Yes, it is true, for you all San Franciscans like me out there!  Tavern on the Green, the historic and infamously expensive Central Park destination restaurant will be opening another location in San Francisco. 

When I read the news, I immediately thought, who will be providing their wine! But then I thought, well will this venture really fly out here on the West Coast?  For one thing, Tavern on the Green epitomizes Central Park, and even though they plan to situate themselves overlooking the Yerba Buena Gardens, I still think most of the magic of Tavern on the Green is in their NYC locale. 

Will it have the same feel?  Will its patrons be alright with spending $17 a drink in SF, or does the Tavern on the Green money making equation, which has elevated them to be one of the highest-grossing independently owned restaurants in the US, only work when you get to view horse drawn carriages through their original historic windows?

I’d love to hear from other restaurants, wine shops, or any specialty shops who have found the right equation and have wondered or perhaps ventured into a new locale.  Are there any shops that have so much invested in their location, so much so that their location becomes a part of their identity?  When this happens, it is great for the store, but I would imagine it would make it harder to expand and branch off into different locations for a chain.