Fare Trade.

This article focuses on the trend of food service operators and retailers in the U.S. forming partnerships to create new food-service concepts. Restaurateurs with vision find opportunities within businesses with similar customer bases. Retailers as diverse as bookstores and automobile dealerships discover that devoting space to cafes makes partners as well as sales. With a portfolio of stylish operations such as Tribeca Grill and Montrachet in New York City and Rubicon in San Francisco, California, Myriad Restaurant Group hardly had plans on opening in a health club. But in 2000 it signed a deal to create Pulse, a restaurant/bar concept at Sports Club/LA in New York City. The operation serves an Asian- and Caribbean-inspired menu attuned to the location, says executive chef Jake Klein. In 2003, Larry Forgione closed his An American Place restaurant in New York City; but he could not resist when an opportunity for a revival came from clothing retailer Lord & Taylor. Together they established An American Place on Lord & Taylor's store in New York City. Food is an amenity and social catalyst for customers at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based retailer that provides full-service restaurant and bar service in its locations. Director of cafe operations Roger Ranalli says customers en route to the movies often stop by for dinner. Menu specials come from cookbooks. INSETS: Direct Deposit;Family Ties.