Types of Downtown Retail

[appatone]

Uptown does have crap like McDonald's. But we certainly don't want McDonald's out on Tryon Street (or at least I certainly don't). A2 is right, we easily have over 100 restaurants downtown so why would we be aching for an extra McDonald's. I do think Charlotte can learn a lot of valuable retail lessons from smaller cities but those lessons are found in places like Asheville where the local and unique retail scene is booming. We need unique, one of a kind eateries and stores not low end chain crap that can be found in every strip mall across America. We have tons of fast food joints uptown.

[nyxmike]

I think this store would fit in nicely downtown:

http://www.kuhlmancompany.com/index.php

Atlanta has one in Phipps Plaza, and now they are opening a second store. It will be located in the ground floor retail space of the Spire condo building in Atlantic Station. With all the new condo buildings going up, there will be plenty of retail space to fill. Maybe we could see something similar happen here..

[StevenRocks]

Kuhlman's nice. I'd never heard of it before now, but it looks really good.

[DigitalSky]

^ Well then I want a late night Taco Bell in the loop. Mmmmm Meximelt...

(BTW,if they ever did put a TB in the loop, I bet the store would do better than a lot of its Suburban siblings)

A2

Taco Bell Rocks

[Temeteron]

Yeah Downtown Columbia has Longhorn, so what.....Charlotte has Rock Bottom, and Stool Pigeons, and don't forget McCormick & Schmick's, and Morton's.......much better franchises than what columbia has to offer, although i do wish they would open a California Dreaming in Charlotte(which is affiliated with Frank Manzetti's, it basically has the same menu)........and they could open it in an old historic building like what they did with the one in columbia....it used to be an old train station!

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Cheap Fast Food at Street Level is sure to generate business and make the area around it seem lively. I think it works as a great first step. The McDonald's and the like I have seen in bigger cities are always packed. No stand alone fast food establishments though, that would be counter productive.

[lbl627mo]

I would like to see a Johnny Rockets downtown. When I lived in NYC, I would go over to Hoboken (across the river in NJ where a lot of 20 somthings live) and everyone went to Johnny's late night. It was packed. It's more upscale than the every day fast food like Taco Bell and McDonalds and would be pleasing to the eye with it's old fashion decor. Putting one somewhere in the middle of the Fifth and Poplar, J&W dorms, Vue, and Trademark circle would be key. You have thousands of college and 20/30 somethings living within three blocks but no in and out type restaurant that stays open late night.

[f0xym0p]

I would like to see a Johnny Rockets downtown. When I lived in NYC, I would go over to Hoboken (across the river in NJ where a lot of 20 somthings live) and everyone went to Johnny's late night. It was packed. It's more upscale than the every day fast food like Taco Bell and McDonalds and would be pleasing to the eye with it's old fashion decor. Putting one somewhere in the middle of the Fifth and Poplar, J&W dorms, Vue, and Trademark circle would be key. You have thousands of college and 20/30 somethings living within three blocks but no in and out type restaurant that stays open late night.

There is a Johnny Rockets in Huntersville, but I agree, it would be cool to have something like that downtown.

A while ago someone was supposed to be opening a diner in 4th ward. I hope that is still a go.

[atlrvr]

I don't think I've posted this anywhere before, but Food Lion REALLY wants a downtown location in the W. Trade St. Corridor. They are looking to open a location in the next 2-3 years, likely under the Bloom concept.

[DigitalSky]

A Bloom concept store would make sense for uptown. The demand is high for uptown grocery, and this would be a cheaper alternative to Harris Teeter and whatever groceries you can get at CVS and Eckerd.

[Noneck_08]

I suprised Food Lion hasen't took intrest in a urban store before. As large as there market is here in the NC. I could see them opeaning up new markets in Downtown Greensboro and Charlotte. Raleigh and Winston would be good canadits too.

