Downtown South (Sunrail/Amtrak, SODO, Orlando Health, Lymmo, Orange/Michigan Avenues)

[codypet]

13 hours ago, AmIReal said:

Seems Earthfare is done... again.

https://bungalower.com/2022/07/12/earth-fare-is-closing-sodo-location-again/

They did a miserable job ramping back up after the initial closure.

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, codypet said:

They did a miserable job ramping back up after the initial closure.

Oh my. I still am not sold on the location. It’s not particularly walkable with both Orange and Gore having several lanes and it’s awkward getting in and out of when driving. It will be interesting to see what comes of the space.

[dcluley98]

IF it was something that offered value I would go there.  A Whole Foods or a Trader Joes for the DT and Delaney/Wadeview area would certainly draw customers, and a low cost option like Aldi might have as well.  Earth Fare is too much like Publix right downtown and 2 more down the street at Southside, lol. 

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, dcluley98 said:

IF it was something that offered value I would go there.  A Whole Foods or a Trader Joes for the DT and Delaney/Wadeview area would certainly draw customers, and a low cost option like Aldi might have as well.  Earth Fare is too much like Publix right downtown and 2 more down the street at Southside, lol. 

I was just thinking Publix might go for the triple play… as for me, Good & Gather’s natural and organic options along with the WG farmers’ market keep me happy.

Edited July 13, 2022 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

38 minutes ago, dcluley98 said:

IF it was something that offered value I would go there.  A Whole Foods or a Trader Joes for the DT and Delaney/Wadeview area would certainly draw customers, and a low cost option like Aldi might have as well.  Earth Fare is too much like Publix right downtown and 2 more down the street at Southside, lol. 

Maybe something to draw in all that hot Beardall Senior Center business. 

Something involving bland, mushy food. 

Orthopedic shoe store. 

Pharmacy. 

[spenser1058]

58 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Maybe something to draw in all that hot Beardall Senior Center business. 

Something involving bland, mushy food. 

Orthopedic shoe store. 

Pharmacy. 

A vinyl store with only Lawrence Welk records?

[codypet]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

Maybe something to draw in all that hot Beardall Senior Center business. 

Something involving bland, mushy food. 

Orthopedic shoe store. 

Pharmacy. 

Nah, something that harkens back to their prime in the 70's and 80's.  I suggest Kmart.

[spenser1058]

29 minutes ago, codypet said:

Nah, something that harkens back to their prime in the 70's and 80's.  I suggest Kmart.

I soooo never liked Kmart, starting with the first one I went to on W. Colonial in 1969 or so. For one thing, as soon as it opened they closed the Kresge’s dime store in Parkwood Plaza. The Kmart just seemed like a dime store with too much space (it didn’t help they didn’t have things like hamsters or goldfish which I used to visit at Kresge’s several times a week - using the shortcuts, it was easy to walk to Parkwood from my house).

Anyway, the only discount store I ever liked was a place called Treasure Island (it was owned by Treasury Drug, which ended up with JCPenney). That was until I went to the grand opening of a Target in Nashville in 1981 (they were new to the South). As a fan of retail, I was struck by how well-stocked it was and how well the merchandise was displayed. It was obvious Target evolved from a department store while most discounters started out as dime stores. Hence, “cheap chic”.

Edited July 13, 2022 by spenser1058

[angela1117]

My husband and I were speculating this morning on what might replace Earth Fare and hope it will be something more interesting than Publix. I like the Trader Joe's idea (it's the dark chocolate salted caramels )

Winn Dixie might appeal to all the seniors downtown but the location isn't an easy one.

 I agree with @spenser1058 that it's not an easy one to get in and out of.

 

 

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, angela1117 said:

My husband and I were speculating this morning on what might replace Earth Fare and hope it will be something more interesting than Publix. I like the Trader Joe's idea (it's the dark chocolate salted caramels )

Winn Dixie might appeal to all the seniors downtown but the location isn't an easy one.

 I agree with @spenser1058 that it's not an easy one to get in and out of.

 

 

If they hadn’t torn down the Winn-Dixie on Rosalind, we might actually have retail on the street now…

[JFW657]

I'm kind of thinking that whatever does end up in that space, it probably won't be another grocery store.

If one failed there twice, that's probably not a ringing endorsement for another one to try it.

Maybe it'll become a CVS.  

Or better yet, maybe a  DOLLAR TREE ...???    

[spenser1058]

11 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

I'm kind of thinking that whatever does end up in that space, it probably won't be another grocery store.

