The Promenade At Chenal

[Aporkalypse]

You guys must have gotten close! Are you just driving around?

The logo's on the sign in front, the stained glass is on a building right down the main entranceway facing Chenal and on at least one other building behind it that is harder to see. I haven't snuck in for a better look, though I have to admit I'd like to.

[hartford]

I keep waiting on confirmed restaurants to be announced. I think this component could make or break this development because most of the stores are "seconds" in the market, so if they could bring in some new to the market dining options it would really bring the excitement level up a notch. I know Chili's and the Bravo Italian place have been mentioned but I have never seen anything confirming them. I hope they bring more than that. I agree with the previous posters that it is a very nice looking development, especially compared to other new centers around the state, but I am definately hoping for more exciting restaurants than Chili's. Anybody heard any rumors regarding dining at the Promenade???

[theman]

I keep waiting on confirmed restaurants to be announced. I think this component could make or break this development because most of the stores are "seconds" in the market, so if they could bring in some new to the market dining options it would really bring the excitement level up a notch. I know Chili's and the Bravo Italian place have been mentioned but I have never seen anything confirming them. I hope they bring more than that. I agree with the previous posters that it is a very nice looking development, especially compared to other new centers around the state, but I am definately hoping for more exciting restaurants than Chili's. Anybody heard any rumors regarding dining at the Promenade???

They should be officially announcing all of the tenants soon. The movie theater is opening in less than a month so you would think they would go ahead and officially announce of all tenants.

[adman0468]

I keep waiting on confirmed restaurants to be announced. I think this component could make or break this development because most of the stores are "seconds" in the market, so if they could bring in some new to the market dining options it would really bring the excitement level up a notch. I know Chili's and the Bravo Italian place have been mentioned but I have never seen anything confirming them. I hope they bring more than that. I agree with the previous posters that it is a very nice looking development, especially compared to other new centers around the state, but I am definately hoping for more exciting restaurants than Chili's. Anybody heard any rumors regarding dining at the Promenade???

Those are the only restaurants I've heard mention of, although people on this site have speculated about Ruth's Chris. Interesting restaurants are important - look at Pleasant Ridge. That shopping center doesn't excite me at all except for the restaurants. And with the Promenade's main street feel, even a Chili's is going to feel like a different experience if you can have some outdoor seating or at least views out onto something other than a huge parking lot. That said, I'd much rather see better alternatives than Chili's. Bravo seemed like a nice idea, so would La Madeline's. I love those in Dallas.

[Aporkalypse]

Those are the only restaurants I've heard mention of, although people on this site have speculated about Ruth's Chris. Interesting restaurants are important - look at Pleasant Ridge. That shopping center doesn't excite me at all except for the restaurants. And with the Promenade's main street feel, even a Chili's is going to feel like a different experience if you can have some outdoor seating or at least views out onto something other than a huge parking lot. That said, I'd much rather see better alternatives than Chili's. Bravo seemed like a nice idea, so would La Madeline's. I love those in Dallas.

I love La Madeleine but I think LR is a very small market for them. It's an obvious perfect fit for the development and neighborhood. I'm kind of surprised Chili's picked Chenal and vice versa but living nearby, I don't mind. The Chili's on Rodney Parham is overcrowded and frankly West LR could probably support 3.

Interesting note on Bravo's, Jerry Bakarat (owner of Gaucho's, Terrace on the Green, Arthur's and Sesame's) is putting in an Italian restaurant in the old Gaucho's location at Village at Rahling Road, right across the street from Promenade at Chenal.

[Architect]

I love La Madeleine but I think LR is a very small market for them. It's an obvious perfect fit for the development and neighborhood. I'm kind of surprised Chili's picked Chenal and vice versa but living nearby, I don't mind. The Chili's on Rodney Parham is overcrowded and frankly West LR could probably support 3.

Interesting note on Bravo's, Jerry Bakarat (owner of Gaucho's, Terrace on the Green, Arthur's and Sesame's) is putting in an Italian restaurant in the old Gaucho's location at Village at Rahling Road, right across the street from Promenade at Chenal.

I know Jerry. Great guys with exceptional business savvy. But that guy changes restaurant menus/concepts more often than I change socks.

[turboturtle]

But that guy changes restaurant menus/concepts more often than I change socks.

Why would you ever want to change your socks?

[ArkansasTraveler]

Is that the sign that's barely visible across from DSW and down into the center a bit? I couldn't tell what it was. It looked green and white, with two lines of words.

I saw the sign you're talking about on Saturday, and also wondered what the sign was. It's just down from Portrait Innovations off of LaGrande, for those who haven't yet ventured over. The road work is complete all around the center, if not necessarily through the middle of it. (Access directly across from Rahling is currently blocked by barricades and construction crew vehicles.) A secondary street appears to be in the works, leading out from the loop behind the center and away from Chenal Parkway, too

[adman0468]

The city's master plan is for Rahling to continue to Kanis, then beyond. That work is in process, but looks like it won't be ready for a while. I know there is then a connector street that will go from Rahling into one of the older Chenal neighborhoods. Maybe it's the SIM City player in me, but I'm always interested when new roads connect, changing the scope of a city and its traffic. At the same time, I'm waiting for completion of the various roads around Fellowship Bible.

