urbanSTL

I think it's kind of normal even in healthy cities to have restaurant/bar turnover. Even in Chicago, half the bars I used to go to 5 years ago aren't there anymore. People come to places when they're new, go for a few years, and then get sick of them.

Throw in that Takaya is like the 7th sushi restaurant downtown, and no one should be shocked that one of them closed. I don't get St. Louis's obsession with Sushi. I prefer Chinese, and yet after that place on 11th/12th and Locust closed for the garage repair, there's only 2 Chinese places, and both are over-priced and generally mediocre. The lack of both Chinese and cheap breakfast/diner places downtown open at night/on the weekends annoys me to no end. Why can't Courtesy Diner open up a spot somewhere?

jsbru wrote:I think it's kind of normal even in healthy cities to have restaurant/bar turnover. Even in Chicago, half the bars I used to go to 5 years ago aren't there anymore. People come to places when they're new, go for a few years, and then get sick of them.

Throw in that Takaya is like the 7th sushi restaurant downtown, and no one should be shocked that one of them closed. I don't get St. Louis's obsession with Sushi. I prefer Chinese, and yet after that place on 11th/12th and Locust closed for the garage repair, there's only 2 Chinese places, and both are over-priced and generally mediocre. The lack of both Chinese and cheap breakfast/diner places downtown open at night/on the weekends annoys me to no end. Why can't Courtesy Diner open up a spot somewhere?

Yes turnover is completely normal. Places close in NY and SF all the time.

Bamboo Bistro is mediocre? I think the place friggin rocks!!!

You guys are going to be very happy with the restaurant that replaces Takaya. Game changer IMO. Not my place to announce it but stay tuned

kbshapiro wrote:You guys are going to be very happy with the restaurant that replaces Takaya. Game changer IMO. Not my place to announce it but stay tuned

Is Bar Louie a game changer?

stlien wrote:

kbshapiro wrote:You guys are going to be very happy with the restaurant that replaces Takaya. Game changer IMO. Not my place to announce it but stay tuned

Is Bar Louie a game changer?

One of you is being sarcastic. I hope it's you.

Not them. Not a chain

My guess is a BBQ joint...

kbshapiro wrote:Not them. Not a chain

When you say not a chain... do they maybe have other locations around STL, though?

Something from Gerard Craft???

SPORTS BAR!!!???

roger wyoming II wrote:

stlien wrote:My guess is a BBQ joint...

A BBQ joint is supposedly next up for Dave Bailey... at the old Bussone's on Locust including using the rooftop for outdoor dining.

Yes, i know. But there have been rumors of a bbq joint coming to MX for awhile now.

debaliviere wrote:SPORTS BAR!!!???

i was about to make the same comment. or maybe STEAK HOUSE!!!??? or HARD ROCK CAFE!!!??? but it's not a chain so that's out.

if it's not a chain, though, i have a hard time seeing it as a game changer. a game changer in my mind would be a popular non-local company that has enough faith in our downtown market to invest. that's not to say that the right local business couldn't change the game too. whatever it is, i hope it is a game changer.

I was going to throw in the SHAKE SHACK but then again, no chain.

What retailer would people most like to see downtown? Restaurant or otherwise.

I may be over-hyping things with the game changer comment; but in my opinion it is....especially with the struggles downtown and especially on Wash Ave. Also, there are a couple existing restaurants on Wash Ave being quietly marketed to brokers right now. Hopefully, this restaurant will create some momentum.

jcity wrote:What retailer would people most like to see downtown? Restaurant or otherwise.

Game stop
Burlington coat factory
Cvs
I think as of right now we can support these but they would all have to be along olive east of tucker and west of Broadway. To build off of what is there.

kbshapiro wrote:I may be over-hyping things with the game changer comment; but in my opinion it is....especially with the struggles downtown and especially on Wash Ave. Also, there are a couple existing restaurants on Wash Ave being quietly marketed to brokers right now. Hopefully, this restaurant will create some momentum.

What exactly does marketed to brokers mean? Selling? Closing?

jcity wrote:What retailer would people most like to see downtown? Restaurant or otherwise.

I mentioned Courtesy Diner before.

But even more than that, a 24-hour Walgreens/CVS.

Nothing that hasn't been mentioned before.

A City Target would also be cool, especially in the Railway Exchange building...but we're probably a bit too far away for that. I could see that going up maybe after BPV actually gets residential, but not before. Downtown Chicago has a nice urban target in a renovated historic building on State Street. Don't see why Railway Exchange would be that difficult a conversion, especially in the former Macy's space.

Downtown2007 - when Landlords have weak tenants that are behind in rent, not paying rent at all, or have a lease expiration coming up and there's been no dialogue to renew, Landlord's will approach brokers to see if they have a potential tenant to replace them.

Very common. Sometimes, the Landlord and existing tenant come to terms and nothing changes. Sometimes - the opposite.

I really just want a g-d Walgreens.

While a 24 hour Walgreens would be fantastic I think it'd be more likely to close between 7-10pm. In DT Cincy the two CVSs close at 7, and one of the Walgreens closes at 7 (and is even completely closed on Sundays). There's another Walgreens which stays open until 10 on weekdays, and I think 8 or 9 on weekends.

I think 9 or 10 or any extension beyond the 7pm closing time for Culinaria would be a nice feature. .