[Archived] Uptown Retail & Restaurant News 2012-17

[seanrichardryan]

The whole building looks really shabby.

[Minneapolisite]

Revitalization ≠ Gentrification. Once you understand that we can have an intelligent conversation.

The majority of what I read in your comments is vitriol, anger, and superiority. It is your intent to convey these emotions?

I would have to agree with EOst in this argument. One person's revitalization is another person's gentrification. It's all about perception. I think that all areas are vitalized in some way shape or form, it just depends on if what that area is offering corresponds to what one desires.
I also think there is a racial and economic component to this. Full disclosure, I have MANY hispterisms and much prefer "dive" bars to glitzy clubs, but I think that often, the neighborhoods that, if I understand you correctly, you are saying are being revitalized by artists, hipsters, punks, etc are usually poorer, minority, and immigrant. To me, the word revitalization implies that what was there before was undesirable and I think it's very rude to imply such things.

Vitriol, disdain, and smugness: you still got one out of three. And no, "perception" has nothing to do with it: rent is either kept cheap to be affordable to a wide spectrum of society or it isn't. It's only with yuppies do you get everyone else pushed out because everyone else can't or don't want to pay $1,200/month for a 500 sq ft studio. And what's rude to say that what was there before was undesirable if it was murders, rapes, and muggings?

Back in Columbus the signature urban neighborhood of the Short North in the 80s was a place where storefronts were mainly boarded up and people there got shot or stabbed in broad daylight while around the corner in Goodale Park women got raped and the elderly were easy targets for muggings: even senselessly beaten bloody. While I'm not crazy about some of the gentrification that has taken place over there recently it is better overall in just about every way than it was at its worst.

[twincitizen]

Aaaanyways, a Jersey Mike's sandwich shop is opening in the former Dunn Bros space at Lake & Humboldt.

In non-Uptown restaurant news, but still technically W Lake St, the Wendy's at Lake & Pleasant has closed permanently. Just down the block, a proposal at the Champions Bar site is on the Lyndale Neighborhood's agenda next month. Absolutely zero details are known at this time (reuse or teardown, etc.)

[mattaudio]

Bar Abilene has closed.
Had no idea it was open for 16 years, or that it was owned by the Kaplans.

[NickP]

Who are the Kaplans?

[grant1simons2]

I feel like more things are closing right now than ever before, isn't that the exact opposite of what should be happening

[MNdible]

I thought the Tejas people were the owners. Huh.

[gpete]

Sam Kaplan was a big lawyer and he and his wife have been major fundraisers and players for the Democrats and DFL. Sam just finished serving a stint as ambassador to Morocco thanks to his fundraising efforts for Obama.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wedgeguy]

I think with Cowboy Slims opening a few blocks away ,was the final nail in the coffin. They have not been all that busy the last few years with the proliferation of all the new restaurants in the area. I used to do weekend brunches there awhile back. But things just got to be the same and I lost interest. Will see if the lease was up, or if they decided that it was time for a new concept to keep up with what is going on in the area.

Any one know how the Russian Vodka place is fairing. When I go by it looks very slow, but I'm not around when they have their heavier traffic.

Looks like demolition is well under way for Cowboy Slims. Nor sure what type of set up they plan on doing and how they plan to integrate the second and roof top into the design scheme. Not sure if the bar will be street level with the restaurant portion on the second and roof, or the other way around. Time will tell.

[Chauncey87]

Here is the link.

Uptown's Bar Abilene closes

"Bar Abilene, a longtime nightspot in Uptown Minneapolis, has closed its doors for good."

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/m ... loses.html

[Wedgeguy]

When walking thru Calhoun Square today I saw a going out of business sign at Baystreet Shoes. That store has pretty much been around since the beginning of Calhoun Square. Not sure if their styles were not selling, or just an independent that could not keep up with the rents. Excellent location so they should find a replacement very soon.

[Minneapolisite]

I feel like more things are closing right now than ever before, isn't that the exact opposite of what should be happening

Not really for a district like Uptown: it's high turnover with high rent in a highly desirable area.

The new Dunn Bros near 26th is nice: they even have bartender garb. And beer/wine.

[Minneapolisite]

A Jersey Mike's? I can make my own coldcut sandwich thank you much and there's one in a stripmall down from my parents place. We went a couple times and meh, haven't missed it for years. Americans have a strange love for bland sandwich chains: this, Jimmy John's, Subway, and they want to pay a premium for them too. I'll pay for a good sandwich, in fact, I just had a great torta on Central (I got a little heavy handed with the hot salsa which I always seem to forget when hungover that spicy food not the best idea: because now you're hungover and sweating). And there's already Davanni's and Milo's down the street, not to mention other restaurants where I'm sure you'd find a better sandwich.

[web]

Davanni's isnt half bad!

[seanrichardryan]

Backhoes are digging a huge hole at Boneyard. Looks like a sewer or water main problem.

[seanrichardryan]

I give the GSpot about two more weeks.

Well, they got nearly a year. Signs are down and the windows are papered at the Adonis/ GLBT Spot. Undies no more.

[David Greene]

I'll pay for a good sandwich, in fact, I just had a great torta on Central (I got a little heavy handed with the hot salsa which I always seem to forget when hungover that spicy food not the best idea: because now you're hungover and sweating). And there's already Davanni's and Milo's down the street, not to mention other restaurants where I'm sure you'd find a better sandwich.

Er, you know that Milio's is basically the same thing as Jimmy Johns and Erbs & Gerbs, right? All owned by brothers/cousins from the same Eau Claire family. Yes, they are slightly different and I like the others better than JJs but it seems odd to love one and hate the other.

[mattaudio]

Nothing compares to Caffreys.

[mattaudio]

When walking thru Calhoun Square today I saw a going out of business sign at Baystreet Shoes.

Bay Street Shoes leaving Calhoun Square after 30 years
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... er-30.html

[Drizzay]

Backhoes are digging a huge hole at Boneyard. Looks like a sewer or water main problem.

You mean the clientele?






I kid, I kid.