Norfolk Stores and Retail and Resturants

[vdogg]

Food Lion will test new stores concepts in HR

In the bakery area of a Bloom store, lush cakes perch on elegant pedestals in a display case more suited to a French patisserie than a U.S. supermarket. Bloom employees bake the cakes daily, giving them names such as Chocolate Avalanche and Strawberry Sensation. The store's bakery also constructs cookies, breads and its signature Bloomberry muffins, some topped with icing and a dollop of Maine wild blueberry sauce.

Bloom's produce area boasts more than 37 packaged herbs and 8 feet of organic fruits and vegetables. A "Flavors of the World" display holds such items as sunchokes and boniato root.

All this, from Food Lion?

Sounds like a fresh market/whole foods concept. Should be pretty interesting.

[urbanvb]

I think they already have these in the Charlotte area. Since CityWalk seems to be unsuccessful at drawing in Whole Foods or Trader Joes, perhaps this is a good alternative.

[wrldcoupe4]

Food Lion will test new stores concepts in HR

Sounds like a fresh market/whole foods concept. Should be pretty interesting.

They've converted many of their NoVa stores to this format... still don't hold a candle to Wegman's though.

[urbanvb]

no kidding. Wegmans is really over the top. I wondered if I was talking too loudly while checking it out.

Edited February 12, 2007 by urbanvb

[spiker3]

Good news to some of you, As Seen on TV has closed its doors for good at MacArthur...

FYE closed it's third floor location and opened it's first floor location across from Sharper Image....leaves alot to be desired, it's a quarter of the size of their original, and a quarter of the selection. There's an empty location next to them, i dont know why they wouldn't want both locations

So B&N is underway...

I'm getting ready to put in my two weeks notice this week, so these are my last updates more than likely for MacArthur....

[vdogg]

I'm getting ready to put in my two weeks notice this week, so these are my last updates more than likely for MacArthur....

Man, I hate to lose our man on the inside. I guess this has something to do with your possible Chesapeake move.

[vdogg]

Rising rents on Granby too hot for Harry's BBQ

- Making a profit is not a foreign concept to Bill Booker, owner of Harry's Famous Barbeque at 250 Granby St. That's why he understood the dramatic rent increase - approximately $6,000 a month - that would accompany a new five-or 10-year lease on the building he occupies.

"Don't get me wrong, I didn't like it," he said. "But I know this is a business for them and I understand that. I can't afford that kind of rent, so I knew I couldn't stay."

I love Harry's BBQ. It is one of those unique, hole in the wall, resturants that make a downtown great. We need to be careful when it comes to pushing people like this off of Granby street. An increase of $6000 a month is pure greed, it's that simple. I can't imagine that is a necessary increase. First station 2, now this. If we aren't careful the very reasons all of these new residents are moving to downtown will be gone.

[vdogg]

Luckily it looks like they'll be able to stay downtown (at Tazwell street). His is a story likely to be repeated in the future though as the smaller mom and pop establishments are run out of the district by higher rents. It'll get to the point that the only ones who can afford these higher rents are chain resturants, which is something I absolutely do not want. We do not need Town Center in downtown, keep all the chain resturants at the beach.

[mikeas]

Luckily it looks like they'll be able to stay downtown (at Tazwell street). His is a story likely to be repeated in the future though as the smaller mom and pop establishments are run out of the district by higher rents. It'll get to the point that the only ones who can afford these higher rents are chain resturants, which is something I absolutely do not want. We do not need Town Center in downtown, keep all the chain resturants at the beach.

If you go to hamptonroads.tv there is short clip about the new location. It looks very nice and will have a full bar as well as Jazz music on the weekends.

[skylinefan]

Luckily it looks like they'll be able to stay downtown (at Tazwell street). His is a story likely to be repeated in the future though as the smaller mom and pop establishments are run out of the district by higher rents. It'll get to the point that the only ones who can afford these higher rents are chain resturants, which is something I absolutely do not want. We do not need Town Center in downtown, keep all the chain resturants at the beach.

