Friendly Center & The Shops at Friendly

[DigitalSky]

an upscale kitchen retailer called Sur La Table will open at the Shops at Friendly. There are 59 locations around the country including in Charlotte.

http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2...tml?jst=b_ln_hl

Yeah, I posted that a month ago (you even replied to it haha!) http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...st&p=761041

[cityboi]

LOL...so much stuff going on I forget

[StevenRocks]

I went by Brooks Brothers and Sur la Table today. They've definately helped start a new chapter in Greensboro retail. Very nice stores.

I also hung out in the plaza in between the new stores today. It's a nice space, and I was happy to see a wider variety of patrons than I expected hanging out and eating ice cream.

[cityboi]

I went by Brooks Brothers and Sur la Table today. They've definately helped start a new chapter in Greensboro retail. Very nice stores.

I also hung out in the plaza in between the new stores today. It's a nice space, and I was happy to see a wider variety of patrons than I expected hanging out and eating ice cream.

It is cool....with all those high end stores and the nice quality development, you feel like you are in Atlanta or something

[ezcheese]

I went to get a couple of scoops of chocolate fudge brownie the other day and hung out by the fountain. I was amazed at the number of people that were strolling around on a wednesday afternoon.

[IknewIwasright]

I heard a rumor that the Cheesecake Factory is coming to this area. I this old news that I missed? Can anyone confirm or deny?

Edited July 9, 2007 by IknewIwasright

[StevenRocks]

I heard a rumor that the Cheesecake Factory is coming to this area. I this old news that I missed? Can anyone confirm or deny?

Anything's possible, but I'd say it's still a rumor at this point.

[cityboi]

I heard a rumor that the Cheesecake Factory is coming to this area. I this old news that I missed? Can anyone confirm or deny?

Doesnt surprise me one bit. based on the trends of high end retail and restaurants coming to Greensboro Id say the Shops at Friendly would be a fair bet for a cheesecake factory (phase 2?), or maybe even the secret DT project. Anything is possible. If Greensboro can land a PF Chang Bistro, the city can land a Cheesecake Factory.

Edited July 10, 2007 by cityboi

[JerseyBoy]

Anything's possible, but I'd say it's still a rumor at this point.

Agreed, but I could see them in Greensboro. I take it they would want to be in Friendly Center proper, but where would they locate?

[StevenRocks]

Agreed, but I could see them in Greensboro. I take it they would want to be in Friendly Center proper, but where would they locate?

Hard to say, but just about any space in the center could be reconfigured for them.

[DigitalSky]

It's all rumor right now... wishful thinkers who want to have their cheesecake and eat it too

[RALNATIVE]

It's all rumor right now... wishful thinkers who want to have their cheesecake and eat it too

have you read the other threads in this Forum? that's nothing unusual.

[DigitalSky]

oh yeah of course. I know initially that even the newspaper reported on the possibility of the Cheesecake Factory lumped in there with Changs and REI and the "higher end" names for Greensboro so I think that it still may be possible.

[cityboi]

oh yeah of course. I know initially that even the newspaper reported on the possibility of the Cheesecake Factory lumped in there with Changs and REI and the "higher end" names for Greensboro so I think that it still may be possible.

Definately. Alot of people dont realize that there is more to that place than just cheesecakes. Its a pretty fancy restaurant as well. It would fit just right among the likes of REI, PF Changs and Brooks Brothers. I say within the next 8 years Greensboro could even have a Nordtroms.

Edited July 13, 2007 by cityboi

[JerseyBoy]

I say within the next 8 years Greensboro could even have a Nordtroms.

If that does happen it will be built in a new regional mall that could be built in the HOT that will feed off all 3 cities, sort of like Southpoint.

[blburton]

I could definitely see a high end department store in the Triad within the next 8-10 years. Depending on how downtown Greensboro grows, we actually may see one set up shop in Friendly Center given it's close proximity and easy access to downtown via Wendover to Battleground or Friendly Ave itself.

[Route]

Hotlanta, yes G'boro has a lot of money but most of it is in Irving Park, just across Battleground Ave, it's not in the burbs as all but right in the middle of thet city.

[cityboi]

Hotlanta, yes G'boro has a lot of money but most of it is in Irving Park, just across Battleground Ave, it's not in the burbs as all but right in the middle of thet city.

I agree, alot of the very wealthy are in the inner urban established neighborhoods such as Irving Park, Sunset Hills and Starmount. All are in close proximity to Friendy Center.

