There are so many cool restaurants within the heart of the CBD including: death in the afternoon, sauce on the side, Anthony's, Pi, Sugefire (soon), Taze, Medina, Mango, Lucas Park Grille (yes, it's actually great food), pastaria (soon, forget new name), Kemolls (again, actually great food and cool views), Monty's, MAC's buffet (members only), Hiro and the list keeps going. Why would anyone want to office in West County or even Clayton? There are literally 100 more restaurants downtown than Clayton. Where do people eat for lunch along 64 west of 270? Chain restaurants only? Having recently moved offices downtown I'm actually blown away by the options and more seem to keep coming. I'd love to see the downtown partnership actually promote this somehow. Run ads, etc.
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I agree 100%. And Lucas Park does have good food and a great patio.jcity wrote:There are so many cool restaurants within the heart of the CBD including: death in the afternoon, sauce on the side, Anthony's, Pi, Sugefire (soon), Taze, Medina, Mango, Lucas Park Grille (yes, it's actually great food), pastaria (soon, forget new name), Kemolls (again, actually great food and cool views), Monty's, MAC's buffet (members only), Hiro and the list keeps going. Why would anyone want to office in West County or even Clayton? There are literally 100 more restaurants downtown than Clayton. Where do people eat for lunch along 64 west of 270? Chain restaurants only? Having recently moved offices downtown I'm actually blown away by the options and more seem to keep coming. I'd love to see the downtown partnership actually promote this somehow. Run ads, etc.
I also agree wholeheartedly and that doesn't even take into account the Dave Bailey options downtown. This should be marketed by the downtown partnership. Unfortunately, I'm afraid the workers to the West are satisfied with the chain options. Look at the valley. My coworkers in O'fallon almost lost their minds when 54th street and chick-fil-la opened up. It's a sad state of affairs.downtown2007 wrote:I agree 100%. And Lucas Park does have good food and a great patio.jcity wrote:There are so many cool restaurants within the heart of the CBD including: death in the afternoon, sauce on the side, Anthony's, Pi, Sugefire (soon), Taze, Medina, Mango, Lucas Park Grille (yes, it's actually great food), pastaria (soon, forget new name), Kemolls (again, actually great food and cool views), Monty's, MAC's buffet (members only), Hiro and the list keeps going. Why would anyone want to office in West County or even Clayton? There are literally 100 more restaurants downtown than Clayton. Where do people eat for lunch along 64 west of 270? Chain restaurants only? Having recently moved offices downtown I'm actually blown away by the options and more seem to keep coming. I'd love to see the downtown partnership actually promote this somehow. Run ads, etc.
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How high of a priority seriously is lunch options when determining where to office?
^I think it should be high. It leads to a better work experience and a happy and more productive worker. I really think there is something to quality of work life and this contributes to it. The younger generations are demanding it. The corporate culture in St. Louis is slow to catch on. I work for a successful company, but the atmosphere in our office is very depressing. The sterile office park environment we exist in is a driving factor.
WWT?robertn42 wrote:^I think it should be high. It leads to a better work experience and a happy and more productive worker. I really think there is something to quality of work life and this contributes to it. The younger generations are demanding it. The corporate culture in St. Louis is slow to catch on. I work for a successful company, but the atmosphere in our office is very depressing. The sterile office park environment we exist in is a driving factor.
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Looks like a coffee shop called The Perch will open soon at one of the previously vacant storefronts in the Paul Brown Building (210 N. 9th St.)
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In the old Espresso Mod space?roger wyoming II wrote:Looks like a coffee shop called The Perch will open soon at one of the previously vacant storefronts in the Paul Brown Building (210 N. 9th St.)
Breaks my heart that it appears we never will have Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill downtown: http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/ ... by_ke.html
Downtown Detroit will be getting a Restoration Hardware Outlet.... supposedly the outlets are pretty large spaces.
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http://www.mlive.com/business/detroit/i ... cart_river
Sounds like they are looking to launch more but I'm not sure if are demographics are there yet. Downtown D will also be getting Kit & Ace next year.
http://www.mlive.com/business/detroit/i ... cart_river
Sounds like they are looking to launch more but I'm not sure if are demographics are there yet. Downtown D will also be getting Kit & Ace next year.
