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Downtown Raleigh retail updates


Beth Y

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Hallmark has a rendering taped to their window....three bays wide on the second and third stories with 6 door panels on the ground floor, a stair door, two double french and a false door. The whole ground floor reminds me of Porters. Makes me think restaurant space. Times does indeed say Smoking Times. The bar looked nice...it might be teh one that was stored over in one of the Heilig buildings but am not sure. It reminds me of the non-smoking part of Hibernian...ironic.

Edited by Jones133
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  • 2 weeks later...

Globe (no "The") had a "grand opening" banner out last night. I noticed it on the way home from picking up a pizza from Mellow Mushroom (they don't seem to deliver east enough to get to me). They are in the 510 building, in the space south of Red Room, which was Crazy Vine for a few short months. I don't know if it is owned by the group that runs Red Room, Bogart's and Hi 5 or not.

At least it isn't October Station! Still no signs for anything near the Hargett/Wilmington corner. Sigh. The Smoking/Raleigh/Morning Times seems to still be busy, with the extra space opening just in time as it is too cold to sit outside.

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Globe (no "The") had a "grand opening" banner out last night. I noticed it on the way home from picking up a pizza from Mellow Mushroom (they don't seem to deliver east enough to get to me). They are in the 510 building, in the space south of Red Room, which was Crazy Vine for a few short months. I don't know if it is owned by the group that runs Red Room, Bogart's and Hi 5 or not.

Globe is run by the people from Bistro 607. I didn't look at a menu when I was there, but I went for a couple of drinks last Thursday. The space looks great and the staff is very friendly. There was a DJ playing some good music, but it was more of a relaxed atmosphere - no dancing.

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The article was pretty doubtful as well about survival until the CC gets done. What the paper does not do is ever venture out on foot after their own work day is done....Pooles has a loyal dedicated following that also frequents places like Borough, Moonlight, Rockford and Humble Pie. It does not need to generate business from the gaze of passing drivers or people who come downtown for a night on Glenwood south. What these customers are also good at is navigating parking downtown, I would even say many live in the fringes of downtown proper and would bike or walk to Pooles. This is your creative class that put downtown back on the map in the first place way before someone would consider investing money in something like the Paramount. I hope and think it has been sorely missed as evidenced by the opening night packed house and will do just fine, construction zone or not.

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It's about time they split up the old Greenshield's space. It was too large for most retail or restaurant concepts.

In other news, apparently Underground (bar/restaurant under Charlie Goodnight's) closed and is reopening as Old Bar again.

The space beneath Goodnight's Comedy Club in Raleigh is returning to a previous use. The Underground restaurant that most recently occupied it closed this week. On Jan. 12, it will reopen as The Old Bar, the business that was there before the Underground.

I'm not sure why it closed and why their website doesn't mention anything either. I thought they could easily survive (thrive?) with their bar business alone. I always heard good things about their food too.

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I think it is good timing for City Market to split up the Greenshiled's space, but it sucks that it took this long. With the RBC parking structure going up across Blount, people *might* stop complaining about the lack of sufficient parking, but I'm sure there will still be complainers. The city used to own City Market, until it was sold off in the early/mid 90s by the Fetzer administration, claiming the private sector could do a better job. As far as managment, yes, but as far as recognizing City Market as an anchor of downtown, the current owner has only held the Greenshields space hostage to maximize rent. Maxing out rent at the expense of the surroundings is not my definition of "a better job" but that is my opinion.

Poole's will hopefully do ok. There is plenty of parking (for now) across McDowell after 5. Crossing McDowell is easy, as long as you wait for the South Street light to stop inbound traffic. Once the Cabarrus/McDowell intersection is restored (hopefully before the new CC opens!), it will be even easier for pedestrians to go east/west in that part of downtown.

I wonder if the Underground to Old Bar change is just in name, or will they stop serving food there? I went a few times when it was the Old Bar, but haven't been in at least five years or so.

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It's about time they split up the old Greenshield's space. It was too large for most retail or restaurant concepts.

In other news, apparently Underground (bar/restaurant under Charlie Goodnight's) closed and is reopening as Old Bar again.

The space beneath Goodnight's Comedy Club in Raleigh is returning to a previous use. The Underground restaurant that most recently occupied it closed this week. On Jan. 12, it will reopen as The Old Bar, the business that was there before the Underground.

I'm not sure why it closed and why their website doesn't mention anything either. I thought they could easily survive (thrive?) with their bar business alone. I always heard good things about their food too.

