Downtown Retail & Restaurant News

[MNdible]

Whether or not you like it, and even setting aside the financial side of things, it's not great for the embodied energy of a build-out like that to end up in the landfill after a very short service life.

[digdugsmug]

More info on Boludo including some Q and A http://millcitytimes.com/news/small-bus ... oludo.html

[Cat349F]

Who’s celebrating tonight with a sit down meal?

[uptownbro]

Not tonight but odds are I will go out to eat this weekend.

[amiller92]

I'm worried that the new strain will make the reopening something we look back at with regret.

[uptownbro]

Maybe, maybe not. We wont truly know. I do think we are in a stronger position then say june based on testing and as a data person testing is the most important.
Its for sure going to be threading the needle. Cases will go up with things open but the question becomes with vaccine distribution also on the rise I think we might be ok but who knows. We are up to around 150,000 people in MN who have gotten the vaccine. All of my friends in the medical field have gotten the first shot already which is very good news.
Also would it be safe to assume we might see new strains form every so often much like we see with the flu every year(please dont read that as me being a its just the flu person) ?

[Mdcastle]

I haven't risked my life to go into a store, bar, restaurant, or public building (save for a 5 minute dash into and out of a gas station or highway rest area when traveling) since this whole thing started, so I'm not about to start now. At least there's light at the end of the tunnel now that we have a vaccine so it's just a matter of time until it's my turn and then I can do something other than curbside pickup.

[Austinite]

Has Brooks Brothers closed in City Center? I thought they were going to reopen with a remodel?

[HKM]

Has Brooks Brothers closed in City Center? I thought they were going to reopen with a remodel?

Google maps lists it as "permanently closed" and looks like BB has been closing stores nationally with little media coverage since filing for bankruptcy over the summer.

[Austinite]

Has Brooks Brothers closed in City Center? I thought they were going to reopen with a remodel?

Google maps lists it as "permanently closed" and looks like BB has been closing stores nationally with little media coverage since filing for bankruptcy over the summer.

Well that sucks. Never shopped there myself - a bit too expensive for my budget but another shopping option gone downtown.

[uptown82]

Brooks Brothers moved across the hall from their old location this past summer. They were open a month or two and then moved out. Banana Republic in IDS is moving out too. 60-80% off the whole store currently. Almost every store in skyway level of gaviidae is closed. Retail downtown is looking quite sad at the moment. I hope it can recover.

[Austinite]

Brooks Brothers moved across the hall from their old location this past summer. They were open a month or two and then moved out. Banana Republic in IDS is moving out too. 60-80% off the whole store currently. Almost every store in skyway level of gaviidae is closed. Retail downtown is looking quite sad at the moment. I hope it can recover.

Thanks for the update. Very sad indeed. I hope the building owners/managers take this opportunity to lower rents to attract a mix of local and national retailers after this starts to get better again. Not just happening here - retail is closing nationally. Even NYC.

[DTSB]

Brooks Brothers moved across the hall from their old location this past summer. They were open a month or two and then moved out. Banana Republic in IDS is moving out too. 60-80% off the whole store currently. Almost every store in skyway level of gaviidae is closed. Retail downtown is looking quite sad at the moment. I hope it can recover.

Are you sure Banana Republic is moving out? All of the Banana Republic stores are having a 70% off Winter sale. I thought that is what was going on downtown. Not because they are moving out.

[grant1simons2]

They're gone gone. Not that surprising though.

[uptown82]

Fixtures for sale in Banana Republic. I asked and they are closing

[AccordGuy]

Fixtures for sale in Banana Republic. I asked and they are closing

This isn't that surprising to me given that their clothes are a staple of the business casual style wardrobe. Up until March I had been working downtown since late 1997 and most of my clothes I wore to work came from that store. I can imagine this store has taken a big hit with lots of people working from home. They often had good sales. Sad.

[BBMplsMN]

In general, Old Navy is the brand that they are growing. Banana Republic and Gap stores are closing. Look for this trend to continue.

[John]

I'm growing a little more concerned the Target Store at 9th and Nicollet will close at some point. There continues to be a great deal of loitering , with not infrequent reports of crimal acticvity at the intersection. And there have been late afternoon disturbances in the rotunda with fights breaking between groups of youths. I go there frequently and haven't run across too much nefarious activity, however, I go earlier in the day. Still appears to be quite busy there despite covid and the shut down of the vast majority of downtown businesses. Sure hope it stays open. If it does close , it will be a bad sign , and a clear indication that downtown is in for a long downturn.

[alexschief]

I have a hard time believing that Target would close their signature store, just as vaccines are starting to go back into arms, because of a problem that could be solved by hiring a handful more security guards?

[uptownbro]

I dont think target would ever close that store. Yes there have been more issues as of late at it but also a few more guards would solve most of those issues. I was at it this past sunday and it was fine besides the liquor store still being closed