urbanSTL

Dual Income, No Kids. DINKS

Not sure you should count kids out of the loft district; I see more and more stroller pushers every day.



But you're probably right that a kids' clothing store wouldn't work for retail in that space. As others have said, a cool boutique is a good fit. Paperdolls has been great; we need another to make more of a shopping "trip" down Washington.



The best fit is a book store. Downtown has none besides the Chr. Sci. reading room and the library.

bsharmastl wrote:Oh PLEASE tell me this is not true(I know this is wishful thinking). A fast food (or ANY food) establishment letting people beg "inside" their store?



I am sure they realize it is an impediment to the business. My guess is it was managed by someone who did not care.

The manager literally doesn't let the beggars beg inside. The beggars are just discreet when they come inside. Also, the manager isn't going to throw out the bum who's taking several hours to finish eating his 49¢ taco at the Del Taco by St. Louis University.

St.Louis UAB alumni wrote:I think a Banana Republic/J Crew would be nice fit.



Clothing store for kids won't work in the loft district. Too many DINKS for that to be successful.

Banana Republic is my favorite place to pick up business casual clothes for work. There used to be one in Union Station a few years ago, but that wasn't a successful location. Even if it were still in Union Station, I'd still go to the one in the Galleria instead.

St.Louis UAB alumni wrote:Dual Income, No Kids. DINKS

I like it! Which is why a pet boutique would be cool - something like Lola & Penelope's. Or a little more homey like Pets in the City. I'd love to be able to walk downstairs and get my boys some treats. Maybe add a coffee shop and then we can all have treats!

bikin'_man wrote:

Resurrectus wrote:Banana Republic is my favorite place to pick up business casual clothes for work. There used to be one in Union Station a few years ago, but that wasn't a successful location. Even if it were still in Union Station, I'd still go to the one in the Galleria instead.

i remeber that banana republic. it was cool because it had the jeep crashing though the window.

I looked up Union Station Banana Republic on Google to see if I could find a picture of that jeep display, and the first thing that popped up was this shoplifter's poem:

I used to shoplift

from Banana Republic

back when it was a safari store.

I used to steal ties

for no reason:

plenty of gift.

I'm not going to pay a dime for parking at Union Station when other shopping places have free parking. Having to pay for parking is one of the reasons why St. Louis Centre failed.

Resurrectus wrote:
Homeless bums feel comfortable going inside popular fast food chains to beg for money--so that is just one reason why a Taco Bell is a bad idea. The only popular "fast" restaurant that I'd like to see downtown is FAZLI'S.

Wouldn't the bums just hang out at Fazoli's for those delicious and free breadsticks?

TheWayoftheArch wrote:Fazoli's is garbage.



Why not try to get a real restaurant from the hill to open up a good italian place.

Eating at a real full-service restaurant on a regular basis is expensive. There are many single residents downtown, like myself, who do not want to waste too much time dining in a restaurant. I don't want to cook for one at home, and I don't want anything from a burger joint.



When I lived in The Loop, I ate at Tomatillo Mexican Grill one to three times a week, but then they lost my business when they turned that location into a full-service restaurant. I don't want to wait around for my drink refill and the check and then have to pay a tip on top of that.



Also, if by real you mean authentic, then it probably won't appeal to most Americans. I enjoy authentic Asian food, but unfortunately Eat First Garden on 9720 Page Ave., one of my favorites, went out of business.

Fazoli's is terrible. What about...



Qdoba

Crazy Bowls

Chipolte

Another Blues City Deli Location

Popeye's chicken

Bandana's

Bartolino's



Keep in mind you can get carryout from most places Downtown

I would open up a healthy kind of snack-juice bar-smoothie-coffee-muffin-sandwich-pastry-etc, etc. shop. And being on a great corner I would line the windows with stools and long shelves so you could check out the scene but would want it to mainly be a kind of on-the-move type place.