Edited July 16, 2007 by cityboi

[nowensone]

Hotlanta, yes G'boro has a lot of money but most of it is in Irving Park, just across Battleground Ave, it's not in the burbs as all but right in the middle of thet city.

Sedgefield, Oak Ridge, parts of Summerfield now, the old Cardinal, New Garden and HPC neighborhoods (especially aroound the GCC farm course). Pretty well distributed and many definately suburban, not just inner city.

[coastalmindset]

With the heavy requirements that Cheesecake sets forth I'm not sure Friendly, or many places in Greensboro for that matter, can accommodate a Cheesecake Factory. They require a lot of land with a 15,000 sq ft store and a lot of parking. If they do make it here I would be very surprised to see them at Friendly unless they are going to do some more major demolition. I'd look for them at a new project with some extra space.

I hope we get them soon.

If you really want a Nordstrom you'd better start shopping at the others in NC and ordering things from their catalogs. They tend to base store placement on traffic from other cities and orders placed from those cities.

[black vw]

With the heavy requirements that Cheesecake sets forth I'm not sure Friendly, or many places in Greensboro for that matter, can accommodate a Cheesecake Factory. They require a lot of land with a 15,000 sq ft store and a lot of parking. If they do make it here I would be very surprised to see them at Friendly unless they are going to do some more major demolition. I'd look for them at a new project with some extra space.

Is the Cheesecake Factory in Southpark Mall in CLT that large? I know they have the parking but it seems kind of small.

[coastalmindset]

I believe their restaurant is about 12,000 sq ft at Southpark Mall, the Streets at Southpoint store is just under 13,000 sq ft and the Crabtree Valley restaurant is 12,500 sq ft.

I was simply using 15,000 sq ft as a rough average knowing that they have a few monsters over 20,000 sq ft. When you are talking about that amount of space a few thousand feet isn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. They will still require lots of space/parking and Friendly is so difficult to get in and out of I would find it hard to believe they'd put a restaurant there.

I would see them either near Four Seasons due to the amount of Interstate traffic, hotel business, and ease of entry or in the downtown area. I'm not even sure downtown has enough regular traffic to support a Cheesecake. Just my opinion though. Maybe they could keep Wendover closed off so people have to go through downtown to drive traffic that way. HA!

[JerseyBoy]

IF (that is the big question) they were to come Greensboro they would go to the most affluent lifestyle center/mall in the area. That would be Friendly Center IMO. The Four Seasons area is too iffy and doesn't really fit the "mold" of The Cheesecake Factory. I don't predict them coming at this time, even though I know they would probably succeed.

[coastalmindset]

While I agree with DaAchiever that they typically would go into the "highest end" area of town and I don't see them in G'boro anytime soon, I believe in a city of this size they'd weigh other factors into their location selection. Typically a restaurant such as Cheesecake would want to be in the area of town that is the "newest" as far a development goes since we as consumers tend to follow the sheep mentality and that would certainly be Friendly at the moment. It's been interesting in my years here to see the shift from Four Seasons to Wendover to Friendly and now maybe a shift to downtown.

There is not enough mass in this town to create the traffic a Cheesecake needs on a regular basis. In order to supplement the lack of actual population they would want to be in a location that is easily accessible. Unfortunately Friendly is not that easy to get to where as Four Seasons is very accessible. I think the Streets at Southpoint location is a very good example of this theory. The rooftops are not there, yet being right on the Interstate draws the crowd. So like was mentioned by DaAchiever I don't see them here anytime soon or at least until we see a significant population increase.

[cityboi]

While I agree with DaAchiever that they typically would go into the "highest end" area of town and I don't see them in G'boro anytime soon, I believe in a city of this size they'd weigh other factors into their location selection. Typically a restaurant such as Cheesecake would want to be in the area of town that is the "newest" as far a development goes since we as consumers tend to follow the sheep mentality and that would certainly be Friendly at the moment. It's been interesting in my years here to see the shift from Four Seasons to Wendover to Friendly and now maybe a shift to downtown.

There is not enough mass in this town to create the traffic a Cheesecake needs on a regular basis. In order to supplement the lack of actual population they would want to be in a location that is easily accessible. Unfortunately Friendly is not that easy to get to where as Four Seasons is very accessible. I think the Streets at Southpoint location is a very good example of this theory. The rooftops are not there, yet being right on the Interstate draws the crowd. So like was mentioned by DaAchiever I don't see them here anytime soon or at least until we see a significant population increase.

I think people could be surprised. A few years ago people would have never thought Brooks Brothers would be opening up shop in Greensboro. Cheesecake factory is not out of the question but I think that could be 5 years away.