ric75

Hmm I forgot where but I had read of a Brazilian Churascarria coming to the Slip so I assumed it would be there. Sounds like several spots will be filling in. I think both styles would be a welcome addition to the Slip.

Wow, I guess with so much going on this weekend this slipped under the radar. Finally Vault is opening! Grand Opening of Vault

Suburban Richmonders are willing to wait hours to dine at the newest chains even though much shorter lines await them at better quality, locally-owned establishments in the City. Wonder what it will take to get them over their fear of every business that's not surrounded by giant parking lots?

Jeez.. good to know the City is on the ball with these things. Wonder if the company is still interested in doing something there?

I won't speak for burt but if that entire shed is used for a bus transfer station then it does put a future limit on how many trains can pass through that area without major rail modifications and even then, space is a serious limitation. Secondly, I've always felt that downtown needed a destination building and had dreams that this building could fit that bill. making it a transfer station only moves people who were waiting for buses on Broad Street and shifts them over to the Bottom. It won't be an economic boon to the businesses there and in fact could be a burden if it isn't implemented properly. I see the idealism behind this idea but practically I think it's bound to be a failure.

Karsen's probably wasn't the best example to use in this case for the fact that they closed when the market decided they weren't a good value. That's what should happen. What local restaurants do you feel survive on reputation alone? Chains have another advantage over mom and pop businesses in that they have huge marketing budgets and access to cheap, pre-fab food. Do you think Applebee's, Ruby Tuesdays, or TGI Friday would survive if it wasn't for their television marketing and cheap, fast food fare? This is getting into my personal politics but I hate watching every city in this country become a bland replica of the other. I honestly couldn't tell you any difference between the Far West End and Northern VA or most any suburb of America. You see the same signs, in the same strip malls, and the same vinyl-clad houses on the same cul-de-sacs. I feel like the souls of our communities are being sold to corporations and advertising agencies and that many are complacently going along with it. In the realm of the natural world, sameness or lack of diversity in a biological system is a sure path to extinction. Perhaps that's why many of us reject the chain trend that has been taking place since the 50's. And by the way, I don't believe we should support an establishment solely because it's local but if just a fraction of our money that currently goes toward chain stores and restaurants would be redirected towards unique, locally owned establishments, imagine how fun and vibrant our communities could be? Sorry for the rant but I just felt I had to explain the reasoning behind my prejudice against chains.

Double post... thanks slow interwebs.

That is frustrating. Retail and restaurants will be hit hard by the coming recession/depression. I only hope we have the presence of mind to spend our money in the places that give Richmond its unique identity and help them stay open instead of supporting the further homogenization/commercialization of America. I don't think this one comparison necessarily suggests a trend. Several chains near me have shut down while more established, locally owned businesses remain.

Looks like Highwater will be seeing some changes in coming weeks... a new stakeholder has entered the picture and wants to turn it into a gourmet burger joint. Highwater to Flip (Burgers)

Yeah I wonder why that is? As long as I've been here, the younger folks living in the city have tended to spend their money at the bars/restaurants... usually the sports are supported by families in the suburbs but many of them have such a skewed perception of the City that they don't come... hockey has never been my thing but I have been to a few games. We'll have to see what happens. I personally don't feel sports make or break a City. I think the Coliseum suffers some of the same ills that the Diamond does... there's little synergy with surrounding entertainment.

Haha I hear ya Cadeho. But surprisingly enough a lot of folks are out there in the evenings, especially since the sun goes down so early. There were some joggers and other folks enjoying the sunset like I was. Plus the tripod can double as a weapon

Thanks guys. Yeah I have to give my camera and tripod most of the credit... I just pushed the button

I'll try and bring this thread back to the front page again. Here are a few shots I took Sunday evening on Belle Isle. IMHO, the river and it's parks are why Richmond is such a great City. Hope you all enjoy!

Bummed to hear about Relish closing. I'd heard a lot of good things about it. Perhaps the lack of street presence hurt them?

That would be an interesting move. Their current location doesn't get much synergy from other businesses. Glad people are paying attention to the area around the Carpenter Center.

Great post Steven. I've vowed to buy all my gifts this year from local merchants so I'll be happily doing all my shopping in Carytown and the Slip this year. Oh and does anyone know where I can buy a starter brewing kit in town?

That's going to be a great location for a restaurant. I hope for the sake of their view and for that section of riverfront in general that they make an effort to bury the utility line that starts near the power plant and runs west between Water and Main St. The City doesn't seem to notice them at all but their abundance drives me insane sometimes. Between the mess in the Bottom and the tangle of lines by the Jefferson Hotel and the new VCU buildings, I wonder what it will take for the City to notice how they detract from an area and mandate utility line burial with all new downtown construction projects.

Do you know if there will be any ground level retail or office space there? A friend of mine said that Glave and Holmes' office may be moving to one of those buildings.

The simple answer is because they don't want to have to drive to the far reaches of Henrico or Chesterfield to go to a nice theater. The demand for a first run theater has been there for ages and it's finally being met. Not only will it serve residents in the City but it will be the closest and best theater for folks in the near West End, Varina/East End, and North Side alike. There are plenty of folks to support this theater and though North Boulevard hasn't come into it's own yet, this is just another crucial step in it's resurrection. I haven't been to a theater (with the exception of the Byrd) in ages because I don't like driving 30 minutes to go to a strip mall but I will be going a lot more often now that this theater is here.

Here's a good read from Richmond.com. Seems a lot of folks are snapping up deals on housing in the City and the metro-area overall seems doing well in these tough times. I would expect the City's overall sales to be lower than the counties just based on the total number of units but Richmond is hanging in there. Wonder if that means that as a percentage, more units are being sold here in the City? http://www.richmond.com/local-life/25794

Tough day for news on the Richmond economy but perhaps there will be a silver lining. Instead of Chesterfield, Richmond, and Henrico, all trying to tackle things separately, maybe it's time they saw the advantage of working as a single unit when it comes to issues such as transportation, jobs, and a regional identity. Squabbling between counties and the City will only put us at a disadvantage over other metros when it comes to attracting new business.

A few shots of the future home of Pie.. I finally got around to uploading a few photos I've taken over the weeks! I have a serious motivation problem

I don't have any experience with suburbanites in other cities but the older suburbanites here in Richmond fear downtown like the Plague. And it's funny because they say things like "nobody goes downtown after dark" which tells me they actually haven't been there in decades if ever. Not sure why they are so dead-set against it but they are and they go out of their way to try and spread their anger and fear around to others... which is why you see so many negative comments on the TD. I wouldn't worry about it too much. The more attention downtown gets, the louder these folks squawk which tells me downtown is really building steam. The protesters will be the last to convert if they ever do so don't expect everyone to ever be on the same page. Hell, Richmond could be Manhattan and these people would be saying the same things they always have. Back on topic though.... I definitely support a downtown stadium as long as it is privately funded. Filling that gap between downtown and Church Hill helps create a large, walkable, safe, and visually appealing district stretching from Tobacco Row and Church Hill to the east, all the way through downtown, VCU, and the Fan to the west. Those abandoned lots are a very important piece to the puzzle so I hope they get it right.

Yeah I think they may have been hacked again. Some kind of active-x file wants to install when you visit there now.

As long as it's not on-topic for Richmond, it's off-topic which is on-topic for this particular forum