Norfolk Stores and Retail and Resturants

[varider]

Yeah im really hoping that we get some fast food joints with the additional retail at Wells Fargo. Someone said we have a Dunkin Donuts coming so that should be nice.. But i'd really like to see a mcdonalds or wendys downtown.. The city should give them some sort of incentve or give them property to build on because i think that would make downtown even more succesful and create more foot traffic. I have noticed that downtown has been especially crowded on the days where the temp. is warm..

[mikeas]

Someone mentioned some construction on Boush North of Brambleton. I saw a sign for Edgewater Construction Services and their website had these pictures. The address is 733 Boush.

Demo

New two story structure

Edited March 19, 2009 by mikeas

[mlsimons]

Someone mentioned some construction on Boush North of Brambleton. I saw a sign for Edgewater Construction Services and their website had these pictures. The address is 733 Boush.

Demo

New two story structure

This is cool, but I really wish I could be something at least 3 or 4 stories high to improve density!

[rusthebuss]

This is cool, but I really wish I could be something at least 3 or 4 stories high to improve density!

density isn't height.

[vtfan18]

Someone mentioned some construction on Boush North of Brambleton. I saw a sign for Edgewater Construction Services and their website had these pictures. The address is 733 Boush.

Demo

New two story structure

Looks too much like the Franklin building which looks too much like a government services building which looks too much like everything else. Glad to see the lot and building next door being improved. But its a catch 22...we are missing a great opportunity to redevelop this area across Brambleton. Unfortunately, it'll only be greatly improved if a developer can assemble large parcels of land across Brambleton but that task is going to be difficult.

[mlsimons]

density isn't height.

So you mean to say that adding floors on top of this rendering would not improve density. Again, I would like to see this be at least 3 or 4 floors instead of 2 TO IMPROVE DENSITY.

[Mobius57]

No No No hes saying density does not rely on just height. You were implying in that post that it is only dense of its over 2 floors high.

[mlsimons]

No No No hes saying density does not rely on just height. You were implying in that post that it is only dense of its over 2 floors high.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything. I was only speaking specifically about the rendering, which I think is fine...I just wish it would be 1 or 2 floors higher, thus providing increased density.

[brikkman]

Yeah im really hoping that we get some fast food joints with the additional retail at Wells Fargo. Someone said we have a Dunkin Donuts coming so that should be nice.. But i'd really like to see a mcdonalds or wendys downtown.. The city should give them some sort of incentve or give them property to build on because i think that would make downtown even more succesful and create more foot traffic. I have noticed that downtown has been especially crowded on the days where the temp. is warm..

Yeah, I never understood why there weren't more fast food places in DT. My guess would be rent, it would be too high. Those types of business allows all races and classes to come together on a daily basis. They can not stick everything in the mall and expect the area to bustle. Stick a chic fli down there, it would be off the charts.

[vtfan18]

Yeah, I never understood why there weren't more fast food places in DT. My guess would be rent, it would be too high. Those types of business allows all races and classes to come together on a daily basis. They can not stick everything in the mall and expect the area to bustle. Stick a chic fli down there, it would be off the charts.

Downtown Norfolk's population base and layout makes it hard to attract the vast majority of fast food chains. Their site location is largely a component of foot/vehicle traffic and parking. Many chains prefer to have their own parking lot for customers. Norfolk's population is not large enough to make up for not having their own parking lot. Pedestrian traffic is ok during the day but completely dies after 5pm. But I would like the convenience of a fast food chain or two downtown.

[urbanvb]

Raleigh NC comes to mind when speaking of fast food DT. They have a lot of 8-5 foot traffic DT but afterwards it dies down a lot. I think there is a Wendys or Chick Fil A that is open till about 5 pm or so. Something like this could work well for Norfolk then as more people live DT they could expand their hours.

[Telmnstr]

Well on Granby Street you have the lunch crowd. How many would go to Wendys versus Havannas / Granby Bistro / Famous Uncle Als / AJ Gators and whatever else?

Is the Subway franchise owned by Wright, who owns the Gym Downtown and the building that they both are in? (Decipher is also in that same space). I've always wondered that. Subway + Gym seems like a good combination to own.

Of course, there are signs for a competing gym that appears to be building out around the corner.

Perhaps the fast food places would be best suited to the mall? Once that HMS Host stuff is kicked out?