Unfortunately the trend towards forcing out mom and pop establishments from gentrified downtowns is happening all over the country. Here in DC we have lost many locally owned restaurants and other businesses to chain restaurants. Chinatown in Downtown DC is touted as a success story, but what use to be small locally owned chinese restaurants that really gave the area flavor have been replaced by mostly national chain restaurants like Legal Seafoods, Hooters and others. The locally owned mom and pop establishments like Harry's have been pushed off of the main thoroughfare (7th St.) to the side streets. I guess this is the inevitable (sp?) price we pay for "progress".

[vdogg]

Brawl at the mall

Anyone else hear of this? I've been to the mall several times and I've never noticed roving gangs of teenagers and not once have I ever felt unsafe. Is this just being blown out of proportion or is there an actual problem here? The last thing we need right now is for people to start feeling that downtown is unsafe again.

[rusthebuss]

Brawl at the mall

Anyone else hear of this? I've been to the mall several times and I've never noticed roving gangs of teenagers and not once have I ever felt unsafe. Is this just being blown out of proportion or is there an actual problem here? The last thing we need right now is for people to start feeling that downtown is unsafe again.

I go there all the time with the family and never feel intimidated at all. Of course I'm 6'5"! I don't see any problems at Macaurthur mall.

[tombarnes]

Maybe the facade of the building Harry's was in will be restored.

[Case]

I'm am glad to see that Harry's F, BBQ was not pushed out all together. Harry's is an institution in Norfolk. It was one of the first places I was taken to when I arrived in Virginia. Truthfully Harrys will likely out live the majority of the "trendy" places on Granby. The revitalization should not destroy the very business that made it possible in the first place.

It will be truly telling if their former location sits empty for the next 8 months. I hope it doesn't

[spiker3]

Brawl at the mall

Anyone else hear of this? I've been to the mall several times and I've never noticed roving gangs of teenagers and not once have I ever felt unsafe. Is this just being blown out of proportion or is there an actual problem here? The last thing we need right now is for people to start feeling that downtown is unsafe again.

I was off that weekend, but i heard about it later, apparently some of my employees were acting like jack@$$es egging them on. It's blown out of proportion, monday through thursday there's nothing like this going on, same with sundays and friday morning/afternoon. It's only friday evenings and saturdays when that element gets into the mall, but security has done alot better job at controlling this kind of thing. When i first started, my first week there was a gang beating in the food court, the guy put a kid into a coma just for wearing red shorts. That resulted in the head security officer losing his job, and increased presence where there was none previous. Every now and again these things happen, but they've been few and far in between in my two years at the mall. 20 - 30 kids is an exaggeration, but there was a loud commotion. Regardless, there's going to remain a stigma with downtown for a few more years, just because people still have that mindset.

[urbanvb]

That's a shame. I don't go to that mall too much but everytime I have went things seems calm and haven't seen any problems.

[lil-bear]

That's a shame. I don't go to that mall too much but everytime I have went things seems calm and haven't seen any problems.

Once I was at MacArthur Center with family and some teenagers were goofing off and ended up hitting the emergency button on one of the escalators we were on just to get their kicks off.

We proceeded to tell those kids they needed to find better things to do and of course one of those kids tried to act tough and started yelling obsenities and wanted to fight.

Sad that there are children out there that have poor communication skills.

There are even many adults with the same problem!

[mikeas]

Once I was at MacArthur Center with family and some teenagers were goofing off and ended up hitting the emergency button on one of the escalators we were on just to get their kicks off.

We proceeded to tell those kids they needed to find better things to do and of course one of those kids tried to act tough and started yelling obsenities and wanted to fight.

Sad that there are children out there that have poor communication skills.

There are even many adults with the same problem!

Most of those little thugs have never actually been in a fight, they will run their mouth and act like there going to do something but never do. I had a friend that got in an altercation with one over in the park by the Norva. The guy threw one punch, got scared and ran home.

[ace707]

Brawl at the mall

Anyone else hear of this? I've been to the mall several times and I've never noticed roving gangs of teenagers and not once have I ever felt unsafe. Is this just being blown out of proportion or is there an actual problem here? The last thing we need right now is for people to start feeling that downtown is unsafe again.

