St. Louis Union Station retail and restaurants

Expat · PostDec 28, 2005#762005-12-28T18:26+00:00

Matt wrote:Isn't the underlying concept for Union Station a "festival marketplace" that relies on tourists?

The inner harbour in Baltimore was redeveloped with this concept and it was faltering badly until just recently...I've heard that it has made a huge comeback.

Maybe Union Station needs to examine it's purpose, goals and objectices?

They realized that the Inner Harbor needed to be freshened up and given an updated mix of stores/restaurants. Just like Union Station, things won't thrive forever without some updates & investment. Unlike Union Station, Harborplace is uniquely and perfectly located. Even when it was getting shabby, Harborplace was ground zero for tourists. Pretty much every tourist/conventioneer to Baltimore will pass through it if they like it or not. Union Station is a side trip. Especially now that everything from Dome to Stadium & Arch to Post Office is coming alive. A daytripper or weekend tripper may not be compelled or have time for a side trip. All the more reason Union Station needs to examine it's purpose. I think it would be wise to make it the center of a residential neighborhood. That isn't a stretch, it is near Lafayette Square and the downtown west loft district. And they could keep a tourist component. Afterall, it is one of the finest stations ever built and worth seeing.

soulardd · PostDec 28, 2005#772005-12-28T22:15+00:00

Could someone print this thread out and hand it to whoever is in charge down at Union Station?

downtown2007 · PostJan 12, 2006#782006-01-12T16:48+00:00

Article from Todays paper

Baseball fever takes hold of downtown bar, restaurant scene

By Martin Van Der Werf

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

01/12/2006

A flurry of restaurants and bars is opening and moving around downtown, trying to get everything in place before the new Busch Stadium opens in April.

Hooters is moving out of Union Station and into the spot where Mike Shannon's restaurant is now, at 7th and Chestnut streets. Shannon's is moving next month to the former Mark Twain Bank building, 620 Market Street. Hooters will stay open at Union Station until the move.

Pablo Weiss, who owns Kitchen K and co-owns the Nectar Lounge downtown, will open a bar, tentatively called Mercury, in a new Cupples Station apartment building on Spruce Street that's being developed by HRI Properties. Several other restaurants should open downtown by April, including Koi, a Japanese restaurant, moving into the former Tangerine space at 1405 Washington, and Dubliners in the Bee Hat Lofts at 11th Street and Washington Avenue.

Longer term, a J. Buck's is likely. Owner Ted Geiger confirms that he has been talking with three developers trying to lure the eatery: Conrad Properties, which is refurbishing another Cupples Station building; Balke Brown, which is renovating the former Pet Building on Fourth Street; and Cordish Co., the developers of Ballpark Village.

Meanwhile, McGowan/Walsh has been talking with a Denver area chain, Rock Bottom Restaurants, about bringing a chop house and brew pub to yet another of the former Cupples Station warehouses.

matguy70 · PostJan 16, 2006#792006-01-16T23:58+00:00

I like the idea about Hooters on street level on the Plaza downtown...

BUT I HATE the fact it is leaving Union Station - it has been a staple there since Union Station opened in the the 80's.

I love Union station and think it is a great venue... but winter months are harsh for retailers there. It is a tourist attraction and a dinning venue... the owners have got to figure out a way to get something different going there.

downtown2007 · PostJan 17, 2006#802006-01-17T01:43+00:00

I thought the restaurant they had at Union Station was great. The patio dining that overlooked the pond and outside court area was really cool. However they will create a substantial amont of pedestrian traffic where Shannon's used to be especially during the summer months and will be a postive for downtown as a whole. The new location will also help bridge the gap between Wash Ave and Busch and hopefully spur more developement in that area. I just hope they will be able to lure a new tenant into there old location at Union Station. A Chevy's is the first thing that comes to mind.

xing · PostJan 17, 2006#812006-01-17T05:40+00:00

I understand Hooters leaving though. It seems to be the only place making a good amount of action there. Those running Union Station really need to get their act together.

matt · PostMar 23, 2006#822006-03-23T18:11+00:00

I was getting a very negative impression from news about Union Station for somewhere (???), until today. I visited the station and was impressed. It is very much alive and has lots of new retail shops.