If one failed there twice, that's probably not a ringing endorsement for another one to try it.

Maybe it'll become a CVS.  

Or better yet, maybe a  DOLLAR TREE ...???    

Oh my. Well, there is a 7-Eleven across the street so they’d make a lovely pair… of course, I still haven’t forgiven DT for booting our beloved Piccadilly!

[codypet]

CVS makes sense with the proximity to the hospital.  As it is there's a Walgreen's a block south in the hospital complex.  The next pair of CVS/Walgreen's is down at Michigan.

[spenser1058]

9 minutes ago, codypet said:

CVS makes sense with the proximity to the hospital.  As it is there's a Walgreen's a block south in the hospital complex.  The next pair of CVS/Walgreen's is down at Michigan.

Isn’t the ORMC Walgreens just prescriptions (while the downtown one is just the opposite)?

”Good Health To All…From Rexall!” (just felt like throwing that in)

Edited July 13, 2022 by spenser1058

[Jernigan]

Walked in Earth Fare once to see if they had any specialty cuts of meat and it smelled terrible, was empty, the meat counter was tiny and it was slim pickings and no staff around to assist.  I gave myself a quick tour of the rest and then left shaking my head.  I dont get it.  Winn Dixie feels more high end.

[nite owℓ]

Earth Fare closes 2 hours early now. They used to stay open until 9pm. Just FYI if you're like me and quite a few others who showed up expecting the store to be open.

[Jernigan]

Plenty of dirt moving around on the new medical office building on Orange and Harding.  They are also working on the streetscape across the street.  Will look very different and tighten up once all the work is done on both sides.

Speaking of which, wish the city would signalize Orange at Harding and Crystal Lake.

Edited July 15, 2022 by Jernigan

[angela1117]

7 hours ago, Jernigan said:

Walked in Earth Fare once to see if they had any specialty cuts of meat and it smelled terrible, was empty, the meat counter was tiny and it was slim pickings and no staff around to assist.  I gave myself a quick tour of the rest and then left shaking my head.  I dont get it.  Winn Dixie feels more high end.

Yes! What was that funky smell? We went once a few weeks after it reopened and it smelled horrible in there.

[JFW657]

48 minutes ago, angela1117 said:

Yes! What was that funky smell? We went once a few weeks after it reopened and it smelled horrible in there.

Maybe it's because all that organic, natural food their usual customers consume on a regular basis, causes more highly "odoriferous emanations" than the kinds of chemical and preservative laden crap we regular, everyday junk food junky types who shop at Winn Dixie and Walmart ingest. 

[AndyPok1]

12 hours ago, Jernigan said:

Speaking of which, wish the city would signalize Orange at Harding and Crystal Lake.

Define signalize?  Like an actual traffic signal?  That would be awful.  That would be 5 out of 9 intersections signalized in a half mile span.

I'm all for a pedestrian beacon or something there like was supposed to be part of the redo and got ripped out.

[codypet]

3 hours ago, AndyPok1 said:

Define signalize?  Like an actual traffic signal?  That would be awful.  That would be 5 out of 9 intersections signalized in a half mile span.

I'm all for a pedestrian beacon or something there like was supposed to be part of the redo and got ripped out.

You have Grant for that.  The reason so many people exit at Crystal Lake is because they're trying to avoid the Grant signal.  I could see FDOT doing an access management restriction at Crystal Lake

Edited July 15, 2022 by codypet

[AndyPok1]

I assume you mean Grant, but yes.  That's absolutely true.

[spenser1058]

2 hours ago, codypet said:

You have Grant for that.  The reason so many people exit at Crystal Lake is because they're trying to avoid the Grant signal.  I could see FDOT doing an access management restriction at Crystal Lake

That light at Grant and Orange takes forever. Whenever I was doing driveup at Target it felt like I should pack a lunch to enjoy while waiting for it to turn green..

[Jernigan]

9 hours ago, AndyPok1 said:

Define signalize?  Like an actual traffic signal?  That would be awful.  That would be 5 out of 9 intersections signalized in a half mile span.

I'm all for a pedestrian beacon or something there like was supposed to be part of the redo and got ripped out.

Currently, its the same as having signals downtown at:

Robinson (Kaley)

Central (Grant)

South (Michigan)

Whereas downtown, we have signals at:

ROBINSON

Jefferson

Washington

Wall

CENTRAL

Pine 

Church

Jackson

SOUTH

 

[AndyPok1]

Which is a one way artery in a downtown core.  Not a neighborhood.