The long running (4 months-tops) TKO Sports Bar now has signs on the doors saying "Coming Soon: Ultra Sports Lounge". Let's see if they can make it to the end of the Blues hockey season.
Looked back at summer 05 and saw this post...what happened to these plans? Why havent they re-done the movie theater? ....
From Mayor Slay's blog:
Link
Monday, June 13, 2005
Union Station: Finally on Track
Union Station is a landmark ? the Grand Hall, the Head House, and the Train Shed are marvels of architecture and important artifacts of the golden age of American railroading.
And, they?re economic opportunities.
When the current incarnation of Union Station first opened in 1987, it was one of the Midwest?s retail and entertainment wonders. Think Galleria meets St. Louis Mills ? but with historic charm. In the past decade, however, the complex has fallen on some hard times, notwithstanding the continuing success of the excellent Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Today, there is much better news for Union Station.
The new owner of the property, St. Louis Station Holdings, has engaged Jones Lang LaSalle to improve and operate the property. And Jones Lang showed me some great plans for Union Station at the ICSC conference last month in Las Vegas.
They have good plans for the existing retail area.
Even more exciting, their plans call for the development of new retail and other elements on the property comprising the complex:
# a new cinema in a parking garage?the development of the parking garage will allow more intensive development of retail on the property
# four new retail anchors, each at 20-30,000 sq. ft.
# three or four new restaurants
# ten to fifteen additional retail stores
# a ?terrace event lawn?
It?s always a hard journey from plan to completion, but we already have the right Station.
From Mayor Slay's blog:
Link
Monday, June 13, 2005
Union Station: Finally on Track
Union Station is a landmark ? the Grand Hall, the Head House, and the Train Shed are marvels of architecture and important artifacts of the golden age of American railroading.
And, they?re economic opportunities.
When the current incarnation of Union Station first opened in 1987, it was one of the Midwest?s retail and entertainment wonders. Think Galleria meets St. Louis Mills ? but with historic charm. In the past decade, however, the complex has fallen on some hard times, notwithstanding the continuing success of the excellent Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Today, there is much better news for Union Station.
The new owner of the property, St. Louis Station Holdings, has engaged Jones Lang LaSalle to improve and operate the property. And Jones Lang showed me some great plans for Union Station at the ICSC conference last month in Las Vegas.
They have good plans for the existing retail area.
Even more exciting, their plans call for the development of new retail and other elements on the property comprising the complex:
# a new cinema in a parking garage?the development of the parking garage will allow more intensive development of retail on the property
# four new retail anchors, each at 20-30,000 sq. ft.
# three or four new restaurants
# ten to fifteen additional retail stores
# a ?terrace event lawn?
It?s always a hard journey from plan to completion, but we already have the right Station.
- 923
Bluntly, the City got distracted, with projects like the new Stadium, and all the other various projects. This of course, brings me back to my earlier post back in the Mercantile retail district - if the city can't keep its concentration on this, whats' going to keep it on track with the 15 other major projects on its table now?
Burnham said make no small plans - but I say don't make more plans than you can handle STL! Either that, or get some ritalin for the ADD we've got going in in City Hall
Burnham said make no small plans - but I say don't make more plans than you can handle STL! Either that, or get some ritalin for the ADD we've got going in in City Hall
On the contrary, this wasn't a project like the others. This was kind of proposed as ideas, but never anything past that. The other projects are funded and are receiving tax incentives. Your list was pretty much proved to be mostly going anyway, so your point isn't very good.
- 5,433
migueltejada wrote:Bluntly, the City got distracted, with projects like the new Stadium, and all the other various projects.
Maybe so, but how is this the city's fault and not the current Union Station owners? The city can choose to sign off or not to sign off on a developer's plans, but it's not their job to hold their hand through the process either, at least not in the case of Union Station. AFAIK, there weren't any carrots dangled in the form of incentives, so the city didn't play as active of a role in this development as it has played and will play in projects like Mercantile Exchange and Ballpark Village.
The lack of a plan to improve the occupancy and retail mix at Union Station is very disappointing, but I just don't think the city is to blame this time.
With the two aforementioned major announcements, we as a community really need to start thinking about an alternative future use for Union Station.
- 10K
Parking should be validated with a lunch receipt ALL the time, not just in October.
- 5,433
^ Hell, parking should be validated all the time, with any receipt from any business at Union Station.
Does anyone think management's half-hearted attempts are bringing in a significant amount of business? Yeah, me neither.
Does anyone think management's half-hearted attempts are bringing in a significant amount of business? Yeah, me neither.
