Jump to content

Downtown Raleigh retail updates


Beth Y

Recommended Posts

I never understood how a place tucked into the back and slightly below grade of a modern office building ever survived. I guess the suits and office-y types didn't always want to wander too far for a bite. I certainly don't think of it a a downtown legend but of course I don't get to be the only person weighing in on these things. I am curious as to why the lease wasn't renewed. I wonder if a new Sam and Wallys might do well on the other side of the parking deck that Clyde Coopers is in now....? The rent in the base of a parking garage can't be that high can it?(upfit costs and who bears those notwithstanding)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I am sure everyone knows this by now but Helios closed abruptly the day after Christmas. It was a surprise to employees and customers alike. 

 

Yes, I read that the owner was just tired of running the place. He didn't sound to keen on saleing or renting it out...I should think that someone would make a good offer as it is a nice piece of real estate...IMHO!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know him personally but my 2 degrees of separation left with less than a warm and fuzzy idea even before the shutdown. The article in the N&O said he may not even rent the space and might just sit on it as an investment. He stressed heavily that this was his choice. I sensed a 'so eff off' trailing the end of that thought too. Anyway, Brew and Benelux are both seeing an uptick in business as a result so its fine by me...we have plenty of good coffee shops for an mid sized east coast City. 

 

In other news Quality Grocery closed too. I knew the lack of indoor seating would be a problem. And the fact that Oakwood/Mordecai has a record of saying they want things like grocery stores, getting them, and then not making a point of spending enough money to keep them open. Even though it wouldn't be the same space (and hence name) the Quality Grocery concept might have worked in the corner space next to Pie Bird where Contis was. 

Edited by Jones_
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

This nifty building opposite Martin Street from Nash Square is being converted into a restaurant/bar called Whiskey Kitchen. Site plan here. This building has nice art deco details and has always stood out. Plus, if there is anywhere in downtown that should remain low rise buildings, it is the southern edges of Nash and Moore Square.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For some reason I had thought this was going in Raleigh Times location 2...two buildings down...but sure enough the Facebook page says 201 W Martin. 

I have always been a little afraid this whole block would get snatched up for a single large skyscraper but...luckily the Hilton Garden proposal is only slated to occupy the SE third of the block or so (based purely on a rendering). This building (old Firestone), Berkley (or now perhaps Berkalacks), Raleigh Times 2, and Laytons are all quaint, or even cool old buildings that maintain a character laden block face, and allow Nash to see the sunshine in all seasons. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

New Raleigh is reporting that the Kimbrell's building on Fayetteville St. has been sold and new retail is taking its place. Urban Outfitters is what they claim to be hearing. It seems like a big space for UO. Their stores are typically around 10k sq ft, and this building is 3x that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ground floor of Boylan Pierce would be much better for Urban Outfitters….all the ones I've seen sans SouthPoint, are in old buildings. Also I am thinking that ground floor is around 10k feet but am not sure, just guessing...

 

Also… the Devon apartments have some kids dance place (tutu something) coming in to one of their 3 retail spaces. 

Edited by Jones_
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The post about Kimbrell's building being sold has mysteriously disappeared from the New Raleigh Facebook page. Not sure what that means, but I'm thinking they either got it wrong or spilled the beans on something that was supposed to be kept secret. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-4367-0-85497200-1433811296_thumb.jp

Jones, is the Kimbrell's building a beautiful older building that had an ugly 1960's era facade attached (like the Death and Taxes building)?