^ My main interest is really knowing how close we might be to gaining any kind of momentum on quality retail downtown like Detroit is achieving... what kind of daytime population is needed? will we need to grow both residential and office or will residential be enough?
I'm still surprised a drug store hasn't even announced plans yet but I think we have a ways to go before we can expect clothiers and household goods, etc.
I'm still surprised a drug store hasn't even announced plans yet but I think we have a ways to go before we can expect clothiers and household goods, etc.
^Not close enough at all, it seems.
The local mentality, for the most part, in my opinion, doesn't nurture (or believe) in that possibility.
Downtown is disproportionately bars, booze, entertainment and restaurants.
I truly believe that it will take an insider who knows (or insiders who know) people in the retail industry to make things happen downtown.
Detroit-native and fashion designer, John Varvatos, helped to set it off for downtown Detroit.
I've said before that Brown (Caleres) Shoe, Rawlings or Build-A-Bear Workshop could build Times Square-ish stores downtown. Brown Shoe could build a flagship Famous Footwear store.
Also, famous designers from St. Louis could give downtown a boost like Varvatos did for Detroit.
It would be cool if St. Louis natives Qristyl Frazier - who has dressed Janet Jackson, Queen Latifah, Wendy Williams, Angie Stone, singers Mary-Mary, Shirley Strawberry and Patrice Covington - or Kimora Lee Simmons opened stores/boutiques downtown.
Qristyl's clothing are sold at Lane Bryant. And Kimora Lee Simmons recently opened a boutique in Beverly Hills called KLS.
Has anyone called these women? If Varvatos can do downtown Detroit, there's no reason these women can't try downtown St. Louis. Qristyl could even encourage a Lane Bryant store for downtown St. Louis.
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The local mentality, for the most part, in my opinion, doesn't nurture (or believe) in that possibility.
Downtown is disproportionately bars, booze, entertainment and restaurants.
I truly believe that it will take an insider who knows (or insiders who know) people in the retail industry to make things happen downtown.
Detroit-native and fashion designer, John Varvatos, helped to set it off for downtown Detroit.
I've said before that Brown (Caleres) Shoe, Rawlings or Build-A-Bear Workshop could build Times Square-ish stores downtown. Brown Shoe could build a flagship Famous Footwear store.
Also, famous designers from St. Louis could give downtown a boost like Varvatos did for Detroit.
It would be cool if St. Louis natives Qristyl Frazier - who has dressed Janet Jackson, Queen Latifah, Wendy Williams, Angie Stone, singers Mary-Mary, Shirley Strawberry and Patrice Covington - or Kimora Lee Simmons opened stores/boutiques downtown.
Qristyl's clothing are sold at Lane Bryant. And Kimora Lee Simmons recently opened a boutique in Beverly Hills called KLS.
Has anyone called these women? If Varvatos can do downtown Detroit, there's no reason these women can't try downtown St. Louis. Qristyl could even encourage a Lane Bryant store for downtown St. Louis.
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^ Some very good points, arch. In Detroit, I'd say it was the opening of local outfitter MooseJaw a couple years ago that got the ball rolling -- Moosejaw is definitely bigger than Alpine Shop (but much smaller than REI) and even has locations in KC and CHI outside of the Detroit Metro, but it would be akin to Alpine Shop setting up shop downtown. And with the John Varvatos opening and other Detroit natives setting up shop, I think that has captured the attention of more national retailers.
Of course, a huge portion of all this retail action is also being guided by the leadership of Gilbert's development arm, Bedrock, which essentially is building a new downtown Detroit. It has the skill, hustle and resources that we just don't have with Downtown Saint Louis, etc. But Cleveland is accomplishing some of this success as well with local retailers already in the region setting up shop downtown and is a model that we'll need to follow.
Of course, a huge portion of all this retail action is also being guided by the leadership of Gilbert's development arm, Bedrock, which essentially is building a new downtown Detroit. It has the skill, hustle and resources that we just don't have with Downtown Saint Louis, etc. But Cleveland is accomplishing some of this success as well with local retailers already in the region setting up shop downtown and is a model that we'll need to follow.
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Ok the Alpine Shop was mentioned. What are some other local retailers that would be a good fit?