Below are suggestions I have obtained from the Downtown St. Louis Partnership for the space:



- The retail space would be well-suited for hard retail. Maybe a banana republic, j crew... Apple Store. Stores such as are in the Galleria perhaps. In the past we've been lacking in retail brokers but now there are more to assist.

- Didn't think a restaurant would be a great idea because of the glut of them already. Personally, I think that quality fast-food options are a gap in the area. Options such as Chipotle, Qdoba, St. Louis BreadCo type, Blues City Deli, etc wouldn't compete so much with the other restaurants as they would fill a gap.



- Thought a bank was unnecessary as a First Bank, Pulaski Bank, People's Bank, and the US Bank ATM are nearby

- Thought a coffee shop wouldn't be a good idea because of the diner tentatively going in across the street

- Didn't recommend a service-related business such as a dry-cleaner



Other Info

- The Good Works Furniture store that was to open in the Bogen looks to have fallen through

- Some kind of Japanese restaurant going in nearby

- Mosaic moving to Niche's location. Current Mosaic location to be used by same owner for a lounge/bar type place. Niche moving to Marquette building. (I believe the last item is right, correct if wrong.)

How about bringing Farago back?

DeBaliviere wrote:How about bringing Farago back?

What's Farago?

^

The little place that used to be where the Minuteman Press is now. They had movie rentals, food, coffee, etc. It was probably a little ahead of its time.

DeBaliviere wrote:^

The little place that used to be where the Minuteman Press is now. They had movie rentals, food, coffee, etc. It was probably a little ahead of its time.

Ah, like a jack of all trades kinda place? Sounds somewhat similar to World News, Walgreens, Duane Reed, City Grocer, Washington Ave. Post, etc. Places like these interspersed throughout a downtown are godsends because of how convenient they are to local residents.

^

You're right, sorry about that.

Downtown2007 wrote:Fazoli's is terrible. What about...



Qdoba

Crazy Bowls

Chipolte

Another Blues City Deli Location

Popeye's chicken

Bandana's

Bartolino's



Keep in mind you can get carryout from most places Downtown

A Qdoba Mexican Grill would be great. I ate at Crazy Bowls & Wraps before, but they put too much rice (and very little other stuff) into the bowls. Crazy huh?



Popeyes is a terrible idea. You prefer Popeyes over Fazoli's? Just a short distance north of the Tucker Blvd./Washington Ave. intersection, there's a KFC that attracts almost as many beggars as the NLEC.

Resurrectus wrote:

Downtown2007 wrote:Fazoli's is terrible. What about...



Qdoba

Crazy Bowls

Chipolte

Another Blues City Deli Location

Popeye's chicken

Bandana's

Bartolino's



Keep in mind you can get carryout from most places Downtown

A Qdoba Mexican Grill would be great. I ate at Crazy Bowls & Wraps before, but they put too much rice (and very little other stuff) into the bowls. Crazy huh?



Popeyes is a terrible idea. You prefer Popeyes over Fazoli's? Just a short distance north of the Tucker Blvd./Washington Ave. intersection, there's a KFC that attracts almost as many beggars as the NLEC.

There are tons of Popeys in downtown Chicago. I can think of three within a few blocks of the hotel we usually stay at.



For some reason Popeys is my hangover relief. When in New Orleans for Mardi Gras I'm always stumbling in there around 10am after getting 2 or 3 hours of sleep after a night out.

We (including myself) need to keep in mind that the topic is Retail Ideas for the Meridian and not Retail Ideas for Downtown St. Louis. The new retail idea should be a point equal to the vantage point of premier city living on the longitudinal line of luxury of the Meridian...or something.

^ Thanks and agreed. Somehow I don't see Popeyes working for the Meridian. And that's an older picture -- damn sign covers my window!

I think there should be a musical instrument store - not just one that sells CDs. If the area is supposed to be home to artists and a more bohemian crowd, there needs to be a place where people can buy their instuments.



With those large display windows, an instrument shop would look great there. Criminals would never steal anything because Pianos weigh too much, and they wouldn't know the street value of a alto saxaphone. Plus it might be a way to provide the homeless with a means of entertaining while begging.