- 2,772
I really don't think they should be charging for parking at all. Any visit that I should make to Union Station in the future (which isn't likely to ever happen) would be charity on my part. The only thing decent they have in there is a dog store (with purses and crap) and dog-snacks stand (peanut butter cups for dogs, etc).
- 623
I really don't think they should be charging for parking at all.
Free parking without a validation would not work because downtown workers would park in the lot all day for free. Thus the lot would be full and any actual shoppers wouldn't be able find parking.
I wonder how the Ballpark Village plans on dealing with this since I have heard mention of free parking on non-game days.
P-D, 1988 wrote:One of the station's most reputable tenants offered his view of the closings: ''The general consensus of opinion among some members of the merchants association is the lack of traffic - way down right now - and can directly be attributed to the parking-charge policy ($1 an hour). The parking charge is hindering local traffic and discouraging repeat business. When the station gets into a 40 percent vacancy, it will probably resort to some form of free parking.''
Yes, that's right, that quote came from almost 20 years ago.
- 111
Aside from the fact Union station should always offer free parking of some type if you make a purchase at any of the stores, that is buy something the parking is free, don't buy anything and you can pay for your parking.
ARRIVE AFTER 11AM - DEPART BY 2PM
The parking promotion for October is somewhat conter productive for retailers. The way it works is you must park after 11am and get out of the parking lot by 2pm. So essentially what they are saying is eat your lunch and leave, do not over extend your visit shopping if you want the free parking because if you stay past 2pm you will have to pay for all your parking, even the time between 11am and 2pm. So dah, would you hang around to get charged for parking.
Last year Union Station actually won a marketing award for this promotion. Shows you how smart we are. And we thought increasing the retail business and making money was important.
ARRIVE AFTER 11AM - DEPART BY 2PM
The parking promotion for October is somewhat conter productive for retailers. The way it works is you must park after 11am and get out of the parking lot by 2pm. So essentially what they are saying is eat your lunch and leave, do not over extend your visit shopping if you want the free parking because if you stay past 2pm you will have to pay for all your parking, even the time between 11am and 2pm. So dah, would you hang around to get charged for parking.
Last year Union Station actually won a marketing award for this promotion. Shows you how smart we are. And we thought increasing the retail business and making money was important.
dweebe wrote:lamiaposta wrote:Well, a couple more business casualties at Union Station. At the end of August the following businesses closed
Comedy Club, although this I expected
TKO, got their doors locked by US
Discovery Store, finally completed their closing
Nut Hut, he is seasonal, but said he would not be back next year
Spa to Go, I think got asked to leave. One morning I saw one of the owners washing his hair at the kiosk
Walk and Roll, couldn't wait to leave
Henna Tattoo, seemed anxious to leave also
The last three I listed, were pretty unprofessional. Their leaving is a positive note. But it seems to be the trend now when they bring in a new business, ie, very unprofessional and dress in blue jeans and tshirts. I think this is just another bad reflection on US.
Another store at US started selling air pistols and rifles and looks like a gun shop.
At the end of September or sooner, one of the restaurants is going to close, but I'll withhold the name for now until the doors are shut.
Interestingly enough, in the US newsletter they bragged about having a 6% increase in revenue for July, with the Discovery store showing a 225% increase and the beauty shop which is never busy had an increase of 72%. They did report that 21 businesses had increases for July, most of which were in the food business. Always strikes me as odd that when a store goes out of business they have a tremendous increase and US brags about it.
On the retail end, there is not one recognizable name brand store left in US except for the Bud shop and Cardinal store and it just keeps looking more and more like St. Louis Centre. Some days merchants don't even take in $50.
Although if a merchant tries to add something new to their store, normally they are told they can not or if a new tenant comes along latter and wants to sell that product they will have to stop. Basically, if it is not in your lease when you signed up, you might as well forgot about any changes to your store or improving your store financially.
It just seems to get bleaker and bleaker here.
How long did TKO last? 4 months?
The other restaurant closing: food court or sit down?
The restaurant I was eluding to was BBQ Station, sit down, which closed end of September. Seems to have overlooked paying the rent while they were open, same problem TKO had, so the rumor goes.
The Ultra Sports Lounge is open with no big changes from TKO. Hopefully they'll last more than 4 months.
Wonder who's running the place? I wonder if the Hyatt has a hand in it?
Wonder who's running the place? I wonder if the Hyatt has a hand in it?
lamiaposta wrote:Aside from the fact Union station should always offer free parking of some type if you make a purchase at any of the stores, that is buy something the parking is free, don't buy anything and you can pay for your parking.
