Downtown Raleigh retail updates

[miamiblue]

Does anyone know what's going on with the Ale House? I was in Glenwood South last week and didnt notice any work being done.

A friend of mine who does marketing for the parent company posted this sketch of the Ale House yesterday. No mention of when work will begin or expected opening, though.

[orulz]

Checked the Carolina Ale House website for the Glenwood Ave location. Sure enough, they have a new sketch and the following information on the schedule:

The building will be located in the heart of downtown Raleigh at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and Tucker Street. The Carolina Ale House Glenwood Avenue is projected to begin demolition in the Summer of 2011 with a completion date of Spring 2012.

[Jones_]

Seems perfect for the location. With the hotel coming along too you'll end up with a nice active street scape along that whole stretch.

[Gard]

A prestigious bridal gown store is moving its store from Cary to downtown Raleigh! They recently purchased a corner retail slot in West for the store:

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2011/07/08/vera-wang-bridal-retailer-moving-from.html

[Jones_]

West pulled one off there. If this company comes with sort of built in high-end customers seeking them out (Vera Wang sells itself I assume) then I think its a good fit for the area. The high-end hair places, exercise joints and little things like Gypsy Jewel and Ornamentea all speak to folks with time and/or money on their hands. It might be a little of a stretch, but this could almost serve as a retail anchor....if there were other retails slots nearby. Move the Greyhound station and maybe the punch-out retails slots at Quorum become viable with stuff like this nearby? Who knows. Either way, Sandreuter is glad to get a fast million bucks.

[miamiblue]

The owners behind Isaac Hunter's Oak City Tavern are opening up Joel Lane's Public House in the old Enoteca Vin/Sauced/Artisan space on Glenwood. Noticed the new sign and flags outside on my walk this evening. They are supposed to be opening August 15. Surprised I hadn't heard anything about it until now, I guess I've just been out of the loop!

[Justin6882]

Actual retail (not a bar/restaurant) is opening next to Stitch on Wilmington Street. "Feelgoodz" (based out of New Orleans) is opening March 23rd. Check out their facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/feelgoodz.flipflops There are photos of the interior and exterior of the space.

[Jones_]

Even though I have not heard of them it sounds about as big as the level of Raleigh Denim. Way to go Empire for bringing them into the fold.

[Green_man]

Clyde Cooper's is looking for a new space. It was rumored they'd be taking part of the City Market building (the old Greenshield's space), but sounds like that is off. And now, it sounds like they are 90% along in the process of relocating on Wilmington St. Anybody have any idea where? What about the storefront immediately to the right of the 'fashion store' next to Taz's near Hargett? Is that occupied? I'd bet there is a historic looking facade hidden behind that metal cladding. Sounds like they need a large kitchen space used for catering and maybe just an average dining room space... sounds tough to find.

[RaleighRob]

^Greenshields spot woud've been great.

Is the space that Wild Ginger left big enough for them? I'm guessing not. Hmmmm.

[Justin6882]

Wouldn't that also put Dickey's and Coopers literally right next to each other? I'd prefer Coopers go into an old space on Wilmington, there are plenty left.

[Green_man]

Does anyone know the status of the Raleigh Times expansion to rooftop seating?

[NCMike1981]

Here's an article in the N&O today that talks about the changes downtown has seen over the past decade:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/04/2245575/downtown-raleigh-once-a-ghost.html

Come on retail! We need you!

[Green_man]

The new Laotian restaurant and bar, Bida Manda, is now open at the old Duck and Dumpling space. I went on Friday with a big group and tried as many dishes as I could because everything tasted soo good! And the inside decor is definitely one of the most unique designs to hit Raleigh. Definitely worth checking out!

http://bidamanda.com/menus/

[miamiblue]

Two new retail stores have opened downtown in the past week.

Lumina - 123 E. Martin St. - men's clothing

Deco Raleigh - 19 W. Hargett - art and gifts

[DPK]

The new Laotian restaurant and bar, Bida Manda, is now open at the old Duck and Dumpling space. I went on Friday with a big group and tried as many dishes as I could because everything tasted soo good! And the inside decor is definitely one of the most unique designs to hit Raleigh. Definitely worth checking out!

http://bidamanda.com/menus/

What's the price range? Food looks amazing, but I'd like to know what I'm walking in to since their website menu has no prices.

[Green_man]

Bida Manda price range... entrees are about 13 - 16 dollars. I recommend the cocktails too - rivals the Foundation for best in downtown I think. If you go, make sure to make a reservation, each time I've gone its been pretty packed and I've seen walkups turned away.

[Justin6882]

Kindred, the store that recently opened in the space near Gravy on Wilmington Street has closed due to "sudden events". Not for lack of sales apparently.

[Justin6882]

A new restaurant named for the famous college basketball coach and broadcaster Jim Valvano will be opening soon at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel in downtown Raleigh. Jimmy V’s Osteria & Bar is part of the major renovations that have already begun at the hotel on South Salisbury Street after the hotel was sold in October to a new ownership group.

[Jones_]

Also Ashley Christensen is opening two more...one in the Wilmoore space (forgot the name) and one in the renovated building at Salisbury and Hargett called Death and Taxes (because both a mortuary and a bank have operated in it in its history)

[Justin6882]

The coffee place is called Joule.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Justin6882

[JeffC]

Boy this thread has gone dead compared to 4 or 5 years ago...Bad economy I guess?  Couple of questions:

(1) what happened to the Raleigh Ale House that was supposed to go into Glenwood South in the old Pine State Office Building?

(2) did Wilmore Cafe close?  glad Ashley Christiansen is picking it up, but I really liked the Cafe and a shame it didn't make it (the fact that vagrants hanging out in the bus station courtyard that the place overlooked ruined any chances of customers using their outdoor dining area probably didn't help)

[Justin6882]

Wilmoor didn't close, she just bought it from them

Edited June 18, 2013 by Justin6882

[Jones_]

I think Wilmoore had an identity crisis. Am I a cafe? Am I a coffee shop? It didn't T up either concept very well (I realize many places do in fact do both well). Coffee shops are hang outs. Cafes are fast in and out. I could neither get in and out as fast as I wanted, nor did I feel at home huddled down with a paper or a laptop. The counter and line area took up way too much of the floor area where more seating was desperately needed. There was also only one food are register where there really should have been two. I know there was a dedicated coffee register but that was just odd feeling...

Anyway, if they homey it up a tad, and speed up the service I think it can overcome the hustlers outside. 

[Green_man]

With the World Cup groups and matches just being announced, it got me thinking... is there anywhere downtown that the major games could be shown on a big screen?

 

Last World Cup, I was living in DC and for the USA-England game they had projector screens setup all over Dupont Circle.

 

My initial thought would be to project the game onto the East elevation of the M&F Bank building at Hargett & Wilmington.  You could close that parking lot (and maybe the streets?) and have this intersection kinda as the festival center with food trucks, beer trucks, etc.

 

The Sunday June 22 game vs Portugal at 3 pm EST would be perfect for this!