And yet...parking is still $2 an hour. I haven't driven to the station, i.e., visited after work hours, because of parking for at least 8 years.

But what an awesome space and place it is! I'd look forward to spending some summer evenings there this year except I'd have to drive. A one-time thing isn't that big of a deal but any repeat customers are really discouraged/unwelcome.

doug · PostMar 23, 2006#832006-03-23T19:34+00:00

I am going to be visiting Union Station this weekend; it has been a few months since I visited. BTW, can one rollerblade inside Union Station?

I am going to be getting off Union Station Metrolink, and rollerblading down to the Library, because of a college paper. Can I roll in Union Station?

thewayofthearch · PostMar 23, 2006#842006-03-23T19:35+00:00

Nope. Just like other malls, no rollerblades inside.

doug · PostMar 23, 2006#852006-03-23T19:49+00:00

Damn rules and regulations!

Well thats fine, I will have to remove the blades!

Are there any good places to eat lunch in Union Station?

steve · PostMar 23, 2006#862006-03-23T22:09+00:00

You do realize that you don't have to park in the station's garage, right? There are plenty of meters around, and on the weekends, they're free!

matguy70 · PostMar 24, 2006#872006-03-24T04:36+00:00

I've been saying this all along...

the station has a lot to offer and it sounded so dismal here.

The place has really been sprucing themselves up lately.

The foodcourt is one of the best in St. Louis - LOTS of restuarants throughout the station.

Houlihan's, Hard Rock and Landry's are packed every night.

The theatre/comdy club seems to be doing well.

There are many new shops there.

Overall - it is a great attraction for St. Louis!

TAKE METRO and save the headache of parking ANYWHERE!

framer · PostMar 24, 2006#882006-03-24T06:00+00:00

Is that slotcar track still there? Whenever I went by, it always seemed dead. It looks like it'd be a lot of fun, but I never tried it.

trent · PostMar 24, 2006#892006-03-24T06:40+00:00

They need more residential in that area, IMO.

xing · PostMar 24, 2006#902006-03-24T07:40+00:00

I've been to Rock Bottom , they have one in Chicago. It's actually pretty good, and the beer is too.

new-to-stl · PostMar 24, 2006#912006-03-24T15:44+00:00

Framer wrote:Is that slotcar track still there? Whenever I went by, it always seemed dead. It looks like it'd be a lot of fun, but I never tried it.

They have slotcar racing there?! I haven't done that since I was a little kid. My dad had a really elaborate track set up in our basement for a while. So. Much. Fun. I'll have to look into that!

buckethead · PostMar 24, 2006#922006-03-24T16:26+00:00

matguy70 wrote:
Houlihan's, Hard Rock and Landry's are packed every night.

Hmm... The rumor is Hard Rock is on it's way out.

debaliviere · PostMar 24, 2006#932006-03-24T16:28+00:00

And they'll need to fill the Hooters space sometime soon as well.

doug · PostMar 24, 2006#942006-03-24T16:56+00:00

I wish they would open up a good restaraunt like Culpeppers. The CWE location is the best quality, atmosphere, and service wise, however, they have multiple locations in Freaking St. Charles. They need to get a location in Union Station.

matguy70 · PostMar 24, 2006#952006-03-24T17:14+00:00

Hard Rock Cafe

Here's the scoop - let's stop the rumors here.

Hard Rock Cafe has denied any words about closing or relocating out of Union Station. The rumor was caused after Hooters decided to move to stret level at the old Mike Shannon's location near Market and the new Ballpark.

Hard Rock Cafe opened in 1998 in St. Louis - when they built their builing in the train shed of Union Station. In 2005, HRC St. Louis sales were up (prior to several years after 9/11/2001). Hard Rock sales Internationally were up 6.2 % in 2005.

