Big Belly Burgers Goes Belly Up

A popular Bloomingdale hamburger joint has permanently closed its doors, another sign that the economy has yet to turn around.

Owners of at 109 W. Bloomingdale Ave., Brandon, suddenly closed the restaurant, leaving faithful patrons wondering what went wrong.

Big Belly Burgers of Brandon was part of a franchise that included restaurants in St. Augustine and Bartow. It was most famous for its Big Belly Burger Challenge: Patrons have 20 minutes to eat a one-pound, fully topped burger and one pound of french fries. Should they succeed, their photo is taken and put up in the restaurant and they receive a T-shirt.

The franchise has shut down its website, and no one was available for comment.

However, in this dour economy, it's not that surprising that the Bloomingdale area has lost yet another business.

According to statistics published by the Small Business Administration (SBA), seven out of 10 new employer establishments survive at least two years, and 51 percent survive at least five years.

That's a significant number of failed businesses.

Why Do Some Businesses Succeed And Others Fail?

Business experts have differing opinions about why one business succeeds while its next-door neighbor closes its doors.

The fact that the general population has less money to spend due to the economy is certainly a factor. However, that doesn't explain why one business thrives while another fails.

According to the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, small businesses are a vital part of the American economy. Small firms accounted for 65 percent, or 9.8 million, of the 15 million new jobs created between 1993 and 2009. A small business is defined as having fewer than 500 employees.

The high failure rates may be the result of a number of factors, according to the SBA, including lack of experience, insufficient capital, poor location, poor inventory management, over-investment in fixed assets, poor credit arrangements, personal use of business funds, competition and low sales.

However, thriving local businesses also credit a faithful clientele and community involvement to their success.

Community Involvement is Key?

Roz Creager, owner of , has had a long-running affiliation with the American Cancer Society's local unit, where she sits on the board. She also hosts a number of fundraisers at her shopping center, Plaza Bella, to increase community involvement.

Likewise, Anthony and Leena Caligiure, owners of Plaza Bella tenant believe it takes more than a superior product to survive in perilous economic waters. Anthony Caligiure attributes their success to a loyal customer base and their willingness to give back to the community they serve through donations of gift baskets to local charities and the support of schools as well as hosting community events.

Unfortunately, that wasn't enough for Linda Wright, owner of Cork & Olive, which closed its doors in the Stein Mart shopping center last April. Wright frequently donated to Brandon area charities, hosted art events at her shop and promoted fellow small businesses. However, she said she was disappointed when the community didn't reciprocate by patronizing her wine shop.

Kevin Brownell can sympathize. He owned and operated DaSilva's Coffee House and Roastery on Boyette Road and later FishHawk Boulevard for six years before he was forced to close his doors. He's since partnered with the Caligiures at Leena's.

"I'm from Chicago, where most people prefer to shop at small, independent businesses," he said. "The mentality here is the exact opposite. People will drive right by your place to go to the mall. Who knows why. We had a reputation for the best coffee and the best food in the area, and for one reason or another, people would go to the big chains. It's a tough situation."

That's one reason why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce urges residents to shop local.

When residents shop local, said the chamber, they are essentially investing in their communities, their neighbors and themselves. 

According to the chamber, in this economic climate, the best return on investment is in local business. It is estimated that for every dollar a resident spends, twice as much will be reinvested in the community by a local store than a national store.

"Small businesses are the heart and soul of the community," agreed Creager.