Norfolk Stores and Retail and Resturants

[jeffconn]

Just spotted today: Muddy Paws now has a small store open in the Granby Municipal Building, where you used to pay the water bill! There's another retail space available on the corner of the same building. I like this a LOT! I'm not sure how many storefronts could be open in city owned buildings, but i know of a few parking garages that would be better served with storefronts rather than city offices.

[Ghentite]

Checked out a few of the new places recently:

Jack Brown's burger joint:  Small space but was packed on a Sunday night.  Great beer selection and delicious and reasonably priced burgers.  Solid addition to Granby.  Will absolutely go back.  Didn't realize it wasn't really a chain.  There are two in Harrisonburg and one in Richmond.  Concept developed by two JMU grads I believe.

Benny Damato's Pizza:  Another solid addition to Granby.  Really small space but they serve the huge slices you get up in DC that takes two paper plates to hold.  Shold take care of the late night crowd.  Also didn't realize that it wasn't a national chain.  They claim to be home of the VA slice with other shops located throughout the state.

Brick Anchor Brew House:  Decent beer selection and really nice on the inside as they did a good job of trying to get away from the Jack Quinn's look and made it their own.  Food and service (and they were nearly empty but took forever with many of the wait staff standing around) wasn't that great though.

[BFG]

Went to Brick Anchor tonight. Pretty decent beer selection, and the burger I had was great. However, I dunno if it was just a full house or because it's new, but it took a while for some of the other people in my party to receive their food or drinks. I'd still go again, maybe after the staff has had time to adjust.

From there we went to Tap It, right across the street. I only had a beer, but the atmosphere was cool. Great to see more local spots popping up along Granby. Can't wait for the Waterside District to open.

[ORF flyer]

 

Lamia's Crepes is set to open this week. The inside appears to be complete and the outdoor seating area is currently being put together today. It should be a nice addition to downtown. 

[BFG]

From http://www.thoushaltgrow.com/'s Facebook page:

Updates on our website today include a new seafood restaurant in Highland Park from the owner of LeGrand Kitchen, mixed-use redevelopment in Ghent from the owner of Decorum Furniture, a new wine and beer shop in Downtown Norfolk, and a major investment in Park Place. Check out the details at www.thoushaltgrow.com.

The major investment is an apartment building called Newport Manor, at the corner of Newport and 35th. Renderings at the link below; it goes before the design board next week...http://media.wix.com/ugd/4b6674_43b8fd847b8844abad41b523856e5dda.pdf

[lil-bear]

Newport Manor isn't too bad. A nice infill for 35th Street.

[jeffconn]

On 5/18/2016 at 0:21 AM, NFKjeff said:

I noticed that the shopping center coming to Hampton Blvd. will now be called The Railyard at Lambert's Point. The grocery store to be located there will be Earth Fare. This is a chain of organic grocery stores based in Ashville, NC, with stores in nine states. This will be Earth Fare's first store in Virginia. It looks pretty nice and seems to have decent pricing, and offers catering as well. I think it will do well in that location.

At least it's not a Whole Paycheck. Coelacanth Brewery should be loving this. After all the construction is done, their tasting room will be in direct eyesight of the shopping center. Right now, it's on a dead end street in a sleepy residential district.

[Arctic_Tern]

18 hours ago, jeffconn said:

At least it's not a Whole Paycheck. Coelacanth Brewery should be loving this. After all the construction is done, their tasting room will be in direct eyesight of the shopping center. Right now, it's on a dead end street in a sleepy residential district.

You mean Bold Mariner? 

[BFG]

So that's what that place is? I work at ODU and some nights, I'll take Bowden Ferry Road and wonder why there's so many people at such a nondescript location. That area will look pretty cool when this shopping center opens.

[jeffconn]

10 hours ago, Arctic_Tern said:

You mean Bold Mariner? 

You're right. My bad.

[vdogg]

IKEA posts have been moved to the IKEA thread.