As for resterant retail downtown, I still say Charlotte needs a fast chain store. The only one I really think they should lure is McDonalds though. Alot of people don't like chains, but too the averge person, thats some of the most reconizable stuff. Imagine a two story McDonalds along trade or tryon. Someone coming from a bobcats game or something, would diffently stop by after the game. It would be one of the most packed places on a weekend uptown.

[appatone]

Most of the fast food chains are inside the office towers. We do have fast food uptown though, just about every fast food chain you can imagine, including a McDonalds in the base of the BB&T building.

[SmellyCat]

I've been waiting and waiting (and waiting) for downtown retail to happen since I moved here 2 years ago. I'm a little disappointd that all we have to show for that time is an Emerson Joseph. I thought once we tripped 10,000 residents that it would start happening.

[dubone]

I've been waiting and waiting (and waiting) for downtown retail to happen since I moved here 2 years ago. I'm a little disappointd that all we have to show for that time is an Emerson Joseph. I thought once we tripped 10,000 residents that it would start happening.

We now have Epicenter and Midtown under construction. That will yeild a movie theater, bowling alley, Target, Home Depot Expo, Best Buy and a lot of other smaller format chain-retailers.

All of those projects suddenly became active last year not long after the uptown population hit 10k.

[dubone]

I don't think I've posted this anywhere before, but Food Lion REALLY wants a downtown location in the W. Trade St. Corridor. They are looking to open a location in the next 2-3 years, likely under the Bloom concept.

Maybe they could build it under the baseball park?

[SmellyCat]

We now have Epicenter and Midtown under construction. That will yeild a movie theater, bowling alley, Target, Home Depot Expo, Best Buy and a lot of other smaller format chain-retailers.

All of those projects suddenly became active last year not long after the uptown population hit 10k.

Very true, but those projects are still all well over a year away, probably closer to two before completion. I was hoping for some immediate street level retail - perhaps someone to take the small CVS space on Tryon or the vacant space next door to that. I'd kill for a bookstore.

[appatone]

There's a bookstore in Founders Hall. It would be nice to have it out on the street, and it would be nice if they didn't limit there hours to business hours but at least it's something. Here's the website: The Bookmark

There was also a store in the base of BofA Plaza that had a fairly large selection of antique leather bound books. They cost a fortune though. Perhaps some sort of city supported effort could lure these stores out from inside the towers to the tenant spaces along the streets.

[dubone]

I'm surprised the retail junkies haven't posted this one, but Nordstrom is opening a temporary store downtown in the Hilton Ballroom for the CIAA tournament.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte...7/tidbits1.html

This is pretty incredible. I'm sure 'corporate ran with it' in part for public relations with the african-american community, but whatever motive, it is great news! I'm hoping that they do really well and open a small uptown branch permanently.

[DigitalSky]

that is kinda big. Nordstrom isn't in my e-mail alerts hehe but thanks for the news, even if the store is only going to be there a couple days.

[StevenRocks]

I just read that article. What a cool idea!

[dubone]

I have never heard of any store doing this, honestly. It would be cool if a new way for department stores to make money were popularized here. You know, it makes a lot of sense. So many other things are set up for events, so why not take some key merchandise and displays and some checkout kiosks to be right next to an event.

It is so innovative. It eliminates the constant overhead during lower population times, while tapping into the market during peak populations.

[DigitalSky]

yeah i bet that dude is getting kudos for coming up with such an idea.

[Minneapolitan]

Pop up retail has been going on for years. Two or three years ago Target opened up a temporary store in Rockefeller Center to celebrate Mizrahi's new women's clothing line. Numerous other stores have done this as well. It's just one way of testing a market.

[dubone]

Okay, so it isn't really innovative, except perhaps for Nordstrom.

To be honest, I didn't see at first that it was only two days, and not the full week long tournament. That seems really like a lot of work for two days, but I guess they want to just get in, show a presence, and get out.

[charlotte_bon_vivant]

I hate pop-up retail. It's like dating someone who won't commit. Either open a store or don't, but stop teasing already. I wonder how successful it was for Nordstrom. Target's temporary stores in Manhattan were very profitable from what I heard.