Jillian's Closed

[dmccall]

Jillian's closed on Monday. Perhaps this is an ideal opportunity for a co-op grocery store to go in that area.

[CliffyB]

Jillian's closed on Monday. Perhaps this is an ideal opportunity for a co-op grocery store to go in that area.

No surprise there. Except for college nights the place always seemed to be empty. To be honest that kind of "wacky" TGI fridays kind of stuff felt out of place downtown. It's so "Simpson's Squidport."

[Justin6882]

I only went a couple times...actually only once. So I personally don't find this to be a great loss. More of an opportunity for something better to come in. A co-op grocer would be great - can we start a petition to get a Weaver Street type place downtown??

[Transplant]

I think in the end this will be good. Now, most of the warehouse district is, or will be, unoccupied. Hopefully a inovative master developer (Mr. Kane....) will be able to gain control and make some massive changes to this area. This is prime real estate.

[reed]

Jillian's closed on Monday. Perhaps this is an ideal opportunity for a co-op grocery store to go in that area.

I did hate this place, but I was always glad it was there b/c it seemed like a sort of containment area for the frat boy types on the weekends. Not sure how much business it was actually doing, though.

[Justin6882]

I did hate this place, but I was always glad it was there b/c it seemed like a sort of containment area for the frat boy types on the weekends. Not sure how much business it was actually doing, though.

hahaha seriously made me LoL b/c it is true.

[Subway Scoundrel]

It was nice to have the large sports bar atmosphere DT.

But my big question is? "When the show "Elima-date" comes back to Raleigh, what bar will they go to this time?"

[monsoon]

I think a lot of Jullians are closing.

[orulz]

If TTA ever actually comes to town, the north half of the Warehouse District is going to change completely. The entire row of Dillon warehouses along West will be gone, and replaced with the TTA station; spots like Jillian's will be literally right across the street. opefully will be redeveloped with something transit-oriented, dense, and tall.

[Tayfromcarolina]

Sad to see it go myself. But I believe bigger and better may be coming.

The concept works I believe, but the location was a bit to far to walk in comparison to the immediate Glenwood South district. I'm hoping we get a Dave and Busters somewhere in the area. I went to one in Atlanta and it was excellent. http://www.daveandbusters.com/?f=1

[ChiefJoJo]

If TTA ever actually comes to town, the north half of the Warehouse District is going to change completely. The entire row of Dillon warehouses along West will be gone, and replaced with the TTA station; spots like Jillian's will be literally right across the street. opefully will be redeveloped with something transit-oriented, dense, and tall.

My thoughts exactly. See the small area plan for details. The SAP recommends a minimum of 4 stories, but I think that is very much out of date and too small for that location. The DOD calls for up to 320 DU/acre of residential, so I think whatever goes there eventually should be tall, like 20 stories.

In the mean time a grocer, or a resaurant, or another bar would do well. I think it needs to be split up and sublet into 3 different units. I believe Empire Properties owns it.

[Jones_]

My thoughts exactly. See the small area plan for details. The SAP recommends a minimum of 4 stories, but I think that is very much out of date and too small for that location. The DOD calls for up to 320 DU/acre of residential, so I think whatever goes there eventually should be tall, like 20 stories.

In the mean time a grocer, or a resaurant, or another bar would do well. I think it needs to be split up and sublet into 3 different units. I believe Empire Properties owns it.

Yeah...I envision our rail stops like say Portland, with 10-20 story buildings surrounding them.

I never like Jillians...too big...nothing original about it...just tacky imo. Too bad Empire Properties is losing a big rent payer though.

[CliffyB]

Sad to see it go myself. But I believe bigger and better may be coming.

The concept works I believe, but the location was a bit to far to walk in comparison to the immediate Glenwood South district. I'm hoping we get a Dave and Busters somewhere in the area. I went to one in Atlanta and it was excellent. http://www.daveandbusters.com/?f=1

I don't mean to come off as a DT snob (yeah yeah) but that's a lot of space where you could get a lot of super cool indy eateries or shops... or a mixed use tower. What I like about downtown is that most of the businesses are small and indy. I can take my dog into shops at Cameron Village and shop while the owner plays with him. You can't do that kind of stuff at Crossroads.

D&B is cool but IMO that kind of venue feels more appropriate outside of, say, Triangle Town or Southpoint. Jillians IS basically D&B and I'd wager that it failed because people came downtown for the cool bars, clubs, shops, parks...and not something that tries to be everything to everyone. (I mean, a HIBACHI? Come on!)

[DanRNC]

I always thought Jillian's was a trend. I remember when it opened in Charlotte and it was the biggest thing ever complete with valet service. That fizzled out soon enough. I guess it had its run though. Hatem will do something interesting with it I'm sure.

[Subway Scoundrel]

I remember when that building was a photo studio and the photographer moved and Jillian

[ncwebguy]

The parent Jillians company filed for bankrupcy months ago. I think this location was a franchisee that tried to make a go of it on its own, but am not sure. I was there the first week it was open and had the place to myself. It was just the pool hall and a small arcade in what became a meeting room, but it was the first sign of nightlife downtown, outside of Fallout Shelter, Legends, Wicked Smile, and City Market.