[Former Resident of HR]

So I was in the MacArthur Center not too long ago and saw the Lidl ads that are hanging up. And there was the inevitable write up in the pilot: http://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/german-grocer-lidl-picks-military-highway-site-in-norfolk/article_3a4da689-357b-5ad4-b33f-1d2028ee5a3f.html 

As usual, there is a description of the plans bit no link to them. This is public info, right? Anyway I have been to Lidl in Europe and in general they are pretty awful stores. However, they are also stepping up their game and improving. If they look more like these pics: http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/grocery/lidl-unveils-store-of-the-future-amid-15bn-property-investment/7002025.fullarticle than the grocery equivalent of Olli's or this: https://www.kamppi.fi/en/retailer/lidl , they may have a better shot in the US. I think if they go full Dollar Tree with their stores, they will bomb. 

Now I know that VB is supposed to be getting at least two Aldi stores (Kempsville and somewhere down near the south of Oceana). The article says two in Chesapeake. Any in Norfolk? The Portsmouth one is OK- I have shopped there a few times and was surprised at the quality levels. Anyone know the scoop? 
 

[ntheo]

7 hours ago, JPN0731 said:

So I was in the MacArthur Center not too long ago and saw the Lidl ads that are hanging up. And there was the inevitable write up in the pilot: http://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/german-grocer-lidl-picks-military-highway-site-in-norfolk/article_3a4da689-357b-5ad4-b33f-1d2028ee5a3f.html 

As usual, there is a description of the plans bit no link to them. This is public info, right? Anyway I have been to Lidl in Europe and in general they are pretty awful stores. However, they are also stepping up their game and improving. If they look more like these pics: http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/grocery/lidl-unveils-store-of-the-future-amid-15bn-property-investment/7002025.fullarticle than the grocery equivalent of Olli's or this: https://www.kamppi.fi/en/retailer/lidl , they may have a better shot in the US. I think if they go full Dollar Tree with their stores, they will bomb. 

Now I know that VB is supposed to be getting at least two Aldi stores (Kempsville and somewhere down near the south of Oceana). The article says two in Chesapeake. Any in Norfolk? The Portsmouth one is OK- I have shopped there a few times and was surprised at the quality levels. Anyone know the scoop? 
 

Here's the best that I could find on exterior plans to be used in the US: http://www.richmond.com/business/local/article_2a99c3fa-01ff-5a7b-a2d8-5ee2756ef41f.html or http://delawarestatenews.net/business/european-grocery-chain-lidl-looks-expand-dover/ .

Lidl is upping its game for US entry. The best comparative are their stores in Ireland, and more recently the renovations they are making to many of their UK stores so in both countries Lidl is seen as more upmarket than Aldi though both use similar sales and merchandising concepts. I shopped in Lidl last year and am looking forward to them coming into the market.

Aldi is also proposing a store on First Colonial Rd. between Hilltop and the hospital while Lidl purchased properties somewhere on General Booth and on Holland Road by Shipps Corner. I find it interesting that Aldi is opening stores in every city from Williamsburg on down to southside with the exception of Norfolk though think that it is only a matter of time.

[tallguy81"]

Someone in a post on here said they wondered what the MacArthur center site would look like if macarthur center is no longer around someday.  Well this is what it could have looked like... 

[tallguy81"]

Someone in a post on here said they wondered what the MacArthur center site would look like if macarthur center is no longer around someday.  Well this is what it could have looked like...https://www.google.com/search?hl=en-US&biw=360&bih=351&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=0XGdV-2RH8a3ecS5jOAL&q=norfolk+development&oq=norfolk+development&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.3...0.0.0.11481.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c..64.mobile-gws-serp..0.0.0.vejbutyNoB0&dpr=2&cad=cbv&bvch=v&sei=LHudV9uGFofqed7ZhYgE#imgrc=CheVUK5s2G_oRM%3A

http://nrha.photoshelter.com/image/I0000XtVl7ydHcRc

 

[ntheo]

On 7/31/2016 at 0:30 AM, tallguy81" said:

Someone in a post on here said they wondered what the MacArthur center site would look like if macarthur center is no longer around someday.  Well this is what it could have looked like...https://www.google.com/search?hl=en-US&biw=360&bih=351&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=0XGdV-2RH8a3ecS5jOAL&q=norfolk+development&oq=norfolk+development&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.3...0.0.0.11481.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c..64.mobile-gws-serp..0.0.0.vejbutyNoB0&dpr=2&cad=cbv&bvch=v&sei=LHudV9uGFofqed7ZhYgE#imgrc=CheVUK5s2G_oRM%3A

http://nrha.photoshelter.com/image/I0000XtVl7ydHcRc

 

That map must be from at least the early 1980's because JC Penney used to be on Monticello. I believed they closed in 1981.

