Dammit! Though I figured it was coming as they never really got traction. Lots of laptop campers any time I went in and if they're not policed they'll kill a business.
You think you guys are bummed? I got a giftcard for Velocity for Christmas that I never got to use! 
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Velocity (was) is great. Love the garden bagel!
I wonder if she would consider another location with more foot traffic?
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^ I don't know...apparently no one can sell coffee downtown anymore because of Culinaria. 
Seriously, I hate to see Velocity Cafe go. I'm not completely surprised because I also noticed the laptop users that kept themselves planted without keeping themselves caffeinated and/or fed while they were there. It is a shame, though, because it is in such a great area. Hopefully someone else can make a go of it in that space soon.
And, for another comment on a more serious note, downtown isn't a bad idea. There are challenges to opening a business there, and there have been some recent losses there as well, but there are also several new places that will be opening in 2010. It's hard to get a great read on this economy, but maybe this is the year downtown turns the corner and the comeback resumes?
Seriously, I hate to see Velocity Cafe go. I'm not completely surprised because I also noticed the laptop users that kept themselves planted without keeping themselves caffeinated and/or fed while they were there. It is a shame, though, because it is in such a great area. Hopefully someone else can make a go of it in that space soon.
And, for another comment on a more serious note, downtown isn't a bad idea. There are challenges to opening a business there, and there have been some recent losses there as well, but there are also several new places that will be opening in 2010. It's hard to get a great read on this economy, but maybe this is the year downtown turns the corner and the comeback resumes?
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JCity wrote:I wonder if she would consider another location with more foot traffic?
I wonder how a place like that would do in the Park, like instead of that little coffee shop at the Visitor's Center.
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That would be a perfect fit, I would think!lukethedrifter wrote:I wonder how a place like that would do in the Park, like instead of that little coffee shop at the Visitor's Center.
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Maybe the new cycling center at 10th and Locust could hire her to run a small cafe.ThreeOneFour wrote:And, for another comment on a more serious note, downtown isn't a bad idea. There are challenges to opening a business there, and there have been some recent losses there as well, but there are also several new places that will be opening in 2010. It's hard to get a great read on this economy, but maybe this is the year downtown turns the corner and the comeback resumes?
^^ now that is actually a good idea.
-not really off topic, but i wanted to throw this out there. coffee is not profitable. its too cheap.
-not really off topic, but i wanted to throw this out there. coffee is not profitable. its too cheap.
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That's one of the reasons it's sort of silly to blame wi fi campers. There were always plenty of seats not filled with people not eating sandwiches and salads.kleancut wrote:^^ now that is actually a good idea.
-not really off topic, but i wanted to throw this out there. coffee is not profitable. its too cheap.
And the salads were very good. Didn't try a sandwich. I did suggest she add sleds to supplement her bike sales.
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I would order a sandwich, bottomless coffee, and a couple of extras; and I'd be on a wifi laptop for 3 hours doing work. On a weekday there might be only 4 of us campers there, with a couple of others, and the rest of the seats empty. I think it's better to have some wifi-ers in there, than to have the cafe even more empty.
I think the major issue is the lack of density on DeBaliviere. If the strip mall is replaced, if the parking lot is built-upon, if Talanya's is replaced with street retail, with apartments and offices on the upper floors of each of these buildings (nice buildings, visible from FPP and from Art Hill) this corner of DeBaliviere and Pershing would be one of the best locations in the City of St. Louis!
Now, as a short-term solution, though: Why is Hartford Coffee, a block from Shaw Park seemingly doing well, where Velocity, 2 blocks from Forest Park went under?? Would a big neon rooftop sign visible to the Parkway have helped? Have the bike shop be more like Big Shark? Have the cafe be more like Bread-Co? The City is short of all night places: would it work to have Velocity Coffee House stay open 24 hours, to give us an option over Coffee Cartel? Or a weekly trivia night as at Mokabes? Or sub for The Grind?
I think density of desirable foot traffic is the major issue: lack of it sank Genesis House, then sank Delmar Coffee, and has now sunk Velocity.
I think the major issue is the lack of density on DeBaliviere. If the strip mall is replaced, if the parking lot is built-upon, if Talanya's is replaced with street retail, with apartments and offices on the upper floors of each of these buildings (nice buildings, visible from FPP and from Art Hill) this corner of DeBaliviere and Pershing would be one of the best locations in the City of St. Louis!
Now, as a short-term solution, though: Why is Hartford Coffee, a block from Shaw Park seemingly doing well, where Velocity, 2 blocks from Forest Park went under?? Would a big neon rooftop sign visible to the Parkway have helped? Have the bike shop be more like Big Shark? Have the cafe be more like Bread-Co? The City is short of all night places: would it work to have Velocity Coffee House stay open 24 hours, to give us an option over Coffee Cartel? Or a weekly trivia night as at Mokabes? Or sub for The Grind?
I think density of desirable foot traffic is the major issue: lack of it sank Genesis House, then sank Delmar Coffee, and has now sunk Velocity.
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What did the bike shop add to the place? Was it simply a theme?
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What I didn't understand about Velocity was the bike end of things. FPPkwy is a major obstacle to get across without getting killed.
There's a ton of foot traffic on that corner. It's how you get into the neighborhood from the Metro.
I didn't go there much (I don't really drink coffee) but was sad to hear they had gone out of business. The neighborhood needs something on that corner.
There's a ton of foot traffic on that corner. It's how you get into the neighborhood from the Metro.
I didn't go there much (I don't really drink coffee) but was sad to hear they had gone out of business. The neighborhood needs something on that corner.
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You could rent bikes and tandems to ride in Forest Park and they had a full service bike repair/tune up shop.
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Right, but you can rent bikes at Big Shark - a big, full-service, excellent bike shop or at the Forest Park Visitor's Center (which also has a cafe). One thing is that Velocity could have been 1/3 its size - good for walk-in coffee traffic with a few tables and bikes if you want.
seeing above the brown paper over the windows there appears to be some activity
does anyone know what is going on inside?
does anyone know what is going on inside?
It will be an interesting hybrid: part coffee house, part adult health care/day care center, the former called Sip 'n Savor, the latter, Family of Love. The coffee area will be a minor part of the project, with entry off of DeBaliviere.
The Project Manager hopes to have both portions operational before the end of September.
The Project Manager hopes to have both portions operational before the end of September.
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Hebeter, it looks like an adult day care facility is going into that location. Notice was posted of a permit hearing several weeks ago.hebeter wrote:seeing above the brown paper over the windows there appears to be some activity
does anyone know what is going on inside?
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I heard just a fragment of a reference to a rumor that Coffee Cartel plans to open a 2nd location in the Loop. 