ARRIVE AFTER 11AM - DEPART BY 2PM
The parking promotion for October is somewhat conter productive for retailers. The way it works is you must park after 11am and get out of the parking lot by 2pm. So essentially what they are saying is eat your lunch and leave, do not over extend your visit shopping if you want the free parking because if you stay past 2pm you will have to pay for all your parking, even the time between 11am and 2pm. So dah, would you hang around to get charged for parking.
Last year Union Station actually won a marketing award for this promotion. Shows you how smart we are. And we thought increasing the retail business and making money was important.
11a-2p might be a bit short, but I understand what they're trying to do. They're trying to limit the people who work downtown parking in the US lot for free. Maybe it's just a matter of opening up the time -- say, 10a-3p. Few people shop before 10am, outside of Christmas. (Trust me, having worked for Famous in college, those 9:00am door-opening "shoppers" were 90% people making returns). 10-3 would allow people to have lunch AND shop. Although even this doesn't address the real problem -- anymore, there aren't any stores at US where one would want to shop, whether it's pay or free.
- 3,433
Just came back from Union Station today. We ate lunch at Houlihan's -- I wasn't sure it was still open, but it was and was doing a good business.
There seemed to be a fair number of tourists. I recall just 10 years ago going to Union Station to shop for Christmas and the place was packed with other shoppers every night. Now there don't seem to be any stores with anything I would give as a gift.
Along with the remaining restaurants, there seem to be just two kinds of stores. T-shirt and cap shops catering to tourists, and cheap jewelry, gaudy clothes, hair, and body lotion stores that appear to be targeting young people with limited money. I don't see anything anymore that would draw someone from the county, except maybe the Hard Rock Cafe. The Fudgery is still fun.
The bones still look good, but some doors need painting, and cracked tiles need to be replaced. It needs a general makeover. The south leg seemed to have a fair amount of lookers, but some stores upstairs were closed with out-for-lunch signs.
They need to transition to something else, but I don't know what. Hopefully things will improve when BPV, MX, and LP open, just from the sheer increase in people downtown.
Here is one idea. I just came back from Huntington Beach. To help downtown business, they decided to close 3 blocks of main street every Tuesday evening and hold a street fair. They let venors set up art fair style booths in the street selling everything from art to carmel corn to jewelry to laser therapy. Each street corner had a local musician performing. The street were packed with people just coming out to enjoy the weather, music, restaurants, and quirky booths. It was a way to bring people out.
There seemed to be a fair number of tourists. I recall just 10 years ago going to Union Station to shop for Christmas and the place was packed with other shoppers every night. Now there don't seem to be any stores with anything I would give as a gift.
Along with the remaining restaurants, there seem to be just two kinds of stores. T-shirt and cap shops catering to tourists, and cheap jewelry, gaudy clothes, hair, and body lotion stores that appear to be targeting young people with limited money. I don't see anything anymore that would draw someone from the county, except maybe the Hard Rock Cafe. The Fudgery is still fun.
The bones still look good, but some doors need painting, and cracked tiles need to be replaced. It needs a general makeover. The south leg seemed to have a fair amount of lookers, but some stores upstairs were closed with out-for-lunch signs.
They need to transition to something else, but I don't know what. Hopefully things will improve when BPV, MX, and LP open, just from the sheer increase in people downtown.
Here is one idea. I just came back from Huntington Beach. To help downtown business, they decided to close 3 blocks of main street every Tuesday evening and hold a street fair. They let venors set up art fair style booths in the street selling everything from art to carmel corn to jewelry to laser therapy. Each street corner had a local musician performing. The street were packed with people just coming out to enjoy the weather, music, restaurants, and quirky booths. It was a way to bring people out.
- 11K
A revitalized Plaza Square (along the lines of Blu) would help - a thousand or so residents nearby never hurts. Of course then you would need practical shops - a CVS or something, etc.
- 5,433
^ Be careful when opening the Plaza Square Can O' Worms. The PS and Blu threads on the Downtown Residential forum are...um...interesting these days. 
BTW, I think you made a good point about what a revitalized Plaza Square could do for Union Station's health.
BTW, I think you made a good point about what a revitalized Plaza Square could do for Union Station's health.
^
Sounds interesting. Is that separate from this event that's happening downtown (http://www.shopdowntownstl.com/holidayevents.html)? Looks like it's perhaps all part of the same shabang.
Is there a specific website for the Union Station portion and events?