[BFG]

Never knew we had a JCPenney downtown. I wonder how different the skyline looks with all those proposed office buildings? I also wonder what the proposed retail does for Granby Mall?

I'd have to look on that Norfolk historic pics site, but apparently there were plans for an even bigger downtown mall in the mid-70s. The design was amazing, IMO. 

[BFG]

Found it. Wikipedia says it would've been called Norfolk Gardens, and it looks like it still would've gone where MacArthur is now.

[BFG]

A few new places are set to open at MacArthur, including a Cinnabon. The last one closed about 15 years ago...

http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/cinnabon-below-ice-cream-among-five-new-stores-at-macarthur/article_1e9d6de8-0b15-54ed-b553-d6bdc67b85df.html

[BFG]

I stand corrected on the Cinnabon; some Facebook friends told me one opened in Lynnhaven about a year ago.

Meanwhile, Applebee's is headed downtown, next to the Buffalo Wild Wings at Wells Fargo. I haven't eaten at Applebee's in a while, but I'm glad to see another restaurant go on the ground floor of the Wells Fargo building.

http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/news/retail/new-applebee-s-coming-to-downtown-norfolk-will-employ/article_218d2ebb-f223-5f67-9d6e-2cf5deac6c28.html

[ORF flyer]

That's great news! I've been hoping one would open at the old Max & Erma's location.

[jeffconn]

A few things to report on in the Highland Park/ODU area. Mack's Barge is now open in the old O'Sullivan's Wharf location on Colley, open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. I've been there for lunch. Nice and more airy than O'Sullivan's. Full bar, big screen TVs, and the patio overlooking Knitting Mill Creek is much bigger. No big fishbowl though.  Menu is seafood and comfort food. Meals are in the $10 to $20 range.

http://pilotonline.com/entertainment/restaurants/former-o-sullivan-s-wharf-on-north-colley-reopens-as/article_271fe677-8ea3-59e9-9ea8-f99cb148ceb5.html

They've opened up Shiptown next door to Mack's Barge a few weeks ago. It's run by the same folks that run LeGrand Kitchen just down the street, so expect more of the same with like prices, just with seafood. Only open for supper 5 days a week. I wish them all the best, but frankly i don't know. It's in the shadow of 3 bigger more established restaurants, and has no dedicated parking to speak of. The last successful business in that building was a stained glass artist, many, many years ago. In recent years, it's been a place where restaurant ideas go to die. 

On Monarch Way behind the Constant Center, two restaurant chains will be opening sometime in the future. My guess would be around the holidays as both spaces need a LOT of work to be transformed into working restaurants. Pizza Fusion will be located in the Starbuck's spot next to the ODU Bookstore. According to their website, they feature organic pizza, salads, sandwiches, and wraps. They will also have gluten-free and vegan options for those who need them.

Across the street two storefronts will be transformed into one restaurant, The Den by Denny's. This restaurant will take over the former Hair Cuttery and the cybercafe that was next door. It's a Denny's-run restaurant aimed at the college crowd. So it's burgers and Grand Slams, with breakfast items available all day. It will also be open 24 hours a day, so that means a 2nd 24/7 restaurant in the ODU area, and some variety if you're sick of IHOP.

Edited September 30, 2016 by jeffconn

[BFG]

A few months ago, council had considered the idea of making downtown Norfolk more of a "24-hour destination", with more restaurants staying open later. Has anything new come from this?

[ORF flyer]

While this has to be one of the slowest project's that I have seen, it appears that Leone's @ 455 Granby St may be nearing completion (at least on the inside). They still have to work on the outside seating area in the rear of the building. 

[jeffconn]

New store in downtown.  House of Maya Bridal Salons will be located on Granby. Last store in that location was a bikini/swimwear store. Offices for House of Maya will be located upstairs, so there's more offices occupied downtown.

http://southsidedaily.com/2017/02/21/house-of-maya-bridal-salons-is-moving-to-downtown-norfolk/