PHTPL

Anyone here about Victory Club closing today, and the real story behind it?

I heard the same thing...the guy is on quite the spending spree. It'll be interesting to see what becomes of McFadden's. With new ownership, have you heard if they're keeping the name, staff, same style of bar...etc?

The Indian restaurant, the name eludes me, using the space formerly occupied by Chez Bayou has closed its doors until Monday. I tried stopping by there today for lunch, but had to settle on the Chinese place next door since I filled the meter. The Indian restaurant is still the same owndership, but they're reopening as an "American" restaurant, which I have no idea what that means. He said he may keep some Indian dishes, but no promises.

L&B fired 14 people from the Derby Station (over the phone) and replaced them with the displaced workers from Graydon's on Plainfield. Is Derby going through yet another overhaul?

I love this stretch of Wealthy St. between Eastern and College. I anticipate we're going to see additional positive and exciting developments in the coming months, which will help make this little pocket of town a viable business district again.

Cool.....I wonder what part of downtown they'd put this if it came. Ionia street is a little too saturated with bars. I think on Monroe, right near the new art museum would be perfect. Looking at their menu items and kitchen requirements (lack of needing an exhaust hood) I think a possible location could be on the corner of Ionia and Fulton, across the street from Taps. I've heard a sports bar has been slated for this ground floor location (there's even a bar already built behind those taped windows), but because of the historical nature of the building, the city will not allow him to poke holes to the outside to vent a kitchen. I could be wrong.

Chances are there was an event going on downtown if they're paying that much to park in every lot. An often overlooked parking lot, centrally located to most places downtown, is the lot across the street from McFadden's. It takes quarters or dollar bills and only costs 3 dollars. If there's an event forget about it since its card access only.

Thank goodness. I doubt it's the same guy, but hopefully it's the start of cleaning up problems happening on Wealthy St. as well. http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7...mp;nav=menu44_2

I ate at Flavors of India last week. Met my aunt, who really liked the old place, suggested we try the it again under the new ownership or management. I thought the food was excellent and she didn't say it was worse or better than the old place. My only complaint is smelling like the place I've just eaten at for the rest of the day. I'll admit to being a little compulsive about it....nonetheless, while absolutely loving Indian food, it's generally why I've avoided Bombay and other Indian establishments in town. Oh, and Chinese buffetts leave you smelling too. We may need to start a topic on the restaurants you go home with.

I didn't think it warranted a new top discussion, but has anyone heard or know about Stockbridge Pub? I just got a call from a friend saying that they were closed today and one of the partners in a neighboring bar had been "freaking out" about the Stockbridge Pub owners.

I stopped into River City slims a couple weeks ago to try something different. My wife and I stopped down there on Tuesday night when they have swing dance lessons and have 1/2 off the 2nd appetizer. There was a pretty decent crowd, a little older and definitely not what you'd expect to see in your "typical" downtown establishment. It definitely reminded me of a tourist spot in another city, like a Senor Frogs or Hard Rock Cafe, but it was nice. Food was so so. We ordered the small size nachos and the peel n eat shrimp. The nachos were overcooked and the bottom chips were not blessed by the cheese gods, but they were edible because they were baked and not from a microwave. The shrimp were de-veined and easy to peel, greatly appreciated. Nonetheless, they didn't have much flavor to them. Perhaps a little Old Bay seasoning or even salt in the water when boiling them would do the trick. After the dancing had ended around 10:30 or so, the place cleared out. Literally. Like I mentioned about it not being your "typical" downtown crowd, before we knew it, 40 people had left and we were the last ones, besides staff, left in the place. Not the best feeling as this isn't a cozy place like The Lumberbaron, Bar Divani, or even Bulls Head and Sazerac's. With out giving too much away, the interior lay-out is best described as themed. Unlike any place in town, it would resemble what you see in casinos in Las Vegas. While not a bad thing if it's busy, it isn't execute well when you're the only one there. I'll definitely go back again, perhaps on a weekend when they have live entertainment and it's busier, but it's different enough from everything else downtown that I recommend you go at least check it out.

There is a meeting tonight at 5:30 StreetWise! Raising the bar to improve our streets Neighborhood-Based Planning To Make Wealthy Heights Streets More beautiful and More Functional Would one-way traffi c make things better or worse? How about connecting some streets at the north end? Can we make Wealthy Heights greener? WHO: Wealthy Heights Residents WHAT: Meet with city staff members, architects and planners to share street improvement ideas WHEN: Planning sessions at the Wealthy Theater, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, October 11 Thursday, November 1 Thursday, November 29 Refreshments will be served! WHY NOW? In 2008 Wealthy Heights streets will be torn up for sewer work. This provides a great opportunity to have other street improvements made at the same time-if we plan ahead and let the city know what we want. Join the experts responsible for this work to create ideas for how Wealthy Heights streets can be improved. For more information: Contact KC or Cherry at East Hills Council of Neighbors. 616.454.9079 Wealthy Heights includes Donald, Robey, Freyling, Calkins & Visser Streets Grand Rapids Community Foundation

I'd love to know who's doing it and have them prosecuted. I just got hit last weekend and I'm sure it's the same person(s) getting buildings along Wealthy St. With references to Bemis and East Ave, I'm just worried it's a gang tagging. http://www.flickr.com/photos/93061053@N00/

The building owners are Dave, Paul, and Monte Reinert. The same group that owns O'Toole's and Monte's on Bridge St. Last I heard the building was going to be turned into a bar/restaurant called The Republic....serving tapas and small plate type meals.