It replaced the Holleman Building which is seen next to the existing Boylan Pierce building here. I'm not sure the exact date of this photo though it must be between 1911 (Boyland Pierce date) and the 30's(the cars). I am also not sure if the Holleman Building was torn down for the current terrible building or if it was something like a fire (Mike Legeros website has a great year by year list of fires in the city that I used to use to narrow down dates buildings may have been torn down….if he still has it up that is). As an aside, there were also older brick buildings on either side of Briggs both of which looked kind of like the Holleman building though I don't have a picture of them. All of these were built about the same time as Briggs (1874) and Mahler (1876) as part of the post civil war boom. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Eh....I doubt Zack's beotching is representative of the future of downtown. Paddy's is an exception, but if he could keep his places from evolving into (devolving?) into sh%tstorms of ass-grabbing bros, (per the article) this conversation would have never begun. Isaac Hunters, Coglins and Common 414 hardly revived the downtown bar scene...they were all late comers....and that all three are basically dead except Friday and Saturday tells me it is full of people jamming in their weekly drinking all into one or two nights. I mean, he has a point that the City handled this all poorly....I'd rather see something like a maximum of alcohol permitted seating capacity per block or some other such thing that does not require on the ground enforcement. It's the concentration of alcohol serving places and the ensuing concentration of people who can't hold their sh%t together, not the sidewalk presence, that makes it a constant party. But hey, Glenwood did the same thing....the notion that it would be a fine dining, wine sipping laid back strip was washed away by the concentration of people who only showed up on the weekend.....and now Fayetteville has become the same thing. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

A few updates on things I've noticed around downtown lately and some news on restaurants that are opening/closing:

  • I stopped by Port of Raleigh in the L Building over the weekend. Great spot to find unique household items that you can't find in other places. The owner, Ana Maria, is amazing and really fun to talk to. You can tell she takes pride in all the items in the store. Definitely worth checking out if you're downtown.
  • Flight, the pop up shop on Martin Street put on by Deco and Edge of Urge has closed, as expected, on December 31.
  • The Borough (Corner of Dawson and Morgan in the Dawson condos) is closing on January 31 and new restaurant called Hadley's (I think) will be taking it's place.
  • According to New Raleigh, a pizza joint called Pizza Guerra will open next to Fox Liquor Bar on Martin Street. 
  • Batistella's has closed in City Market
  • Phonomenal Dumpling Truck, winner of the Food Truck Race on Food Network is opening up a brick and mortar restaurant. I've heard it'll be in City Market where the turkish restaurant is/was.
  • Provenance has signs up in the windows of the restaurant space in Skyhouse, but I have no idea if anything has been done inside.
  • Whiskey Kitchen looks like it's coming along, the parking lot in front of the restaurant is torn up and it looks like they're doing work there.
  • The owners of Busy Bee Cafe have closed the upstairs portion called "The Hive" and are opening a new restaurant concept focused on Belgian beer and local food. Here's a story from the Indy yesterday: http://www.indyweek.com/food/archives/2016/01/04/the-hive-quits-buzzing-to-make-way-for-the-belgian-beer-focused-mash-and-lauter
  • Twisted Mango in the Duke Energy building will be changing concepts again, back to Italian I believe.

And here's an article from the N&O that ran after the holiday. Apparently retail in downtown Raleigh did well this year: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article52659855.htm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I almost put this in the 'future of downtown Raleigh' thread because I think this is the sort of thing that can impact the big picture...of is indicative of the trending big picture....New Raleigh reported that Sosta cafe is being forced out by its landlord (not sure the details of who has this authority/responsibility or if Sosta is on month to month or what) to make room for the Wake Med medical facility expanding from next door. Sosta has to move by July apparently. This is infuriating to me simply because of the business being forced out. It is good, unique and small in scale. It competes in the face of Empire Eats an AC Restaurants downtown dominance. I realize this is easily compartmentalized as a one-off situation, but this sort of treatment of the small character laden places like this risks pushing downtown into a state of homogeneity if it were to keep happening. Other places with similar situations...Brass Grill(kicked out for more Raleigh Times, Coopers (managed to pull off a move), Father & Sons (assume they are still leaving despite the N&O deal falling through). I try to keep my antenna up for early warning signals of say a complete toppling ala Hillsborough St...

I hope DRA takes it upon itself to step in and help in these situations....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.