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^ arch gave some good potentials in his comment above; Build-A-Bear, Brown/Caleris, etc. as well as his good suggestion to help a number of talented local designers set up a shingle of their own. I also think things like Laurie's Shoes could work. And stl-style obviously needs a presence in downtown!
Basically what we need is a retail strategy that effectively recruits local retailers and cooperative landlords and utilizes pop-ups and other creative programs in addition to traditional rental agreements. With our demographics I'm not sure how far we can go with retail at this point, but surely we can push the needle a bit in the right direction.
Basically what we need is a retail strategy that effectively recruits local retailers and cooperative landlords and utilizes pop-ups and other creative programs in addition to traditional rental agreements. With our demographics I'm not sure how far we can go with retail at this point, but surely we can push the needle a bit in the right direction.
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Agree with all of the above. The ground floor of Ye Olde Famous-Barr and half of MX is crying out for something like this.arch city wrote:^Not close enough at all, it seems.
The local mentality, for the most part, in my opinion, doesn't nurture (or believe) in that possibility.
Downtown is disproportionately bars, booze, entertainment and restaurants.
I truly believe that it will take an insider who knows (or insiders who know) people in the retail industry to make things happen downtown.
Detroit-native and fashion designer, John Varvatos, helped to set it off for downtown Detroit.
I've said before that Brown (Caleres) Shoe, Rawlings or Build-A-Bear Workshop could build Times Square-ish stores downtown. Brown Shoe could build a flagship Famous Footwear store.
Also, famous designers from St. Louis could give downtown a boost like Varvatos did for Detroit.
It would be cool if St. Louis natives Qristyl Frazier - who has dressed Janet Jackson, Queen Latifah, Wendy Williams, Angie Stone, singers Mary-Mary, Shirley Strawberry and Patrice Covington - or Kimora Lee Simmons opened stores/boutiques downtown.
Qristyl's clothing are sold at Lane Bryant. And Kimora Lee Simmons recently opened a boutique in Beverly Hills called KLS.
Has anyone called these women? If Varvatos can do downtown Detroit, there's no reason these women can't try downtown St. Louis. Qristyl could even encourage a Lane Bryant store for downtown St. Louis.
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I'd like an 8 story Amazon.com store in "Ye Olde." Above they could have whatever. I'd like to see the state and city put 150m or so towards that.
By the way, does anyone remember how Famous/Macy's handled deliveries all those years at RRX? I don't see any place for trucks to drive in. Did they just unload at the curb?
By the way, does anyone remember how Famous/Macy's handled deliveries all those years at RRX? I don't see any place for trucks to drive in. Did they just unload at the curb?
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^ Amazon also needs the roof for drone delivery launch.... they could put a restaurant up there for flight observation.
Believe Amazon already spoken for. They are going into a huge horizontal spec Commerce Gateway warehouse. The plus side of going horizontal for Amazon is a huge number of drone landing and takeoff pads.
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Yiro/Gyro seems to be off to a good start. Very busy today.
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While I wish traditional retail were going in at the street level of the Old Post Office Lofts on Locust, I did notice they are promoting the units as live/work spaces.... for example they had a poster up of a nail designer. Interesting and I hope it works... would prefer something like that over in Downtown West instead of the heart of the CBD, but I know retail is a tough sonofabitch downtown.
Not traditional retail and not necessarily downtown. But you have to like this and the thoughts behind the move
Custom clothing company selects St. Louis for production headquarters
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/blog ... s-for.html
Johna Beckham, founder of the Johnna Marie women’s custom clothing line, is setting up production in St. Louis.
Beckham had considered going overseas but wanted control over day-to-day operations so St. Louis made more sense, she said.
Johnna Marie is partnering with designer Moxi LMK on production, sharing seamstresses at a boutique sew shop, located at 1939 S. Vandeventer.
Custom clothing company selects St. Louis for production headquarters
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/blog ... s-for.html
Johna Beckham, founder of the Johnna Marie women’s custom clothing line, is setting up production in St. Louis.
Beckham had considered going overseas but wanted control over day-to-day operations so St. Louis made more sense, she said.
Johnna Marie is partnering with designer Moxi LMK on production, sharing seamstresses at a boutique sew shop, located at 1939 S. Vandeventer.