Not trying to be nitpicky -- just trying to understand. Regardless, I'm going to have a holiday-filled weekend -- Skinky D's Wintermarkt, downtown's trolley and shopping, and the Rock and Roll Craft Show. Yippee!
Sounds interesting. Is that separate from this event that's happening downtown (http://www.shopdowntownstl.com/holidayevents.html)? Looks like it's perhaps all part of the same shabang.
Is there a specific website for the Union Station portion and events?
Not trying to be nitpicky -- just trying to understand. Regardless, I'm going to have a holiday-filled weekend -- Skinky D's Wintermarkt, downtown's trolley and shopping, and the Rock and Roll Craft Show. Yippee!
- 5,433
The Union Station event is part of the whole shebang, and if they're tying in with the larger downtown event that's a good thing IMHO since people who would've passed the station by might give it a shot.
We took the trolley from Macy's (where we attended Breakfast with Santa) to Union Station last Saturday. The trolley was lightly used, but Union Station was surprisingly busy. There wasn't much new or anything particuarly interesting, but the restaurants seemed to be doing well, and I noticed more people with shopping bags than usual. Certain places like the Cardinals Clubhouse and the The Bud Shop (A-B merchandise) seemed to draw steady crowds.
I'm still far from bullish on this place's future, as the merchandise mix still leaves much to be desired and the place looks dated, but at least their marketing and promotions people have begun to make more of an effort in the last year or so.
We took the trolley from Macy's (where we attended Breakfast with Santa) to Union Station last Saturday. The trolley was lightly used, but Union Station was surprisingly busy. There wasn't much new or anything particuarly interesting, but the restaurants seemed to be doing well, and I noticed more people with shopping bags than usual. Certain places like the Cardinals Clubhouse and the The Bud Shop (A-B merchandise) seemed to draw steady crowds.
I'm still far from bullish on this place's future, as the merchandise mix still leaves much to be desired and the place looks dated, but at least their marketing and promotions people have begun to make more of an effort in the last year or so.
The trolley event has been organized by the Downtown St Louis Merchants Association of which Union Station is a member. The trolley has been underwritten by the DT Partnership and by Union Station.
In addition to the events at Union Station which are being held in conjunction with the USO holiday party, the Independent Art Market, www.independentartmarket.org is being held Friday through Sunday at the corner of 10th & Locust.
Additionally Friday is gallery walk night and there are two new galleries as well as a couple of regulars that will be open as well as a number of the downtown retailers offering up some holiday cheer.
MacroSun will put an eastern spin on the day Saturday with their yak, water buffalo and belly dancers.
To finish off the day Saturday are more free holiday movies at the Orpheum.
In addition to the events at Union Station which are being held in conjunction with the USO holiday party, the Independent Art Market, www.independentartmarket.org is being held Friday through Sunday at the corner of 10th & Locust.
Additionally Friday is gallery walk night and there are two new galleries as well as a couple of regulars that will be open as well as a number of the downtown retailers offering up some holiday cheer.
MacroSun will put an eastern spin on the day Saturday with their yak, water buffalo and belly dancers.
To finish off the day Saturday are more free holiday movies at the Orpheum.
Another one bites the dust.
The suit store on the lower level of Union Station didn't last long: maybe two months tops. They were open last week but had black paper over all the windows today.
The bungee jump trampoline spot has also been gone since Christmas.
The suit store on the lower level of Union Station didn't last long: maybe two months tops. They were open last week but had black paper over all the windows today.
The bungee jump trampoline spot has also been gone since Christmas.
Looks like the hotel in Union Station could be changing:
Read More
Though it makes you wonder, if Marriott is really wants to break back into downtown, why not bid for the proposed hotel in the Ballpark Village instead?
Marriott eyeing hotel at Union Station
By Joe Whittington
SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH
02/21/2008
Ever since its flag near Busch Stadium was replaced by Hilton, Marriott has sought a presence downtown.
Marriott recently had a team of executives here doing due diligence on the Union Station Hyatt Regency, and a knowledgeable source says although the owner is interested in making the deal, it has a way to go yet. The Union Station Hyatt Regency has 539 rooms.
"They (Marriott) were going for the Adam's Mark, but lost out to Hyatt on that one," said the source.
HBE Corp. sold the 910-room Adam's Mark to Chartres Lodging Group of San Francisco, in a deal we reported in the works back in early August.
Read More
Though it makes you wonder, if Marriott is really wants to break back into downtown, why not bid for the proposed hotel in the Ballpark Village instead?