I didn't hear about this fight until now but unfortunately guys, seriously some of these kids have respect issues. In my opinion, I feel there is a problem brewing here. MacArthur seems generally safe but some of the younger patrons (particularly middle and h.s. age) have ego and respect problems. Many of the patrons that cause this go to MacArthur due to convenience. It's so bad that one time, I was just waiting at the food court with two friends and I had my hood on from my hooded sweater and mall security told me to take it off. Apparently similar clothing/style is enough for security to consider you a possible problem by association to that type of "thug" group. In the end though, those patrons that have caused this problem are to blame and unfortunately it will be difficult to obtain their cooperation and understanding. Ultimately it's the parents that can fix the issue, not the mall or city.

[spiker3]

I didn't hear about this fight until now but unfortunately guys, seriously some of these kids have respect issues. In my opinion, I feel there is a problem brewing here. MacArthur seems generally safe but some of the younger patrons (particularly middle and h.s. age) have ego and respect problems. Many of the patrons that cause this go to MacArthur due to convenience. It's so bad that one time, I was just waiting at the food court with two friends and I had my hood on from my hooded sweater and mall security told me to take it off. Apparently similar clothing/style is enough for security to consider you a possible problem by association to that type of "thug" group. In the end though, those patrons that have caused this problem are to blame and unfortunately it will be difficult to obtain their cooperation and understanding. Ultimately it's the parents that can fix the issue, not the mall or city.

Hoods are prohibited at MacArthur Center per their dress code and code of conduct. Your example proves that they're at least not stereotyping, they're applying it to everyone. The ego and respect issues, that's this generation.

[ace707]

Hoods are prohibited at MacArthur Center per their dress code and code of conduct. Your example proves that they're at least not stereotyping, they're applying it to everyone. The ego and respect issues, that's this generation.

Yeah the ego and respect issue is ridiculous in this generation. Pretty sad. As for my experience, I must say that I was un-aware of the dress code in regards to hoods but I don't have a problem with it because I normally don't use a hood unless I need to in weather. My experience occured last October when a friend wanted to take a pic with me and I was just messing with her by trying to hide my face with my hood. It was then that security approached me about my hood.

[HamptonRoads]

Sounds like the classy atmosphere will finally match the food at Harry's... See the video at this link: http://www.hamptonroads.tv/index.cfm?locvid=119753

[spiker3]

Sounds like the classy atmosphere will finally match the food at Harry's... See the video at this link: http://www.hamptonroads.tv/index.cfm?locvid=119753

Welcome to the forum. Can we guess that you're an official representative of the Pilot and HamptonRoads.tv?

Brawl at the mall

Anyone else hear of this? I've been to the mall several times and I've never noticed roving gangs of teenagers and not once have I ever felt unsafe. Is this just being blown out of proportion or is there an actual problem here? The last thing we need right now is for people to start feeling that downtown is unsafe again.

I asked around with security and some first hand witnesses about this again today, since i wasn't here. It was at most 10 - 20 kids, and maybe 5 - 8 were actually fighting. There was just ALOt of noise, and apparently some items were thrown, damaging the cars in the court, flinging trash cans and stanchions. The damage and noise was the bigger concern, the event lasted at most 2 minutes, security and police were on the scene as quickly as possible, everything was dispersed in no more than 5 minutes. Pretty quick response time. The blog on the Pilot is an embelishment attached to the stigma that downtown Norfolk is working hard to overcome. Exaggeration definitely the case.

[vdogg]

I posted this in the Virginia main forum but i'll post it in Va. Beach and Norfolk as well since it really talks about both of these cities.

Virginia retail rebounds, takes on new look

The revival in Virginia downtowns from coastal Norfolk to mountainous Marion is a growing success story, despite one lagging component.

“Retail,” says Roger Elkin, vice president of Hall Associates in Roanoke, “has been a tough sell.” While vendors vie for space at Roanoke’s city market and Norfolk managed to land an entire mall for its downtown, other cities struggle to attract retail, despite the growing cache of urban dwellers.

[burt]

That's an interesting and informative piece, vdogg. The description of downtown Norfolk's turnaround after MacArthur as well as the impact of VB Towne Center should give everyone hope.