Also, it depends on the company but in some cases when a group or person buys franchise rights to say, Wendys... they and they only are allowed to open up the stores. So perhaps the Franchise owners are sitting fat (lol get it?) and not interested in expanding. Of course there is the space issue too. I'm guessing asking rents are too high. A friend pointed out that for the most part no club has ever survived downtown Norfolk a long time, and I guess I can see that. AFAIK Subway doesn't have the territory thing. Chick-fil-a, Hooters and Brewsters all do.

We've longed for a Taco Bell downtown for a while.

With regard to Machismos, they were on WAVY Talking about how the construction and such downtown is hurting business. A friend said that it appears that it did well, as there was a line out the door. We live right near it. Personally, I'd be cool if the burritos were smaller and cheaper. No one needs that much food, you know? If you carried a burrito to the toilet. It'd never flush. Evar. You'd just have water all over the floor. Too big. Caveman - holla sometime, we hit the burrito joint.

It's all good, in da hood. Other than the gun fights.

[urbanfan]

Hey, we got a Schlotskey's downtown what more do you want.

[mikeas]

Hey, we got a Schlotskey's downtown what more do you want.

There are Quizno's Schlotskey's, Subway, Tropical Smoothie, Popeyes, and McDonalds just to name a few national fast food places around downtown.

[vtfan18]

Well on Granby Street you have the lunch crowd. How many would go to Wendys versus Havannas / Granby Bistro / Famous Uncle Als / AJ Gators and whatever else?

Is the Subway franchise owned by Wright, who owns the Gym Downtown and the building that they both are in? (Decipher is also in that same space). I've always wondered that. Subway + Gym seems like a good combination to own.

Of course, there are signs for a competing gym that appears to be building out around the corner.

It's all good, in da hood. Other than the gun fights.

Just to answer some of your questions from above.

Bobby Wright owns the Gym Downtown and the building. The Subway is owned by a franchise owner (one of my neighbors) who obviously leases from Bobby Wright. The other "gym" has been in the works for a very long time leading us to believe it's on hold. Not to mention the viability of another gym in the area raises questions. Golds and the YMCA are the most popular for obvious reasons.

Edited March 20, 2009 by vtfan18

[brikkman]

The arcade would have been a nice place for a food court..........Nice family type of place...Like an airport terminal.

[varider]

I do frequent Granby Street Pizza when im downtown and would like a quick snack..

pretty good pizza

[varider]

219 Closing For Good

The recession has claimed another culinary casualty.

The 219, a local favorite on downtown Norfolk

[Sky06]

Was it the recession or was it something else? I always enjoyed going to 219, but I'm thinking once again the Pilot fails to give the full picture. After all, one place closing because of health code violations isn't a story. The usual Pilot agenda of negativism is.

See the following link from the same newspaper:

Inspections

Note the following at end:

"Manager/Owner aggress to suspend operation until follow-up inspection finds the above violations corrected."

[spiker3]

Wow, all that in one inspection, what an operation. My ex worked there as a server briefly around Christmas too, glad i never went in to eat. 219 was for sale for the last year and a half, but i think you're right, they shut down as a result of this inspection, and decided to cut his losses.

[vtfan18]

La Galleria and Bobbywood are auctioning all of their restaurant equipment. The folks from Zedd are out back loading up trucks. The sign is a little unclear...I'm not sure if they are auctioning the restaurants too but the equipment, furniture, etc are definitely going!

[Telmnstr]

La Galleria and Bobbywood are auctioning all of their restaurant equipment. The folks from Zedd are out back loading up trucks. The sign is a little unclear...I'm not sure if they are auctioning the restaurants too but the equipment, furniture, etc are definitely going!

That guy drives around in a Ferrari right? I've seen one downtown with the plate GALERIA or something?

[Telmnstr]

"Manager/Owner aggress to suspend operation until follow-up inspection finds the above violations corrected."

EWWWW!

I saw it for sale on one of the sites when I was looking at commercial space. I forget the asking price, but I remembered LOL'ing. I think it was $1.6 million?

[spiker3]

EWWWW!

I saw it for sale on one of the sites when I was looking at commercial space. I forget the asking price, but I remembered LOL'ing. I think it was $1.6 million?

Yeah $1.6 mil

If it was for the building i could see it, but just for the restaurant would be insane

[vtfan18]

That guy drives around in a Ferrari right? I've seen one downtown with the plate GALERIA or something?

Yes, he's got quite a nice collection of expensive cars.