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| Photo - Food Network |
During this episode, Robert Irvine decided to rename Cray Eatery & Drinkery to Factory on 4th and they have kept the new name. As I normally do with Restaurant: Impossible episodes, I searched around the Internet to read stories, comments and reviews about Factory on 4th to get an idea of how the restaurant is doing since Robert Irvine visited, and here is what I found (note - all reviews are post Restaurant: Impossible):
Positive Reviews:
- "Both dishes were right-sized and very tasty. Prices are reasonable, if not just a smidge higher than I expected. Crystal, Owner, was a delight as she also doubled as our server. The decor and ambiance are fun,.... It looks like a great happy hour venue. All in all, an enjoyable first visit. I expect to return."
- "The food came out in a reasonable time frame and was EXCELLENT...Our waitress was very kind & knowledgeable and we had a great time. Congrats Factory on Forth you have something here. We will be back VERY soon!"
- "The risotto and crispy pork are to die for. Start with those and annold fashioned. You won't be disappointed"
- "Very good service! Menu is different but the food was delicious ! Happy hour has great prices and their sliders were huge!"
- "Service: F Food: D Facilities: F Singo (trivia): A.....I gave it a chance despite bad review but now never returning."
- "Gave this place a chance because of the recent "changes". I'm not sure what it was like before, but it definitely isn't good now. The service was bad and slow, the food was decent but nothing special, and it was extremely over priced. $10 for 2 TEENY pieces of fish with no side... Sad to say we will not be returning."
- "Read the reviews and even though most were negative, we decided to give it a try. I wish we paid attention more to what others said. The service was bad and the food took 45 min to come out...The food is very overpriced for what you get. I wish this place the best of luck, but I don't think I'll be returning."
- "When our two orders of fries were finally brought to us after waiting more than 40 minutes, they were ice cold! I don't understand."
- "Even after reading the reviews I was still hopeful! I was in a group of 7, we all ordered and I ordered the veggie burger sliders. After waiting over 45 minutes our food started to come out. Everyone received their food except for me, and it was at that time the waiter informed me they were out of veggie burgers. I then had to wait 15 more minutes for them to make me something I didn't even want"
- "Where to start. I was one of the people that volunteered to help with the RI filming at this place. Well let's just say when the show airs and you see the waffle maker that they use to have when it was Cray and the rag from the beer cooler that is thrown in on the bar in front of the land lord you will think twice about going to this place. My wife and I tried it last night so I could show her the things I worked on during those two days. The place was dead when we walked in. Crystal the owner was sitting at the bar just hanging out with her friends aka the staff. We were two of only 7 people in the place eating. She didn't move off her bar stool to even talk to the people who were eating at the time. Totally disconnected from the place. It's sad really because this place could be a gold mine if she would get off her bar stool and give a damn about the place"
Other News and Links:
- The Restaurant Impossible makeover happened in March 2016, so not long ago.
- The restaurant opened in 2014 and is located inside an old Wonder Bread Factory.
- Here is the Factory on 4th Facebook Page which is kept up-to-date.
- Factory on 4th doesn't have a website yet, but the Cray Eatery & Drinkery website is still up.
- In a local article after the makeover, Crystal talked about how she wanted to change the name and that the business was put up for sale as she was applying for Restaurant Impossible. She had been through two interviews with the show and was scheduled for another when she was ambushed. Had Restaurant Impossible not come, she would have probably sold the restaurant and she had some people interested in buying it.
- Also in that article, they say Food Network claims three-quarters of the businesses from the show are still in business, which we know isn't the case.
- Owner Crystal recently posted this on her Facebook Page:
"In exactly one day, my life is about to be broadcasted nationally for everyone to see. I wouldn't have traded that experience for the world and I'm glad that I did it. Filming with Restaurant Impossible taught me a lot and left me with memories that I will never forget. People ask me if I am going to watch it. I just don't think I can, right now. I may watch it later down the road in the comfort of my own home. However, for those who do watch the episode tomorrow, I hope it gives light to those who go through struggles and really sad times. Yes, producers edit some things for added drama. I know I've made fun of myself for crying but those tears that I cried during the filming, are very real and were from a very sad place that I found myself in during those 3 to 4 months prior to filming. Not a lot people knew because I hid myself behind working doubles every day with no days off. I went through a period where my mom and dad lost their partners to two very unexpected deaths 8 hours apart, losing money, almost selling my business, losing my happiness, all while losing my engagement/ relationship of 2 years. I went through a period where I was literally losing everything important to me. The show put a jump start into my life and literally pushed me through a really dark time. So for those who go through really tough times, I hope this can inspire you to know that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Tough times won't last but tough people will. I'm in a much better place now and I am thankful for a lot of people who helped me through that. I am especially thankful for a man that instantly became more than a casting producer, but a friend along that journey. What other casting producer would let you call their cell at night during the waiting period of wondering if we would get an episode, crying, saying I was ready to give up? Sometimes it just takes that one person to believe in when you didn't even believe in yourself. Thank you Tony Del Vecchio , for being that wonderful human being. With all of that said, I hope it inspires a lot of people to never get up. Enjoy the episode tomorrow. The world will get to meet my Mom in the episode, and she is the true star of not only the show, but my entire life. I tried my best to not sound like a hillbilly, but I hope I made Waverly proud!! Thank you for all of the love and support. I am forever blessed to have had this opportunity."
Conclusion:
The restaurant has kept the new name Factory on 4th and Crystal pretty much requested a name change, so she should be happy with it. The reviews since the Restaurant Impossible makeover have been pretty negative with the main complaint being about service and long wait times. The positive reviews for the restaurant seem to like the food.
Despite the episode description saying Crystal's friend reached out to Restaurant Impossible for help, it seems that it was actually Crystal and she had already been through interviews with the show before the ambush. According to her Facebook, she also had the casting directors number and was in frequent contact with him. She seems very happy about the Restaurant Impossible makeover and is very thankful they came to help her out. The restaurant probably would have been sold if not for the show, but they may have some more work to do to stay open in the long run.
UPDATE - Factory on 4th closed around 8/2016.
*Visit Our Restaurant Impossible Update Page to see all Restaurant: Impossible updates, and which restaurants are open, closed, or have been sold. Also Like Us on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter
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