What are we lucky to have in this market?

[paletexan]

Along the lines of the thread started about what we're missing, I thought i'd throw out this thread on what we're lucky to have for a region of this size.

To start:

- Will have the largest Hindu Center in NC (4000 sq ft) under construction in W. Cary. There is a similar one in Pittsburg, PA.

- There is an "Indiatown" off Chatham in Cary that has Cool Breeze, unique and authentic Indian style snack shop

- We have a bubble tea house downtown in Progress Building (even tho it closes at 5pm).

- Grand Asian Market - very modern asian grocery store unique for a region of this size.

- April & George's Wine Bar - Very upscale / big city and artsy feel in Raleigh.

- Lots of healthy grocery stores, Earth Fare, Whole Foods, Fowler's Southern Season.

- The Office Nightclub - big city exclusive night club (or was when i was of that age).

- Sak's 5th Ave and Nordstrom.

- Rolls Royce Dealership (Raleigh)

- Lotus Dealership (Durham)

- Neomonde Deli - Very good lebanese / middle eastern food to server that growing population (esp in raleigh).

- Pho Cali, 9N9 - Authentic Vietnamese Pho Noodle Houses.

[urbanvb]

So the glass is half full eh?

[DigitalSky]

Great thread...

First of all, I did not know there was an Indiatown. I must visit that place..

2nd, I echo what you say about dept stores... Nordys, Saks and even though its leaving, Raleigh did have the Carolinas' first and only Lord & Taylor store too.

Also, ya'll got a lot of Whole Foods stores (charlotte has 0, one on the way). Also Fosters Market in Chapel Hill... well basically anything in Chapel Hill and Carrboro the Triangle is lucky to have

[DanRNC]

Crook's Corner, Time Out, Hector's, Southern Season, Magnolia Grill, Nana's/Chophouse, Penang, Spice Street, Parizade, Duck and Dumpling, Cafe Luna, Mojo's, Chamas, Pazzo, Second Empire, Woody's, Patio Loco, Panzanella, Angus Barn, Enoteca Vin, George's Garage, Federal, Tyler's Taproom, Carolina Brewery, Figs, Fowlers, Verde, Top of the Hill, Fearrington, Il Palio, Peppers Pizza, Lily's Pizza, Five Star, Tir Na Nog, the Rockford, Snoopy's, Char-grill, all the Barbeque places, etc.

List could go on forever.

REI-2 locations (soon to be 3).

[paletexan]

Crook's Corner, Time Out, Hector's, Southern Season, Magnolia Grill, Nana's/Chophouse, Penang, Spice Street, Parizade, Duck and Dumpling, Cafe Luna, Mojo's, Chamas, Pazzo, Second Empire, Woody's, Patio Loco, Panzanella, Angus Barn, Enoteca Vin, George's Garage, Federal, Tyler's Taproom, Carolina Brewery, Figs, Fowlers, Verde, Top of the Hill, Fearrington, Il Palio, Peppers Pizza, Lily's Pizza, Five Star, Tir Na Nog, the Rockford, Snoopy's, Char-grill, all the Barbeque places, etc.

List could go on forever.

REI-2 locations (soon to be 3).

Those are all great restaurants. I guess I was trying to open discussion to things that the Triangle has that metro regions of similar size normally would not have. I definitely think Parizade in Durham is something found in larger cities.

[DanRNC]

Those are all great restaurants. I guess I was trying to open discussion to things that the Triangle has that metro regions of similar size normally would not have. I definitely think Parizade in Durham is something found in larger cities.

I would say that in areas similar in size you would not have the quality/diversity of restaurants we have here.

[JunktionFET]

The Triangle has two Cheesecake Factory locations, right?

The Triangle has a crapload of "high end" automobile delaers--We have two official Mercedes-Benz dealers, two (perhaps three now) Porsche dealers, one Land Rover dealer, one Hummer dealer (dedicated to selling just those beasts), two BMW dealers, one Jaguar dealer (possibly two now), the aforementioned Lotus dealer, Rolls-Royce, Audi, two Acura dealers, etc... I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting.

The possible additional Porsche and Jaguar dealer might be the new Leith Eurocenter on Capital. They are a factory service center anyway, but I'm not sure if they are a new car dealer for those brands. The Porsche dealer in Cary is high profile enough to have a new Carerra GT on hand

[urbanesq]

Great public schools in Wake County and Chapel Hill, and a Waldorf School (Emerson Waldorf in Chapel Hill). Waldorf is a great alternative form of education, and draws a great community to the area. The closest ones outside the area are in DC and Atlanta.

[DigitalSky]

mmm Waldorf. Makes me crave a salad..

[willrusso]

I know this is off topic, but this is an interesting view of downtown to say the least. This pic is a little old however.

[MR-2]

Duke, UNC, NCSU are very well-known and established universities for a metro of 1.3 million.

Of course, citing the Triangle as the thing that makes the Triangle unique is a bit redundant, I guess.

[Raleighmark]

There is a Mormon temple in Morrisville, which was a pretty big deal when they built it a few years ago. I thing the metro area was considered kind of small to have a temple.