The email I received from them said they were moving to the upstairs location.

I highly recommend the restaurant. Food is fantastic and a little eclectic.

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Good news for downtown street office/retail space. Two retail condos at the Dawson are going to be filled. These two sites are on the Morgan St frontage facing where the Hillsborough (Reynolds) project will be built. Now, only one retail site remains available (next to The Borough). IIRC, these retail condos were for sale, not and not for lease.

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cool an attorney (have lots of those) and an artist/art gallery. Her webiste says she is currently at 700 Glenwood which is the space accross Peace from Mojo's. We are already known as a town of lawyers since we are the capital, but Tireshop buying in will add to what I hope is a identiity as a destination for the arts.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Is this the same "tire shop" that used to be south of Kings and Poole's/vertigo? That space has seemed lifeless for a while...

In other news, there is a bar going in on Hargett between Wilmington and Blount. It looked like the tables, stools, and taps were in place, but there is no sign as to the name and/or when it will open. It doesn't look like it will offer food, but I only looked in for a few seconds. The SW corner of Wilmington/Hargett has some things built into it, but no signs. The NE corner doesn't look like much work is going on there yet.

The Mint looked close but not quite ready on new year's eve/First Night. It was good to see more places open on F Street -- Creama, American Pita, etc. -- during this year's celebration.

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Next to the Mint, the former Hallmark store had the front torn off over the weekend. They had a "small" crane swinging in metal supports for what looked like a new roof. You could see the old brick against One Exchange and the building to its north. I took pictures with my new phone, but haven't installed the sync software yet...

The warmer weather seemed to attract a fair number of people walking around for a Sunday too. There were a lot of people outside Times Bar, and a few random people taking pictures in the warehouse district and off Boylan bridge.

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  • 2 weeks later...

This is the "mystery bar" in Empire's Raleigh Furniture/Odd Fellows block of buildings that also has Riveara, the rumored Nemonade space on the Wilmington/Hargett corner, the barber shop, and Cherokee's LEED certifided space upstairs.

They had a wreath up for the holidays, but I never saw a "coming soon", let alone a "help wanted" sign, so they are somewhat connected to other bars in the area.

I hope there is enough buisness for Times Bar, Riveara, and this, but time will tell. It is good to see another "stepping stone" to connect F Street and Moore Square.

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Apparently there is a new bar opening up today on Harget St. This is the first I've heard about it. Forgive me if this has already been posted somewhere else.

New Bar Opening in Downtown Raleigh: Landmark Tavern!

Thursday, January 17

It sounds like Landmark Tavern had to postpone their opening to tonight instead of last night, in case anyone wants to check it out.

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It sounds like Landmark Tavern had to postpone their opening to tonight instead of last night, in case anyone wants to check it out.

I went last night with some friends and had fun. It definitely does have that tavernish atmosphere and the staff were really friendly. We were surprised at how packed it was. You have to sign up for a membership before you can enter, it's more of a formality though due to NC requirements for non-food establishments. I'd go back.

New Raleigh has an article on it as well:

http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive...pen-in-raleigh/

The pictures in that article make it seem really bright, when in reality they had the lights dimmed way down to make things more intimate.

Edited by DPK
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There's a new restaurant opening soon at the base of the Hudson, called Sono. It appears to be another sushi place. Man, if Waraji is moving into the old Est Est Est space on Hargett, that makes 4 sushi spots downtown, including Sushi Blues and Wild Ginger. Can a brother get some Indian food around here?

Also, there is a church in the 2nd & 3rd floor space above Landmark tavern and the barber shop (Odd Fellows Bldg)... kind of a unique setup over there, but that's what makes downtown so interesting.

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My wife a sign for "Purple Armchair" last weekend on West Street over the weekend and I thought it was another sofa bar.

Turns out it is a used/consignment warehouse, open till 7 M-Th, 9 F-Sa, and till 6 on Sundays.

It didn't look open, and their website hasn't been updated (December 1st, 2007 was almost two months ago!)

The website is graphics heavy, even for text, which isn't my thing but whatever works for them...

I might try to go to Landmark Tavern Wed night for a drink (earlyish) since the wife is working then.

I walked by there Sunday afternoon, but I don't think they were open for the day yet.

The church has been there for a month or so, and the Capitol Barber Shop next to Landmark had a "now open" sign as well. There are still spaces to fill (NE and SW corners of Hargett/Wilmington), but that area is starting to "gel".

Even the Marbles Corner Store (you can go in without paying admission! Yea!) was pretty busy Sunday afternoon.

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