Closing time: Dire economy claims two more eateries, Z's and Salad Creations (PHOTOS)

Everything seemed so right to Patrick Tucker when he opened Salad Creations on July 10 last year, but his fresh venture didn’t leave him rolling in much green. After a year of struggling in Plantation Plaza, a hand-written sign turned away disappointed diners on Friday.

The explanation was pretty clear. The sign, accompanied by a sad face, read “Victim of economy … closed.”

“When I was negotiating my lease in 2007, the economy was good,” Tucker said.

What he thought was a prime location right between Destin Health & Fitness Club and The Fresh Market turned out to be a bust for the salad, soup and wrap joint.

Tucker hoped to follow Salad Creations’ corporate business model for success, but he said many factors brought him down since the economy went south. The biggest problem, he said, was trying to operate in a ghost town of a plaza where the rent was not proportionate to the times.

“They won’t even really entertain the idea of lowering the rent right now,” Tucker said.

Plantation Plaza is owned by The Woodmont Co. out of Dallas. The Log contacted them for a response and were told by spokesperson Nan Davis, “At this time, Woodmont has no comment to make.”

Tucker said the worst part of closing Salad Creations is that he had seven employees who are now out of work at the worst time to be looking for a job.

“Our deciding factor for closing was that we did better numbers — by $3,000 — in January than in June or July,” he said. He believes Salad Creations, which was open for little more than a year, might still be in business if he’d opened in the Sandestin area like he considered before.

Closing during Destin’s economic highpoint of the year is disappointing to Tucker, because he said the franchise was about to add panini selections to the menu — an item his customers asked about frequently.

“Getting all emotional about it doesn’t change the fact that you got to close,” Tucker learned. “It’s best, once you make the decision, just to leave the emotion out.”

Another one of Tucker’s biggest regrets is that he, like many new business owners, never cut himself a paycheck, leaving him ineligible to collect unemployment. His plan now is to take some time to regroup, then look for a job.

“I haven’t collected a paycheck (or a day off) in two years,” he said. “It’ll be nice to get one again.”

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COMING SATURDAY:
For every restaurant that closes in Destin, two seem to rise and take their place. Meet the new guys in town.

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Another eatery that’s petered out in spite of best efforts is Z’s Fish House and Bar, formerly Zampieri’s Harbor Grille.

Then general manager Kevin Moran told The Log that the restaurant was synonymous with pricey food, and they hoped the name change would help dispel that image. The aim was to make the restaurant more family-friendly and affordable by cutting the menu prices back by 30 percent.

Z’s was brought to life in 2006 when owner Michael Zampieri bought out entertainer David Seering and chef Tim Creehan to make his own go at fine dining on the harbor.

Zampieri’s was in business for three years. Z’s barely lasted three months.