It appears that Blackberry Cafe (formerly Aesop's) has closed. I didn't go there too often, but their spicy Greek tomato soup was excellent. A great loss for Wash. U. students for sure.

^ Indeed, apparently the rent on Clayton Rd was increased to $6K/mo. The owner decided to move. I'm curious though, because an antique store (relatively cheap) went into the building. I think the owner may be pushing people out in order to demo and build new.

It seems like there are alot of vacant store fronts along Clayton Road. The following comes to mind:

*Former Outback Steak House-Vacant Since May 2007

*Former Custom Brew Haus-Vacant Since ???

*Former Schnucks Store (Clayton @ Hanley)-vacant since June 2002

*Former Lake Forest Bakery (NOT Lake Forest Confections) Vacant Since Mid 2003

*Former Sherwin Williams (next to AT&T/Cingular Store)-Vacant Since??



Does anyone know why so many businesses are closing in this area? I know that the Schncuks store did well, however the rent got to be too high and there was a new, bigger store a few blocks away at Big Bend. No plans have materialized for this site, and I'm sure Clayton wants SOMETHING there! Does anyone know of any plans

b777stl wrote:It seems like there are alot of vacant store fronts along Clayton Road. The following comes to mind:

*Former Outback Steak House-Vacant Since May 2007

*Former Custom Brew Haus-Vacant Since ???

*Former Schnucks Store (Clayton @ Hanley)-vacant since June 2002

*Former Lake Forest Bakery (NOT Lake Forest Confections) Vacant Since Mid 2003

*Former Sherwin Williams (next to AT&T/Cingular Store)-Vacant Since??



Does anyone know why so many businesses are closing in this area? I know that the Schncuks store did well, however the rent got to be too high and there was a new, bigger store a few blocks away at Big Bend. No plans have materialized for this site, and I'm sure Clayton wants SOMETHING there! Does anyone know of any plans

I just realized the Outback closed: didn't know it had been almost two months.



It's got to be the rent. Plus zoning and neighbor challenges make it tough.

*Don't forget Layton's sitting empty for a couple of years.

*We all saw how many hoops Walgreens had to jump through to open the new store.

*Same thing happened with Custom Brew Haus: that's why they had to close at 9pm instead of keeping normal bar hours.

*I think Bread Co has made rumblings about tearing down and building a new store and got smacked down.



Then again:

*That Applebees does some crazy business.

*The Schnucks is the busiest/highest dollar sales in the chain.

*Try finding a seat in the Bread Co during non lunch/dinner hours. I've always done carry-out there because they're always busy.

IMO - land values are appreciating and some land owners are happy to sit and have nothing happen while they wait for a high-dollar opportunity. There have been some nice condos added on Clayton and new condos are going up across from Schnuck's.

I forgot all about Layton's! I didn't think their breakfast was even that good-it certainly wasn't anything special. I have been in the new Walgreens once or twice-it's the only new Walgreens I have been to without a drive thru pharmacy, however it is an upgraded building, and according to the manager has it's stock room in the basement (freight elevator of some kind).



Now in regards to the condos, I think you are talking about a mid-rise (3-4 story) contemporary building at Clayton/Cromwell that has been complete for a year or so?? I drove past there on my way to the airport last Tuesday and I saw they are still for sale, and there is one resale from an existing owner-not exactly the best location for a $350k condominium (I would take the Park East Tower ANY DAY over those!!). I believe those condos are east of the former Schnucks store.



Clayton should want to put something there (it wouldn't be a bad location for our first IKEA, however I think an IKEA on Clayton Road is wishful thinking at this point).



Have they not gotten any proposals for that strip of land?

I think the "new one's going up" he's talking about the condos at Clayton/Bellevue that are actually one black down from Schnucks and across from St. Mary's.



The other ones are the condos in the Moorlands neighborhood.



It's been covered in other threads but the owner of the land at Clayton/Hanley wants $13 million for that lot. Apprently that's close to the highest price ever asked in St. Louis and would mean having to build close to 30 stories to make money.

dweebe wrote:

b777stl wrote:I

*Former Outback Steak House-Vacant Since May 2007

So what will become of that Outback site? I didn't know that location closed, it was a good location. I frequented it quite a bit too. Outback going somewhere else in that area?

I don't think there are any plans at this time, however it wouldn't surprise me if Panera Bread Co (St. Louis Bread Co.) expands its corporate office into this space. While anything is possible, they may even look into moving their Esquire location across the street into their office (the switch would bring the store out of Clayton and into Richmond Heights). Next time I am in the area, I'll post some photos.

b777stl wrote:I don't think there are any plans at this time, however it wouldn't surprise me if Panera Bread Co (St. Louis Bread Co.) expands its corporate office into this space. While anything is possible, they may even look into moving their Esquire location across the street into their office (the switch would bring the store out of Clayton and into Richmond Heights). Next time I am in the area, I'll post some photos.

I thought Bread Co was moving all of their offices to the glass tower on Brentwood across from Circuit City and Borders?

Where did you hear that?

b777stl wrote:Where did you hear that?

Someone who works in that building.

That's interesting-that would make sense as Bread Co does have a test store in Brentwood (Brentwood Square) and they have a facility at some capacity at Hanley/Litszinger. They have a good location at Big Bend, with ample parking. I suppose they are growing because they need more capacity. It's too bad they aren't considering moving to the city, particularly downtown...

Good find. Been wondering what's going in there. They have been doing extensive demo.

Unfortunately that leaves a massive void across the street with the bread co next to the brew pub space that's been empty for 10+ years.

^Except they misspelled Panera on the front of the building.

ricke002 wrote:^Except they misspelled Panera on the front of the building.

You mean St. Louis Bread Co. misspelled their name all over the country. It's a really weird typo.

I remember they came to Champaign while I was in school there. It always seemed to do well. No idea if it made it to Missouri, though.

I always envied the fact that they were proud enough of their roots and understood the novelty marketing possibilities to use their city name throughout their chain.

It just really, really bothers me that they're Panera everywhere else. I hate that.

jstriebel wrote:
It just really, really bothers me that they're Panera everywhere else. I hate that.

It just really, really bothers me that they use the Panera name on certain packaging and marketing materials here but won't switch over the St. Louis Bread Co. name. On the same lines as the whole "Highway 40" debate. We'll just have to wait for that generation(s) to die out before the name changes can take hold.

^Cool story, brah