According to the horses mouth at HRC Corporate - Hard Rock Cafe St. Louis has not been considered to close. Leaving the rumor to be nothing more than a rumor.

Martin Van Der Werf of the Post Distpatch reported in his column on March 13 - this:

[[[Hooters, one of the top restaurant draws, is building a new location at Seventh and Chestnut streets, and figures to leave Union Station. Rumors have been rampant that the Hard Rock Cafe is going to shutter, although a restaurant spokesman denied them last week.]]]

Not sure where the rumors are coming from - what sources and how rampant he claims them to be. I find Van Der Werf a little bit of a drama queen sometimes and even though I enjoy reading his "insight" on city issues - I find there tends to be a lot of "hear say" in his columns - more than truth. Van Der Werf has never been a "fan" of Union Station (in reading his columns about it).

So, please refute these "rumors" that seem to be nothing more than that according to Hard Rock Corporate Management.

doug · PostMar 24, 2006#962006-03-24T17:20+00:00

matguy70 wrote:Hard Rock Cafe

Here's the scoop - let's stop the rumors here.

Hard Rock Cafe has denied any words about closing or relocating out of Union Station. The rumor was caused after Hooters decided to move to stret level at the old Mike Shannon's location near Market and the new Ballpark.

Hard Rock Cafe opened in 1998 in St. Louis - when they built their builing in the train shed of Union Station. In 2005, HRC St. Louis sales were up (prior to several years after 9/11/2001). Hard Rock sales Internationally were up 6.2 % in 2005.

According to the horses mouth at HRC Corporate - Hard Rock Cafe St. Louis has not been considered to close. Leaving the rumor to be nothing more than a rumor.

Martin Van Der Werf of the Post Distpatch reported in his column on March 13 - this:

[[[Hooters, one of the top restaurant draws, is building a new location at Seventh and Chestnut streets, and figures to leave Union Station. Rumors have been rampant that the Hard Rock Cafe is going to shutter, although a restaurant spokesman denied them last week.]]]

Not sure where the rumors are coming from - what sources and how rampant he claims them to be. I find Van Der Werf a little bit of a drama queen sometimes and even though I enjoy reading his "insight" on city issues - I find there tends to be a lot of "hear say" in his columns - more than truth. Van Der Werf has never been a "fan" of Union Station (in reading his columns about it).

So, please refute these "rumors" that seem to be nothing more than that according to Hard Rock Corporate Management.

Anon sources! Don't you understand how reporting works!!!

buckethead · PostMar 24, 2006#972006-03-24T17:48+00:00

The corporate office denying the rumor doesn't give me much assurance. It's exactly what they would say whether it is true or not.

It's just being reported as a rumor and people are free to decide on their own how much credibility is behind it. I personally hope it's not true.

stlmike · PostMar 24, 2006#982006-03-24T23:19+00:00

I would be very surprised if Hard Rock Cafe is not at least entertaining the idea of moving to Ballpark Village or somewhere nearby.

framer · PostMar 25, 2006#992006-03-25T03:45+00:00

New-to-STL: Its really more like slot cars on steroids. They're bigger than when we were kids, and the track twists around a pretty good distance. There's something like 4 or 6 lanes going at once. I believe you rent the cars by the hour, or maybe you can bring your own. Like I say, I've never tried it, and I'm not sure its even still there. Looks like it would be a blast, though.

debaliviere · PostJul 24, 2006#1002006-07-24T18:41+00:00

Over in the Hooters thread, there was some discussion about Union Station and its future. The term "death spiral" was used, which I'm afraid is probably appropriate.

Is the "festival marketplace" concept still relevant? What are Union Station's strengths and weaknesses?

What sort of tenant mix would people like to see there - should it continue to cater to tourists, or should it be repositioned to serve downtown residents and office workers?

Would adding housing really help the mall? If so, where should it go?

What other ideas could be implemented to help improve the mall.

St. Louis Union Station retail and restaurants

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