We went to the Cheesecake Factory in Corte Madera last week. It was one of the most beautiful restaurants with great ambience, soft golden lighting and excellent food. Large portions, and the fresh grilled fish tacos were delicious! I would love to see a Cheesecake Factory in Petaluma, maybe at the new Regency Center.

Isn't there a Cheesecake Factory in SF too - above Macy's?

Okay, I get it, we all secretly love the cheesecake facotry, because, why wouldn't you love somewhere that specializes in so many kinds of cheesecake, but come on! P-Town has so much going for it with it's privately owned restaurants! NO Cheesecake factory here!!!Please.

foodforfun, the difference is: At the Cheesecake Factory you consistently get good fresh high quality food in large portions at reasonable prices. Not always the case at some of our finer Petaluma restaurants, although we do frequent them frequently! Some are good, some are very disappointing.

I have a few rules:
Never eat in place with "factory" or "-teria" in the name.
Never go to a restaurant with no windows.
Never eat in a restaurant that is in a mall or is mall adjacent.
Don't call any place that sells food and fits any of the above a "restaurant"

A Cheesecake Factory would do great in Petaluma! There are some other great chains that I wish would come to P-town too...Red Robin, Claim Jumper, Elephant Bar, PF Changs

way to many chains here in this little town

Now don't yell at me, but wouldn't a Cheesecake Factory look good in Couche's Etc.?

Good Lord no.

Are you folks for real?

no to the cheesecake factory....i don't like to wait for 90 minutes just to be seated next to a table full of screaming kids. Just say no.

halliday and rnr, what would YOU like to see in the Couch's Etc. location? I don't want to see a vacant building for the next five years. What are your ideas?

I wasn't asked personally but I would LOVE to see a Elephant Pharmacy (http://www.elephantpharm.com)in the Couches Space. It's a locally owned chain out of Berkeley that specializes in a whole life approach to health. I think it would do well here and would not be a direct competitor with anyone as they are a non- traditional pharmacy.
It would be a BAD idea to introduce a large chain restaraunt into Downtown. We have many great choices already and let's face it we have other gaps in our retail fiber to fill. Any other suggestions? Our community needs to localize it's spending, it is the best approach to our current economic climate.

Judging by the comments in today's Argus, a live-music theater in that space has some support. 4 out of the 5 people interviewed suggested it and 2 mentioned that the upstairs balcony would be a good stage for the people sitting or eating down below.
Since we've already got punk and metal and hyphy rap at the phoenix, and folk rock and blues and some jazz at the mystic I'm not sure what else would work well downtown .... maybe opera?

Well, heck, LinKay, so glad you asked!
Let's see, people have complained about the Farmer's Market being only in the Summer time, so doesn't that make the inside of that building look real nice for a year round farmer's market?

Halliday,

What is that space - 10,000 sq. ft. +???

I am not so sure a Farmer's Market could survive that rent. Just the ones during the summer need support and sponsors.

I have to agree with Ol' East, we need something like that over here. I think it would be a good fit. Whatever it is going to be, is going to have to be someone with some very good cash flow.

Will