The ai people drinking coffee on that website are disturbing af
"Just steps away from Forest Park"
I looked to see where this was referenced - and found it listed as being in the central west end:
"Located at 8121 Maryland Ave in the vibrant Central West End, Zensia Coffee sits in a neighborhood alive with art, culture, and quiet charm. Just steps away from Forest Park, local galleries, and independent boutiques, our space is the perfect pause — whether you're starting your day or taking a mindful break.
The ai people drinking coffee on that website are disturbing af
"Just steps away from Forest Park"
I looked to see where this was referenced - and found it listed as being in the central west end:
"Located at 8121 Maryland Ave in the vibrant Central West End, Zensia Coffee sits in a neighborhood alive with art, culture, and quiet charm. Just steps away from Forest Park, local galleries, and independent boutiques, our space is the perfect pause — whether you're starting your day or taking a mindful break.
I drove by the new Five Iron Golf last night. Completely dead inside. Only a couple of staff lingering. Granted, it was a Tuesday night..but still. It's the shiny new thing that speaks to the demographic that likes to hang in that area.. not very promising.
I work in the building, and a lot of people go in BEFORE work. Decent crowds at lunch, too. I think it would be in their interest to promote the bar area as sports-bar-esque, since there are not a ton of options in Clayton for that. Might help the evening draw.
We’re likely in a recession. It hasn’t shown up in the GDP data due to (1) noise from over/under importing the first two quarters of 2025 and (2) cap ex spending from just 4 tech companies approaching $100B per quarter.
I drove by the new Five Iron Golf last night. Completely dead inside. Only a couple of staff lingering. Granted, it was a Tuesday night..but still. It's the shiny new thing that speaks to the demographic that likes to hang in that area.. not very promising.
I’m not sure how good a view of the golf bays you get driving by. So it might be hard to tell how busy it really is. But I would think Tuesday is about the deadest night
I work in the building, and a lot of people go in BEFORE work. Decent crowds at lunch, too. I think it would be in their interest to promote the bar area as sports-bar-esque, since there are not a ton of options in Clayton for that. Might help the evening draw.
I thought it was really weird it opens at 6 am during the week. But maybe they do golf lessons before work?
Tora Asian House going into the space the Honey chocolate place was on North Central.
Person putting it in owned Mandalay Asian Cuisine in west county mall. Seems like a bit step up from a food court to Clayton. Says it will be modern fast casual. 50 indoor 20 outdoor seats.
I think we all know the space isn't what it's cracked up to be, and that's part of the problem. High rent, low traffic. If Centene had gone back to the office things might have been different, but they didn't, and by all appearances won't in the foreseeable future. And I don't think this has to be a Clayton vs. Downtown discussion. Clayton has plenty of potential and some good spots, that just isn't one of them. It's rather isolated and well away from the center of the action. If someone builds something on the three vacant parcels separating Centene from the Metrolink stop and the adjoining residential that might help; some apartments, say. Or something that actually draws nightlife. (If they'd built the theatre there that would have made the place a bit more of a winner, but I'm not sure I want to see competition for Midtown. In fact, I'm sure I don't.)
I think we all know the space isn't what it's cracked up to be, and that's part of the problem. High rent, low traffic. If Centene had gone back to the office things might have been different, but they didn't, and by all appearances won't in the foreseeable future. And I don't think this has to be a Clayton vs. Downtown discussion. Clayton has plenty of potential and some good spots, that just isn't one of them. It's rather isolated and well away from the center of the action. If someone builds something on the three vacant parcels separating Centene from the Metrolink stop and the adjoining residential that might help; some apartments, say. Or something that actually draws nightlife. (If they'd built the theatre there that would have made the place a bit more of a winner, but I'm not sure I want to see competition for Midtown. In fact, I'm sure I don't.)
And I don't think this has to be a Clayton vs. Downtown discussion.
But it always turns into one for some reason. One of my bigger annoyances on here.
It's because Clayton has been the biggest direct detriment to the city and downtown for decades. If you transfered Clayton to downtown, the city and region would be so much healthier words can't even describe it. But instead both struggle because seperated neither one has all the pillars of a true downtown.
