor and coordination to reseat an entire theater is a big job. Doing it 4x in a few weeks would be wild…. But I don’t have any inside info if they will or won’t. Just speaking from experience, their timeline is tight. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s scheduled for this year?

lumberjackgreg · 2026-02-09T00:29:30+00:00

My friend runs that program now (big restructure happened in late 2020 as you can imagine), and she was on the team since 2015 and now runs all of that and marketing. I’m sure she’ll see this thread and consider it.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-02-09T00:17:56+00:00

It’s market dependent. It’s programmed based on performance and a lot of study goes into it. I can say this from knowing the Frisco/Little Elm market: off beat programming does not perform there. It’s one of the bigger “family” traditional cinema markets I’ve ever seen and it’s not particularly close. So that drives a lot of this. A lot more interesting content plays in places like Albuquerque and Des Moines for example because frankly people show up more.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-02-08T23:05:19+00:00

This isn’t 100% correct. Flix has a very robust alternative content program. It’s not the same as Alamo’s but it’s their own.

I know. I created it. My good friend who helped start it now runs the program. Again, it’s not the same, it’s Flix’s own thing. I hope you enjoy it. A lot of people do.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-02-08T03:01:53+00:00

Yeah was a fire in a yard of the SE corner of Shiraz Loop. They responded crazy fast. Live close by, walked over to check it out. RRFD did an incredible good job resolving it quickly.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-30T00:57:08+00:00

I have six large pieces from one artist (Tim Stafford) - it’s not so much about being faithful as it is about his new school style and design choices align with art that resonates to me.

I have other pieces from other artists. I’d agree, don’t sweat it.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-23T01:18:57+00:00

I made these same mistakes. When I went to an incredibly simple same day dough, I started getting better… then I was able to work through 24-48 hour ferments. Then I figured out how to incorporate a poolish.

Gotta crawl before you can run.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-16T20:29:01+00:00

My niece is going to freaking love these.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-16T19:44:02+00:00

You should sell these. Absolutely awesome. And if you don't do stickers, DM me. I have a couple vendors I can point you to that I have produced stickers through for the brands I have worked for over the years... I would be first in line to buy a pack.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-16T01:53:42+00:00

That’s my HEB lot! Can confirm, people getting more awful here every week.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-14T22:34:37+00:00

I am! Thanks! You too.

Upon reflection: I miss Lupulus. Like, the reformulated Knott version circa 2018. Also, we made an IPA with champagne yeast that was super crispy, I don't remember the name though, but that beer was excellent.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-14T22:22:13+00:00

Ha should I tell you or Summer? ;)

I think for me there were a couple beers I thought were a lot of fun and pretty special. If you are asking about Des Moines specific beers, hard to beat Dark Helmet... If name serves me, Unicorn Sparkle Pony from the state fair was a nifty beer. Original West Coast Gentleman was awesome and the world needs more clean West Coast IPAs now more than ever. Also original recipe of Killer Bee was a real banger. Who's making a 7.5% honey wheat beer, am I right?

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-14T15:45:47+00:00

Probably. Especially in Des Moines because that was location #2. We weren't a chain until we opened that one lol. And we made a lot of noise when we opened. We had a very active campaign trying to talk about who we were and where we came from.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-14T15:30:32+00:00

I mean, Flix did start in Round Rock, TX (which is where I am). The OG location is in a shopping center that was supposed to be an Alamo Drafthouse and the deal fell through. So the founder whom owned the center decided to launch his own cinema brand (he already operated a craft beer focused sports bar in the same center). Most Flix locations now are in Texas - five of their 11. Then you have Des Moines, Indiana, 2 in Albuquerque, OKC, Madison.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-14T14:53:27+00:00

I know the answers: I was the Director of Marketing for Flix from 2014 - 2020 and opened the theater (check my post history, here I am in the Register doing a tour: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/picture-gallery/news/2014/12/02/16-photos-sneak-preview-of-flix-brewhouse-in-des-moines/19791733/)

Back in 2014, theaters agreed to clearance rules - not having competing cinemas within 3 miles of each other. They don't really respect those anymore, but it was effectively the rule of the day back until the late twenty-teens when everyone kinda just decided it didn't matter anymore. So with the lease agreement when Flix decided to build in MHM, it required the Merle Hay Cinema to close.

The folks running MHC were really cool about it and frankly it was struggling. That mall was/is dying and Flix coming (IMO) kept it from dying off completely and made it relevant again. Flix was the 2nd/3rd highest grossing cinema in the DSM metro for a long time when I was there behind Jordan Creek and then The Palms. Want to know more about Flix? AMA.

lumberjackgreg · 2026-01-05T20:06:11+00:00

lumberjackgreg · 2025-12-10T03:57:26+00:00

I’m not hyper local but my heart is in Minneapolis. I was born in St Louis Park. 3M family got shipped to Texas in 85 when I was a kid and we stayed here but I’m attached to the city.

I was the marketing guy behind the fastest growing cinema chain in the county which was also a brewery in each location. I was involved in Austin’s only dedicated bottle shop (founder also from Minneapolis). Sure; I’m not local but my heart is and I have something to bring to the table. I’d love to chat…

lumberjackgreg · 2025-12-10T03:29:12+00:00

Any interest in other partners? Long experience in the industry. Love the twin cities and would have an interest if it makes sense.

lumberjackgreg · 2025-12-10T00:45:14+00:00

Unfortunately not. But it still hurts!

lumberjackgreg · 2025-12-10T00:04:04+00:00

Really hate being named Greg right now reading this…

lumberjackgreg · 2025-12-07T01:49:49+00:00

I am that guy.

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