[Aporkalypse]

The city's master plan is for Rahling to continue to Kanis, then beyond. That work is in process, but looks like it won't be ready for a while. I know there is then a connector street that will go from Rahling into one of the older Chenal neighborhoods. Maybe it's the SIM City player in me, but I'm always interested when new roads connect, changing the scope of a city and its traffic. At the same time, I'm waiting for completion of the various roads around Fellowship Bible.

I used to love that game, but I had to rely on cheat codes.

[Architect]

I used to love that game, but I had to rely on cheat codes.

That was/is in fact the coolest game ever. I remember getting hooked on it in college back in the late 80's on some crappy PC. Hours of entertainment in the computer lab though....

[bchris02]

That was/is in fact the coolest game ever. I remember getting hooked on it in college back in the late 80's on some crappy PC. Hours of entertainment in the computer lab though....

I still love SimCity 4, but that game is so buggy its almost unplayable.

[Stormcrow]

Sorry, can't help myself...have to continue the OT...

Civ is better! nyah nyah :p

Anyone play the new SimCity Societies yet? Looks so good, yet sounds so disappointing.

[bchris02]

Anyone play the new SimCity Societies yet? Looks so good, yet sounds so disappointing.

No, and I don't plan to either. That game takes all of the realistic city simulating out of the game and makes it more like the Sims, focusing purely on the social aspects of the game. I advise any real SimCity fan to NOT purchase SimCity Societies because all its doing is encouraging more of that garbage to be produced.

[LRguy21]

When does the movie theater open?

[adman0468]

Thanks for getting us back on track.

It opens June 6.

[LRguy21]

Okay, so june 6, the theater opens.

What about any stores, places to eat, etc?

I think this is going to end up being a very nice place to go for a movie, bite to eat and shop.

[bchris02]

Okay, so june 6, the theater opens.

What about any stores, places to eat, etc?

I think this is going to end up being a very nice place to go for a movie, bite to eat and shop.

As said above, restaurants will make it or break it. As dissappointed as I am with the retail at Shackleford, I think the restaurants will save it and I am looking very much forward to more of them coming online. Im hoping Bravo ends up hapenning at Chenal. LR could use another Italian place. Abuelos would be nice as well, and it would be far enough away from Cantina Laredo.

[adman0468]

Okay, so june 6, the theater opens.

What about any stores, places to eat, etc?

I think this is going to end up being a very nice place to go for a movie, bite to eat and shop.

You can search through this thread and get a good idea of when stuff is going to open, but generally, it looks like the movie theater will be first and most other things will open throughout the summer. I think a grand opening is planned for October, so I would think most things would open in August or September in anticipation of that event.

[ArkansasTraveler]

To that end, J Crew is among those summer openings, with its opening date projected to be on August 28, according to an April 28 article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. But I can't imagine for a second that by the time it opens, J Crew and the Chenal 9 IMAX will be all that's up and running. Surely something else will surface around middle to late July.

[Miss Cole]

Has anyone noticed that the Coldwater Creek sign is already missing a letter on the east side of the store? It's been that way for over a week now. "Codwater" doesn't hold the same appeal for me!

[Architect]

Has anyone noticed that the Coldwater Creek sign is already missing a letter on the east side of the store? It's been that way for over a week now. "Codwater" doesn't hold the same appeal for me!

You know, there's about as much chance of me being in "Codwater Creek" as "Coldwater Creek"! Ha!

Hopefully we don't also end up with an "Ape" store!

[bwiched]

You know, there's about as much chance of me being in "Codwater Creek" as "Coldwater Creek"! Ha!

Hopefully we don't also end up with an "Ape" store!

bbwwwahahahahaaaaa!!! so funny!

yes, i noticed the "codwater creek" sign, too! funny!

gawd, i am holding out hope for apple to be at the promenade. i soooo need them here!!!!

[Architect]

bbwwwahahahahaaaaa!!! so funny!

yes, i noticed the "codwater creek" sign, too! funny!

gawd, i am holding out hope for apple to be at the promenade. i soooo need them here!!!!

They are suppose to be there.

....and I'll be there with you!

[Architect]

I was at Park Plaza today in Banana Republic and had the opportunity to talk to the store manager. I inquired about the possibility of a Promenade at Chenal store. She said that there was a big push by their store (and I assume the regional managers) to put in a location at Promenade (specifically, she clarified that they had proposed a women's only store). However, she said corporate decided against it specifically because of the significant expense of the recent expansion/renovation of the Park Plaza store and that they wanted to see how it played out. She told me that the Park Plaza store does very well, and that corporate is still considering the Promenade development as a future opportunity.

As an aside, my opinion is that while I prefer and/or would like more than one location of BR in the Little Rock market, I think a Chenal location would only hurt Park Plaza. And in that vein, I'm fine with the current setup.