wfdude

What is going in at 401 Oberlin? Also, are there any links to the proposed West Apartments? I'm totally unfamiliar with those. Thanks!

My office is up above Hamlin Drugs, directly across the street from the space where "The Remedy" sign is. Three co-workers said that they discovered that it would be a 24 hour diner that serves breakfast food (among other diner-type food). How exciting, if this is true! I've been dying for 24 hour food in downtown! Anybody have more info on this?

Thank you! I would suppose BOJ would stand for Cajun Fried Chicken?!?!?

I love Cosi, there are a number of them in DC, and I agree that they, or something similar, would be great for that location.

Yep, I just passed that this evening, as well. I hope this isn't one of those "remodeling" situations where they never re-open.

One thing that bugs me about Big Ed's is that they close at noon on Saturdays. I wish they'd extend their hours. I love Elmo's and I eat there nearly every time I go to Durham. Its such a fantastic place, and I think they'd do wonderfully in the old Daryls spot on Hillsborough St. It would cater to more than just a downtown crowd, but also the NCSU crowd. The NCSU area, to my knowledge, has no "diner" type establishment. I'm sure there are loads of other good downtown locations for Elmo's as well!

I got one and I live near the Brownstone Hotel and Pullen Baptist Church, so its making it just outside the downtown proper at least! I'm gonna head back over there, but like everyone else, the hours just aren't good for my grocery shopping habits.

I drove by Pooles Diner tonight to get some semi-late-night food (it was about 11:30pm, Saturday night)) and the lights were out and there was a sign on the door that said "restaurant for sale". Does anybody know anything about this?

Yeah, seriously. I was offended by the website. It was rediculous.

Wow, sounds like a really nice shopping center. Its too bad we lost the neat Burlington Industries building for it. I've always preferred Friendly Center over Four Seasons, but it wasn't actually the first Ben and Jerry's. There was once a Ben and Jerry's on Tate St, back in the day. It closed sometime during the mid-90s.

I actually didn't have any trouble parking. I parked a street over on Davie, and I walked around and experienced what was going on, and I think thats the idea that most downtown advocates have. I know this may not always be the case, but the parking decks were full and they make downtown more dense and therefore more pedestrian friendly. Thats exactly what the narrowed streets and widened sidewalks do. Driving directly to a place in your car and then leaving that place in your car is exactly why Greensboro (and every other city in NC) is the sprawling generic mess that it is. I don't think any of us see more mass transit options coming to Greensboro in the near future, and IMO there is ample parking in downtown Greensboro -- you just have to be willing to get up and walk a few blocks instead of sticking to the mindset that you must find the closest parking spot to your destination or else you will be "doomed" to walking too much to get there. As far as the widened sidewalks go, I believe they certainly had long term positive effects that were well worth cutting into the street back when the changes were made. Cars don't make a downtown successful, people do.

I believe that O'Kennedy's was located up in the State Street shops before relocating downtown. Either way, it seems just as good, if not better, if businesses are relocating downtown from somewhere else in the city. That means they have confidence in downtown! I think the trees and the extra sidewalk space has really paid off. Looking down Elm Street, there was a sea of people from the train tracks near Natty Greene's all the way up past the N-Club.

My boyfriend and I were in downtown Greensboro on Saturday night from about 9-11:45pm after moving him back in at Guilford College and I was absolutely amazed at the amount of people going into all of the new restaurants, bars, galleries, etc. We went to Natty Greene's Pub / Brewhouse. I couldn't believe how many new businesses there were. It was like being in a huge city on a Saturday night, and it definately seemed like there were as many people out and about as there are in Glenwood South or the City Market area of Raleigh, if not more. What's truly amazing is how quickly this has seemed to happen... only two years ago when I was still at UNCG there probably weren't half of the nightlife / restaurant establishments in downtown that there are now. Another thing that impressed me was how late all of the new restaurants were open... most of those on the list were open as late as 11:45 and there were plenty of people in all of them. Whatever Greensboro is doing, they are doing it right and I can't wait to go back soon! Oh yes, and the Smothers Place lofts looked awesome!