It was kinda corporate, but they had all the latest video games at somewhat reasonable prices *and* you could drink too! I thought it was an all in one place out of necessity, the same way Marrz and Goodnights were -- an "entertainment complex" to share a liquor licence, staff, etc. At the time, small bars were all but dead (except for Hillsborough Street, and even it had seen better days). I (and maybe 5 or 6 other people) watched the Canes lose to the Devils in 2001 there when I couldn't get a ticket in the parking lot.

With Glenwood/Warehouse/Depot districts, the all-in-one destination doesn't make sense any more, and other bars have cherry picked the best staff. The fact that they charged too much for outdated games didn't help either. The dance floor sucked, but there was a line to get in for months when it opened. When they added drums to the dance floor area, I vowed never to go back.

Do we want an ESPN Zone/D&Bs type place somewhere near the new CC? Or leave well enough alone for a while? With this closing, the downtown pool table count is sliced in half? More? There are quarter tables at Lucky B's, Stool Pigeons, Hi 5?, Office Tavern, Kings, Woodys, Pour House, and... umm.. that's it? No full sized tables? A handful of dart boards and foosball tables? Ugh! 2K games on Peace next to Mo Joe's seems to be closed as well. Not a good month for bar sports! Where do the college kids/frat pack go now? Club Oxygen? The Office? Stool Pigeons? Hibernian?

The whole block could be something big along the lines of Site 1 -- street level uses for the first two-three stories, offices for a few stories (9-5 use, and a buffer for), apartments and/or condos above that. Wrapped around a parking deck for tenants, customers, and TTA train commuters. If that is too much to ask, break the space into at least 4, with a common couryard where the volleyball court was.

The area by Ess might be good to a scaled down pool hall/sports bar, replacing The Warehouse and Jillaians both. It is close to the new Convention Center and other nightspots.

There was an ESPN article where a reporter went to a "downtown pool hall/sports bar" looking for Caniacs and no one was there. The article said the manager didn't want the place mentioned in the story and I was screaming IT MUST BE JILLIANS. Just because Jillians sucks doesn't mean we don't have fans around here.. ugh.

[pack-man]

It appears that Jillian's looking to leave the Capital City for good. Not sure on the details as to why they are leaving. Its ashame to see one of the first restaurant/bars in downtown that came in when things were nothing leave. However, it will open a large venue in the warehouse district for other establishments.

[Justin6882]

See this thread.

[yoga]

Gotta say I agree with CliffyB on the indy business thing. There is something plastic and soulless about chains - even befoire I knew Jillian's was a chain it felt like that, then when I found out I knew why.

I think what DT needs is an adult music venue. By "adult" I mean, the bands start at 7, not 10, are a mix of acoustic and rockish but always listenable.

[pack-man]

Gotta say I agree with CliffyB on the indy business thing. There is something plastic and soulless about chains - even befoire I knew Jillian's was a chain it felt like that, then when I found out I knew why.

I think what DT needs is an adult music venue. By "adult" I mean, the bands start at 7, not 10, are a mix of acoustic and rockish but always listenable.

I think one of those is in the works on West Street.

[CliffyB]

Gotta say I agree with CliffyB on the indy business thing. There is something plastic and soulless about chains - even befoire I knew Jillian's was a chain it felt like that, then when I found out I knew why.

I think what DT needs is an adult music venue. By "adult" I mean, the bands start at 7, not 10, are a mix of acoustic and rockish but always listenable.

Isn't that kind of what the Lincoln Theater is?

Jillian's just feels like that "hey kids we're wacky OMG A SHARK COMING OUT THE WALL HOW KEWL let's have HIBACHI and play DAYTONA WOW THIS PLACE HAS IT ALL."

It's like the bar you'd think would rock if you're 9. It's Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe, and the Hard Rock Cafe. Leave that stuff in the 'burbs, please. I want an original dive pool hall, a karaoke bar, and a damned cupcake shoppe!

[Justin6882]

It's like the bar you'd think would rock if you're 9. It's Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe, and the Hard Rock Cafe. Leave that stuff in the 'burbs, please. I want an original dive pool hall, a karaoke bar, and a damned cupcake shoppe!

Seriously, when is that cupcake shop going to open??

[yoga]

Isn't that kind of what the Lincoln Theater is?

Jillian's just feels like that "hey kids we're wacky OMG A SHARK COMING OUT THE WALL HOW KEWL let's have HIBACHI and play DAYTONA WOW THIS PLACE HAS IT ALL."

It's like the bar you'd think would rock if you're 9. It's Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe, and the Hard Rock Cafe. Leave that stuff in the 'burbs, please. I want an original dive pool hall, a karaoke bar, and a damned cupcake shoppe!

Lincoln's shows are 9:15 - too late for tunes to dine by. And wimps like me who crash by 10 on a weeknight, but aren't quite ready for assisted living.

Nice nutshell of Jillian's!

It would be nice to have a place like Hillsborough's Blue Bayou DT here, while I'm dreaming. And did you want the pool hall, karaoke and cupcakes all in one place?!?