So it's funny to see the County's/suburbs' shining city on a hill struggle.
Obviously Clayton is not comparable to West County or DT Chesterfield or St. Charles. But it's still a leech that people believe false things about because of propaganda.
And I don't think this has to be a Clayton vs. Downtown discussion.
But it always turns into one for some reason. One of my bigger annoyances on here.
It's because Clayton has been the biggest direct detriment to the city and downtown for decades. If you transfered Clayton to downtown, the city and region would be so much healthier words can't even describe it. But instead both struggle because seperated neither one has all the pillars of a true downtown.
So it's funny to see the County's/suburbs' shining city on a hill struggle.
Obviously Clayton is not comparable to West County or DT Chesterfield or St. Charles. But it's still a leech that people believe false things about because of propaganda.
Clayton doesn’t really hold a candle to downtown though. Downtown is much bigger and has most the major entertainment, which Clayton has none.
My issue is I don’t know why they get compared when they aren’t really that comparable. Clayton is still an inner suburb so in my opinion if people want to throw stones it should be at the outside 270 areas. Clayton doing poorly is not a good thing for downtown, because that just means things are likely moving further from downtown. They both need to be able to do well to keep people/jobs from sprawling more than they already are.
Anytime something good happens in downtown or Clayton I am happy, anytime something bad happens in either I am not happy.
But it always turns into one for some reason. One of my bigger annoyances on here.
It's because Clayton has been the biggest direct detriment to the city and downtown for decades. If you transfered Clayton to downtown, the city and region would be so much healthier words can't even describe it. But instead both struggle because seperated neither one has all the pillars of a true downtown.
So it's funny to see the County's/suburbs' shining city on a hill struggle.
Obviously Clayton is not comparable to West County or DT Chesterfield or St. Charles. But it's still a leech that people believe false things about because of propaganda.
Clayton doesn’t really hold a candle to downtown though. Downtown is much bigger and has most the major entertainment, which Clayton has none.
My issue is I don’t know why they get compared when they aren’t really that comparable. Clayton is still an inner suburb so in my opinion if people want to throw stones it should be at the outside 270 areas. Clayton doing poorly is not a good thing for downtown, because that just means things are likely moving further from downtown. They both need to be able to do well to keep people/jobs from sprawling more than they already are.
Anytime something good happens in downtown or Clayton I am happy, anytime something bad happens in either I am not happy.
I think you're just taking it too seriously. Yes, Clayton struggling is bad. But Clayton also has been the single biggest detriment to downtown ever, far more than West County could ever imagine. So it's funny to see it lose 600 jobs and it's funny to see the "can do no wrong" "safe" "clean" Clayton not be able to maintain a high end restaurant in a nearly fully occupied building.
It's not something to be happy about, it's just predictable and funny. And it's primarily not STL-supporters comparing the two. It's primarily people who hate STL and never go east of 170. I defend Clayton far more than I attack it.
In the present world 100% occupied doesn't mean there are many people in an office building. Centene still has plenty of their own office space on that campus. I'm sure it counts as occupied, but per my wife it is pretty quiet. It's essentially underutilized coworking space and conference rooms. I'm sure some of the tenants use their offices more heavily, but I'd guess at least some of them use it similarly. If there are half as many people in there any given day as there were before Covid I'd be surprised. I'm curious if anyone has actual pedestrian numbers before and after. It certainly feels quite a bit quieter now.
And I don't think this has to be a Clayton vs. Downtown discussion.
But it always turns into one for some reason. One of my bigger annoyances on here.
It's because Clayton has been the biggest direct detriment to the city and downtown for decades. If you transfered Clayton to downtown, the city and region would be so much healthier words can't even describe it. But instead both struggle because seperated neither one has all the pillars of a true downtown.
So it's funny to see the County's/suburbs' shining city on a hill struggle.
Obviously Clayton is not comparable to West County or DT Chesterfield or St. Charles. But it's still a leech that people believe false things about because of propaganda.
I do agree that Downtown needs to be our focus but a healthy metropolitan area of almost 3M should support both Downtown and Clayton as well as a few other dense office areas.