Mellow Mushroom to Open Up in 'town Space??

[Nightman_Cometh]

Soooo they were 100% against a 7-11, but have no problem with a large, over-rated, chain-corporate restaurant??

[ben says]

Soooo they were 100% against a 7-11, but have no problem with a large, over-rated, chain-corporate restaurant??

I don't think most Avondale shop owners even know what a contemporary 7-11 looks like. For what it's worth, I don't think they were rationally against a 7-11. They were irrationally against the idea of a 7-11.

[JaxJerry]

Riverside is the "core."  The core of what?  I thought MetroJacksonville expressed the concept that downtown was the core?  Is Riverside the core of Riverside/Avondale?

[ben says]

Riverside is the "core."  The core of what?  I thought MetroJacksonville expressed the concept that downtown was the core?  Is Riverside the core of Riverside/Avondale?

I was using that term extremely loosely. Didn't mean to make a definitional or policy argument.

[aubureck]

I would like to see the gas station incorporated into some sort of extension of the restaurant/outdoor seating. I understand the utility of parking lots. But aesthetically, they drive me insane. As long as the integrity of both buildings remain in tact, I'm OK.

I heard it from a good source that they will be utilizing the parking lot of the gas station as primarily an outdoor seating area.

[thelakelander]

Riverside is the "core."  The core of what?  I thought MetroJacksonville expressed the concept that downtown was the core?  Is Riverside the core of Riverside/Avondale?

Metro Jacksonville believes the entire 30 square mile preconsolidated city makes up the urban core. With that in mind, both downtown and Riverside are included.

[Jimmy]

+1.  Nice response.  All the close-in neighborhoods, and downtown itself, comprise the urban core of Jacksonville.

[TPC]

The guys who own the MM on Southside (I think they might be brothers but I could be wrong) are really nice and try to involve the community. They approached my friend to organize artists to paint the outside patio and tables and all of us were taken care of very well, we all received good pay, and they supplied us with a constant supply of food and beer the few days we were out there.

It would be cool if the reached out to Shawn Thurston to paint their new location.

[mtraininjax]

TPC - Follow the thread back, there is a link to the Valentino family, 2 brothers and father who are involved in the franchise. I know John personally and he lives in Ortega, I think his father lives in Ortega as well. It sounds like the other brother lives at the beach, close to the other store there.

Just back from a hair cut at GTB salon on Oak Street, had to take my dog to obedience school and on the way there, I looked at the gas station again, it is physically separate from the wall at 'town, so there would have to be some connection made that would be seen from the street, so RAP would be involved and a COA, for sure, if they incorporated both structures.

On my way down Oak, I was stuck at Margaret for lunchtime traffic and I calculate that Al's Pizza has about 1500 square feet in its space. How will MM find a way to create a 4000 to 6000 square foot location with only the shoe side and restaurant sides of the building? I'm thinking they will almost definitely have to take over the old Underwood's space, to get closer to what their corporate office wants their franchises to build and use. The Southside location has 60 beers on draft and that will take some space, as well as all the bottled beers.

[tufsu1]

I would like to see the gas station incorporated into some sort of extension of the restaurant/outdoor seating.

a perfect example of this is the mellow Mushroom in Asheville, NC

[tufsu1]

Riverside is the "core."  The core of what?  I thought MetroJacksonville expressed the concept that downtown was the core?  Is Riverside the core of Riverside/Avondale?

as Lake responded, the preconsolidated city should all be looked at as one entity

DVI uses the term "the core" to refer to the nightlife district downtown.

Others might use the term "urban core"...but some folks react negatively to the term "urban"

so, the new term being bantered about is "in town"

[ben says]

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/423471/gary-mills/2012-04-03/avondale-restaurant-plans-close-months-end

Well, consider the shoe store gone as well...

[mtraininjax]

Well, consider the shoe store gone as well...

Agreed, there is absolutely no way MM can operate in that small space without adding the Shoe side as well. I will be intrigued to see how the until 2 AM crowd affects operations at Underwood's. I see Underwood's moving somewhere else at some point, the two on either side are like oil and beer (water). Maybe not now, but the landlord would be able to make far more on MM in that space, long term. I like Underwood's and the people there, but Avondale is changing.

[ben says]

Well, consider the shoe store gone as well...

Agreed, there is absolutely no way MM can operate in that small space without adding the Shoe side as well. I will be intrigued to see how the until 2 AM crowd affects operations at Underwood's. I see Underwood's moving somewhere else at some point, the two on either side are like oil and beer (water). Maybe not now, but the landlord would be able to make far more on MM in that space, long term. I like Underwood's and the people there, but Avondale is changing.

Unless I misread the article, Benhams moving is official. MM is taking over. Jeez

[GoNoles]

Well I need to go to 'town before it closes