We are the smallest metro to have two locations of the Cheesecake factory.

We will be the smallest metro to have three REIs when the North Hills location is finished.

We are also lucky to have the Carolina Hurricanes.

We are arguably the Mecca of college basketball.

We are lucky to have one of the finest public universities in UNC (this from a State fan) not to mention one of the finest private universities in Duke.

We are lucky to have the diversity that transplants to the area bring.

We are lucky to have an art museum that is starting to bring world-class exhibits to our city, and is considered top notch by itself. (Even more so if we get the permanent Rodin collection)

We are lucky to have a natural science museum that draws high accolades for a city this size.

Finally we are lucky to be far enough east to eat barbecue without ketchup on it.

[Justin6882]

We are lucky to have one of the finest public universities in UNC (this from a State fan) not to mention one of the finest private universities in Duke.

I would have to say we are lucky to have TWO of the finest public universities, in NC State and UNC. Both offer very different curricula, but they complement each other well since each are strong in different areas (NC State, engieering, vet school, architecture; UNC, liberal arts, med, law).

[urbanvb]

Ketchup on barbecue? no way! lol

[Raleighmark]

I would have to say we are lucky to have TWO of the finest public universities, in NC State and UNC. Both offer very different curricula, but they complement each other well since each are strong in different areas (NC State, engieering, vet school, architecture; UNC, liberal arts, med, law).

Indeed we are lucky to have all three universities!

[DanRNC]

Durham Bulls, an actual tech/biotech/knowledge-based economy (not just imagined or proposed), some of the best hospitals in the world (not only in the nation).

[mattm]

I'd say one of the best things we have here is a great music scene. I don't get to go see contemporary kinds of music very much (bands playing in bars, etc) but there certainly is a vast horde of opera companies (Capitol Opera, Triangle Opera, Longleaf Opera, Durham Savoyards, RLT does operetta sometimes) and several excellent symphony orchestras in the area.

[capitalapts]

Another triangle uniquity is the quality independent movie theaters in each of the three towns. Raleigh has two (and had three, RIP Studio Theaters on Hillsborough St.): The Rialto and the Colony, Durham with one (that I know of): the gorgeous Carolina Theater, and Chapel Hill has the Chelsea and the Varsity. You can enjoy non-corporate blockbuster type movies at all these theaters while enjoying a bottle of suds or glass of wine to boot!

[DanRNC]

There is also the Galaxy Theater in Cary.

[DanRNC]

Internationally/nationally known arts/cultural festivals such American Dance Festival and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

One of the best music clubs on the east coast: Cats Cradle.

Great college/community/public radio stations-probably one of the highest concentration anywhere in the country.

Two newspapers-which is rare even in major markets.

I'm sure this has gone way off topic.

[dmccall]

Back to basketball: We've had a team in the Final Four in 22 of the last 29 years. (7 champs).

Name any combination of two states out there that have done that, much less one metro city. You can't.

[waynehead]

Yeah, someone said we are "arguably" the college basketball center of the world. I don't think there's any question about that. When the 3rd best tradition in your area is a university with the history and tradition of NC State, then you know you're doing well. 2 top 5 programs all time, 3 top 20 programs = no question.

[Subway Scoundrel]

The Carolina Hurricanes

In my travels, people know Raleigh for Tech jobs and Pro Hockey. My brother-in-law was walking in Moscow while adopting 2 children with a coat with a small Hurricanes logo and had several Moscovites stop him and say "Carolina Hurricanes" while pointing to his jacket.

The Independent

I go around the country and the weekly rags are a joke compared to "The Indy"

IBM

The mothership of the tech business in the Triangle. If they had decided to go somwhere else, RTP would probably not survived and we would be nothing but "college towns" and the "capital city."

SAS/Jim Goodnight

Pretty cool to have the 45th and 106th/John Salls richest people in the world as next door neighbors, especially with all their investements in the area.

Burroughs-Welcome and then Glaxo

Had not BW come to RTP, Glaxo would not have. They started the Pharma/Biotech business in RTP which we have the chance to be the "Silicon Valley" of Pharma/Biotech.

Tobacco

Without American Tobacco setting up shop after the Civil war, this area would not have it industrial base of the late 19th century. Too bad the Dukes moved the HQ to NYC, but you can not blame them. May be dead industry now, but without it, we would not be we are.

Snoopy's

In the days of fast food giants, nice to see an local independent chain that stays open late just down the street. Plus the best damn hot dog even when I have not drank 5 pints of overpriced brew.

[paletexan]

The Carolina Hurricanes

In my travels, people know Raleigh for Tech jobs and Pro Hockey. My brother-in-law was walking in Moscow while adopting 2 children with a coat with a small Hurricanes logo and had several Moscovites stop him and say "Carolina Hurricanes" while pointing to his jacket.

That's awesome recognition. When I travel, people know North Carolina for one thing, Michael Jordan ... this makes 2.

[richthofen]

Another vote for Char-Grill and Mitch's.

On a larger scale, definitely the three major universities and all that comes with them, plus RTP/the tech economy are VERY good things.