apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm not in the city any more, but I did just hear that one of my favorite health food stores up here has gone out of business (she sold the building; it was a good move for her), and in its place will be... a nail salon and a Family Dollar. Geez.

Tower Records - gone, replaced with, Spirit Halloween Store??? It hurts me to just type that out.

Almost anything other than another bank branch.

I dream of a cute little cafe with great food and a comfy seats. Or a cool under-the-radar bar that has awesome beer, a great jukebox, and good snacks, kind of like Hopleaf before it was on Check Please, mixed with Simon's jukebox. Or a cool florist.

I'd say either a neat coffee shop/tea room or a yarn store. If a yarn store opened across the street from me I would never have any money.

In my city, Hamilton, Ontario, there is a great street, King William. First, I love the name, it reminds me of "King Edward in the Can" and Crown Royal Canadian Rye (which is odd, because that particularly delightful beverage was created and named to commenerate the 19-oh-something visit of the soon to be divorcee-dating, crown-returning, King Edward) but I digress.

King William is home to great restaurants (dinner at "Tahi Memory" last night was great) and bars and at one time, Canada's (and they say, the world's) first enclosed shopping mall. This "Mall" was on the ground floor of a lovely building called the Lister Block (http://www.raisethehammer.org/index.asp?id=270).

This building has been abandonded for years and has been so badly damaged on the inside by squatters and suburban kids and rain and snow, that it was used for the interior shots (www.flickr.com/.../sets/72057594052460032/) in Silent Hill (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0384537/)as well as the exteriors for the movie's "Grand Hotel".

Recently, my favourite store on this great street; which featured interior design elements, quirky posters, books and great tableware and such, disappeered only to be replaced by what I affectionately call "the hippie commie place".

The "hippie commie place" is actually a cooperative called Sky Dragon (http://www.skydragon.org/html/about.html). It features an organic, vegan cafe (Bread and Roses Cafe) and regularly hosts an organic farmer's market, art shows, film nights and my favourite, non-expert lecutures and erotica night (fiction, stories, poetry etc. only).

So, while I really morned the loss of my little shop of curious home decor I find the hippies with their progressive approach to community, ecological and social change much more facinating.

TRADER JOE'S!

Unfortunately, in a city like Chicago my hopes are not that high for what may open in a closed storefront in many places.

Places like Wicker Park have grown cancerous lumps in the form of sports bars and the like snuffing out the gritty little coffee shops, clubs and cafes which gave it character.

My hope is that long-shuttered places in the outskirts of downtown will begin to be reborn into fun, creative and quality places of eating, drinking and retail. Alternatives to the mainstream, big-box corporate stuff that is often a necessity but feels pretty damn soulless after awhile.

If you build it (or reopen it) (with a soul), they will come. And it will never close again.

Unfortunately, doing what I do for work (real estate analysis), I more often wish for it to NOT be something--like the Sprint store. And, when I see low rent places going out of business, it kind of scares me because I start to imagine how soon my rent is going to increase!

In Rogers Park, we've got plenty of the 'gritty little' character-giving places (and character-building, some of 'em), but it's rough not having a grocery store too close. I end up driving to Evanston more often than not these days. Also: how about a record store? Or some more restaurants up to the standard of the Morseland maybe? I must have eaten there 20 times this year.

I am doomed to be perpetually disappointed by what opens in empty storefronts around here (at the edge of Irving Pk/Albany Pk/Mayfair) as well. We lost a sporting goods store to a Sprint store a few months ago. From meh to ick.

I recently had this happen in my area three times--the first couple of times we got lucky--one place seems like it will become a great pub and burgers sort of spot, the second place became the new threadless. But the third empty storefront became...another bank. sigh. I guess the two banks within a block of each other just weren't enough for our neighborhood.

what do you have against 'tobacco' anyway??

I just dread a GNC opening in my neighborhood. I think that signals the end of a good neighborhood.

I'm excited to see what will appear in the retail space under the half-dozen condos which are going up all around my neighborhood. So far only one has opened: a Starbucks.

Sigh.

My converted post war apt building turned condo building is next to a med center campus that just relocated. Word is the entire campus will be redeveloped.

They intend to repurpose some beautiful old buildings as well as build new high end townhomes and condos, a Whole Foods, and some shopping.

This is exciting because it means that I purchased property on the fringe of a redevelopment boom!

What do I want to see? I'd like the Parks and Rec dept to convert a medical building to a rec center! That'd be great to have within walking distance... especially since city rec center memberships are like... $125 a YEAR!
I also want a Wolf Camera within walking distance.. ooh and a flower shop!

I would kill for an authentic French pastry shop. Or an Intelligensia cafe.

I second clickchick - I live in Printer's Row - right in the heart of it and the only thing we are missing is a quality florist. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for a flower shop to move in and set up in the square.

Old fashion news stand, Art book store, Trader Joes, Id be set

Metropolis Coffee!!

I live in Midtown Atlanta and right behind my condo a gas station just closed. I would love a coffee shop/magazine kind of shop that sold great baked goods. Instead a greedy developer has purchased the land and yet another condo will go up.

Atlanta is getting big on work/live development but the one problem is the retail side always ends up being some fancy over priced resturant or a UPS store along with nail salons.

Dancingspring,

You bring up an interesting issue. In my area there are all kinds of brand new condo developments opening with retail space under them.

I used to think "stripmall" with this type of development but now I'm starting to think differently. It seems like this type of development is almost creating new neighborhoods.

I go to a pretty decent Thai restaurant, an Italian restaurant and a wine store in these brand new residential/commercial buildings.

It would be nice to see people with creative business plans considering these spaces. I went to Oliveto years ago and remember that being in some kind of multi-unit building. Not sure if there was residential attached but I remember there being a fish monger and butcher shop. I thought it was really cool that there was that cohesive sort of theme to the building. (It was years ago, I could just be romanticizing.)

Btw, I've noticed that closed gas stations are often replaced by banks. I believe that is due to the fact that the soil may be contaminated and the property is only suitable for certain kinds of businesses.

I've been so excited to see something new....only to find out it will be a bank. Boooo

I do the same thing but with new construction. I watch as the property gets cleared and wonder what's going in and the big question - HOW TALL. Right now I see 5 construction sites from my balcony and wonder just how much of my view of the Hudson River will disappear by this time next year.

Just found out a week ago from my next door neighbor that he's renting out the retail space from our landlord (next door to the main entrance) and will be opening a coffee lounge this coming November. He hopes to get a liquor license by next Spring.

Thanks goodness it won't be a bank or a dollar store.

A good thing about a bank is that it closes before the sun goes down. A place with a liquor license relies on business into the night. I learned this the hard way with drunks outside the bar across the street at all hours. I was so happy to have a nice little bar open up there - that was then.