Norfolk Stores and Retail and Resturants

[metalman]

A high end coffee shop is also planning to open in Ghent. Unsure of the name at this point but they are to roast their own beans on site. It will be very near Cogans Pizza on Colonial Ave.

It would be AWESOME if someone reopened a First Colony Coffee house!!! There were incredible in there existence at Hilltop and Where the paint store is on 21st, Ghent and First Colony is a local coffee company (Norfolk and San Fransisco) Great coffee, food, deserts, live music. They were my high school and ODU days hang out. Sigh...

[mikeas]

I heard a rumor that Einstein Bros Bagels will open on the Monticello side of the new TCC student center. Their only other Hampton Roads location is on the ODU campus.

I'm also wondering if the Dunkin Donuts is still in the works for the Wells Fargo Center?

Also Jimmy Johns downtown location is staying open until 3am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and midnight the rest of the week.

[BFG]

I heard a rumor that Einstein Bros Bagels will open on the Monticello side of the new TCC student center. Their only other Hampton Roads location is on the ODU campus.

I'm also wondering if the Dunkin Donuts is still in the works for the Wells Fargo Center?

Also Jimmy Johns downtown location is staying open until 3am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and midnight the rest of the week.

I work third shift, and drove down Granby on a weeknight last week. Was really surprised to see a non-bar/open late (it was around 10pm). Will have to stop there one night before I go to work.

I'd love to see a 24-hour fast food restaurant and a 24-hour pharmacy open somewhere on the first floor of the office buildings. How cool would it be to have a Walgreen's in the Wells Fargo Tower, and something like a Wendy's on one of the Granby shops, say where the former Harry's BBQ is?

[mikeas]

Downtown is not quite a 24 hour city (again) yet. It's pretty dead before 5 on Saturdays and most things are closed Sundays. The US Development apartments will help but we need more residents downtown to support 24 hour businesses.

I spoke with the leasing people for Wells Fargo a while back and they said they tried courting Walgreens and CVS and no one would commit.

[zeppelin14]

Screw a Wendy's where Harry's used to be. You need a real 24 hour type fast-food restaurant that people go to when they get the munchies after hitting the bars..... I'm talking about White Castle.

[Telmnstr]

@zepplin14 - I've never had White Castle, and I can't help but think of various songs off of Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill album whenever I hear the name.

Farm Fresh in downtown Norfolk cut their hours back to 9pm because the city is dead. It's like a retirement community with a couple of restaurants.

[zeppelin14]

^ Yes, because people don't go grocery shopping at 10:00 pm. But if there was a White Castle on Granby, once the bars empty, it would be packed. I'm sure no matter what people would pack a WC anyway.

[urbanlife]

^ Yes, because people don't go grocery shopping at 10:00 pm. But if there was a White Castle on Granby, once the bars empty, it would be packed. I'm sure no matter what people would pack a WC anyway.

that is where a 24hr breakfast place comes in Actually we have a couple bars in Portland and Spokane that shut down the bar portion and turn into a late night diner afterwards.

[brikkman]

^ Yes, because people don't go grocery shopping at 10:00 pm. But if there was a White Castle on Granby, once the bars empty, it would be packed. I'm sure no matter what people would pack a WC anyway.

Why WC, are you saying that the name WC would make people come there? I seriously doubt that based off the name. The only people who know about WC are the people from up top. Put it this way, "WHAT A BURGER" is huge in some places as well, doesn't mean the name alone will make it do well here, its just all fast food (which is different from chain restaurants). I think any type of establishment that carters to that crowd would do well or poorly. Wendy's is a good suggestion because they are tested, they know the market, and everyone knows their name (yes cheers, lol). The fact that we do not have establishments like that is the issue, coupled with the fact that we do not have a population base in the area that would support it in lieu of 15 grand a month lease. Because it is close to TCC, I think just about anything with light green prices would do well, especially when you consider the TCC crowd that is around there during the day. The problem is, how do they survive after 5? That then wraps back into the classic issue we urbanplanters have with DT and its poor planning commission, high priced leasing, and lack of well rounded demographics.

We honestly needed to keep places like Jillian’s in DT, we needed to keep places like the dueling piano in DT, along with the bars, and clubs. It can't just be one type of thing for instance clubs, but clubs only pop 8 to 145...that means, with nothing to offset that crowd that goes to the bars, how can a hamburger joint survive with that understanding?

I would love love love to see a dueling piano come back to DT Norfolk. I had such a great time in Chicago last month and went there twice, it was so different to me considering I grew up on rap, hiphop, and R&B. They actually have a franchise; it is called "Howl at the Moon". I think ours was located in waterside and when I walked passed, people seem to be having a great time, but never went in. They closed down because of ABC issues which I thought was funny because they could have been easily fixed IMO. I mention that because that is the type of establishment that serves as multi-purpose and it is a fluid atmosphere. A type of place you can walk by and be like, yeah, I'll spend a few hours here, then hit the club hard, blah blah blah. Its all or nothing on GT after 5. You going to Granby street pizza, then home. Club and then home, sushi or Brazilian, then home. Everything is, do this for two hours, then go home, besides the clubs, which aren't fluid establishments.

[zeppelin14]

A lot of people know what White castle is and the fact that there none in Virginia will make people flock here..... Anyway, it was just a suggested name and I doubt one will be built here. And I've heard of Howl at the Moon too. Used to have one in Florida when I was stationed there. That would be a good place to have in downtown Norfolk. In the Westin thread here, I said if they were smart, they would build a night club into the hotel with an entrance on Granby. Great place for a Howl at the Moon perhaps?

[Telmnstr]

We had Fatburgers, which I think were on par with five guys, but they didn't survive.

Cause being bad news is what we're all about / We went to white castle and we got thrown out. -- bboys/slow ride

[mikeas]

A new Coffee cafe is coming to 35th Street in Park Place.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/12/director-open-cafe-upallnight-and-day-creatives

I hope they can manage to survive. This could help fuel a comeback for that part of town. 35th Street has a lot of potential with an empty 700 seat theater, numerous empty store fronts, and several existing businesses.

In other restaurant news, Charlies Cafe at Granby and 18th Street is now open until 3AM Fridays and Saturdays. The Donut Dinette (Colley Ave) has been reopening at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays for the past year or so with excellent results.

[varider]

I REALLY like the new Cafe place coming to 35th street and I'm REALLY interested in that neighborhood and the street in particular.. It looks like one of those commercial streets from the big city neighborhoods.. it has a lot of potential.

[BFG]

Might have to check out that cafe when it opens. I wish it the utmost success!

[Titoroski]

That is going to be very interesting for that block. I can't wait to check it out. Hopefully it will have Wifi too.

[urbanlife]

I REALLY like the new Cafe place coming to 35th street and I'm REALLY interested in that neighborhood and the street in particular.. It looks like one of those commercial streets from the big city neighborhoods.. it has a lot of potential.

That is how these things happen, We have NE Alberta St here in Portland that use to be in the middle of a crime ridden neighborhood, then one day a small shop opened up, then they managed to buy the lot next to them and build this little breakfast place, then it seemed to spread like wildfire. In less than five years the neighborhood went from a shady part of town to the new "it place" to be. That is the street where Last Thursday happens where the city shuts down the street for large crowds of people to browse art, crafts, and hear a variety of semi crappy music that seems to sound good in that environment.

I would love to see something like this happen on 35th, I really wish this group of people well, and from what it sounds like in the article, these are the kinds of people that make things like Alberta St happen in cities. So I guess we will see what happens in the next five years for that area.

[brikkman]

A new Coffee cafe is coming to 35th Street in Park Place.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/12/director-open-cafe-upallnight-and-day-creatives

I hope they can manage to survive. This could help fuel a comeback for that part of town. 35th Street has a lot of potential with an empty 700 seat theater, numerous empty store fronts, and several existing businesses.

In other restaurant news, Charlies Cafe at Granby and 18th Street is now open until 3AM Fridays and Saturdays. The Donut Dinette (Colley Ave) has been reopening at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays for the past year or so with excellent results.

One of my best friends stays on that street in eye distance from those buildings in the new developments, good for them. I wish them much success.

[Telmnstr]

Neato. I think with the economic downtown, there are coffee shops popping up everywhere!

[VbOrf tplnt]

Does anyone know what the hold up is with the Yummy Wok on Brandon Avenue? It look like it has been ready to open for over a month, but nothing has happened. Just wondering.

(I accidentally started this as a topic, I am new to Urban Planet, sorry)

[Weaver24]

Here is some good news....the a.j. Wright's that are closing in Norfolk and Portsmouth are turning into Marshalls. The other ones in the area are closing for good. That is kinda like an upgrade but it won't probably be as nice as the one in Va Beach off of Independence in Haygood.

[BFG]

Here is some good news....the a.j. Wright's that are closing in Norfolk and Portsmouth are turning into Marshalls. The other ones in the area are closing for good. That is kinda like an upgrade but it won't probably be as nice as the one in Va Beach off of Independence in Haygood.

I think there's an AJ Wright at Janaf. However, I think it was a Marshall's before that. There's a bit of irony in that, if it's the same store I'm thinking of...

[VbOrf tplnt]

I think there's an AJ Wright at Janaf. However, I think it was a Marshall's before that. There's a bit of irony in that, if it's the same store I'm thinking of...

There's no AJ Wright at Janaf. The store that was Marshall's is now a Conway (New York based discount fashion chain), which sells poor quality clothing. There's an AJ Wright on Lynnhaven Parkway in Va. Beach, not sure what's become of it.

[Weaver24]

There's no AJ Wright at Janaf. The store that was Marshall's is now a Conway (New York based discount fashion chain), which sells poor quality clothing. There's an AJ Wright on Lynnhaven Parkway in Va. Beach, not sure what's become of it.

[Weaver24]

Yeah you right. The Marshalls that was in Janaf is now a Conway which is a New York discount low quality but kinda cheap priced chain which didnt change any fixtures or anything of the original Marshalls when they moved to Haygood in Va Beach. At least Norfolk getting a Marshalls back to the city but I doubt it will be nice like the one in Haygood off Independence in Va Beach.

[Weaver24]

Oh and the other A.J. Wright's in the area in Va Beach, Chesapeake and Hampton will close completely and will not be converted and that's probably cuz those cities already have both Marahalls and TJMax and Norfolk only had a TJMaxx and no Marshalls and Portsmouth had neither.