Bay Steet Area

[02roadking]

In addition to Nicky G's Pizza in possibly August, a new men's clothing is getting on board.

Bay Street getting ‘high-end’ men’s store
David Lofton, co-owner of Foolish Boutique.
07/03/2007
by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer

It may not look like much now, but in a few months, Foolish Boutique may be the most stylish place in town.
  Personal shoppers David Lofton and Jason Wells, co-owners of Foolish Boutique, are planning to open their store on Bay Street between Newnan and Ocean streets by Labor Day.

Foolish Boutique will specialize in high-end men’s denim and footwear. They will also have men’s formal apparel. Lofton said they are hoping to add women’s apparel to the boutique in the future.

Lofton owned Game Day Authentics at Regency Square Mall for five years and closed the store at the end of May to open Foolish Boutique Downtown.

“I have been looking at the Downtown area for a long time and for the right time and I believe this is the right time,” said Lofton.

Lofton’s store at Regency started out as mostly sports apparel, but through the years he began venturing into high-end clothing. He said that is where he has picked up most of his clientele.

“I became a person who people would come to to get specialty clothing,” he said. “I outgrew the mall and I thought I was limiting myself by being in the mall.”

Until construction is complete at the Downtown location, Lofton is running the personal shopping business out of his home. Many of his clients are Jaguars football players and local and national recording artists.

“When they (my clients) go to other big cities like New York, Houston, Atlanta, there is a network set up for them already with personal shopping businesses,” he said. “We want to set that up here, because right now there isn’t a go-to place.

“Once they are in the system and we know our clients, we can virtually shop for them.”

Lofton said he isn’t going to lie, but the clothing is expensive.

“It is a high-end, upscale denim driven store,” he said. “But we will also offer T-shirts, blazers, semi-formal attire and a lot of funky shoe labels.”

Unlike most businesses where owners hope to attract customers and clients, Lofton doesn’t have to worry about that too much.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the people I deal with already and my business partner is well connected with the ‘in’ crowd,” he said.

But, Lofton said they are always looking for more clients.

“If you want to be successful, you have to be a part of the community you have your business in,” he said. “I’ve been around talking to people at the Blackstone building, the Hyatt’s concierge desk and the Florida Theatre.

“I want to be involved in Downtown.”

Lofton said not only can customers shop in the store, but he will mail merchandise, have a courier deliver it, or he will deliver it himself. Hours have not yet been set, but Lofton said they will have days that are for appointments only.

“Once people realize what we do, they will be pretty surprised,” he said. “We want our customers to have a memorable shopping experience.”

Lofton’s mother was a buyer so he grew up around shopping and the personal shopping business.

“I’ve been interested in it for 30 years,” he said.

Lofton is from Philadelphia and received his business degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1984. He was a defensive back for the Panthers from 1980-84 and played alongside Dan Marino, who went on to play quarterback for the Miami Dolphins for 16 years. The 1980 team traveled to Jacksonville to play in the Gator Bowl where the Panthers beat South Carolina, 37-9.

Lofton moved to Jacksonville after spending six years in the United States Marine Corp. in 1991.

[downtownparks]

God bless em.

Please, everyone, even if you only buy a belt, please make an effort to spend SOME of your money downtown.

[fsujax]

Well, I hope their business model works better than Circa 49 did.  They weren't in business very long at all before their doors closed.

[downtownparks]

It goes back to rent.

Rent should be at the level that makes a business sustainable. Knowing Hionides, He wants a kings ransom...

[tufsu1]

maybe the rent will be high....but apparently he is willing to pay it....some call it supply and demand!

[Seraphs]

Interesting concept.  These guys sound as if they know what they are doing and who their target customers are.  Good luck to them.  I'll browse and maybe even buy a belt.  I would really like to see this and other businesses be successful downtown.

[thelakelander]

Update on Nicky G's

Downtown patrons looking for late-night dining options will soon have a new restaurant to frequent. The city issued a permit for 3,994 square feet of alterations for Nicky G's Brick Oven Pizza at 119 E. Bay St., between Ocean and Newnan streets, at a cost of $15,000.

Nicky G's Brick Oven Pizza will be the first restaurant venture in Jacksonville for co-owner and firefighter Mike Maloney, who works at the fire station in Springfield. Additional owners include Jason Tidwell, a captain at the Springfield fire station, and Nick Delcalzo, who was a firefighter in New Jersey, but relocated to the First Coast to help run the restaurant.

Maloney said the downtown location was attractive because it was still affordable, something he doesn't think will be a viable option for too much longer.

"We think it's going to be an area that's going to be built up in the next few years," he said.

And, it seems Nicky G's Brick Oven Pizza is already aiding in the downtown bustle: The restaurant has attracted the interests of other businesses looking to infiltrate the downtown market. Maloney said a dance club plans to open next door, and actually plans to cater to Nicky G's hours by staying open as late as the restaurant. He said they will also provide food for the club.

Nicky G's Brick Oven Pizza will have regular operating hours during the week, with plans to stay open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Maloney said he expects to open the restaurant sometime this month.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/081307/bus_190484776.shtml

[tufsu1]

Update on Nicky G's

Downtown patrons looking for late-night dining options will soon have a new restaurant to frequent. The city issued a permit for 3,994 square feet of alterations for Nicky G's Brick Oven Pizza at 119 E. Bay St., between Ocean and Newnan streets, at a cost of $15,000.

Nicky G's Brick Oven Pizza will be the first restaurant venture in Jacksonville for co-owner and firefighter Mike Maloney, who works at the fire station in Springfield. Additional owners include Jason Tidwell, a captain at the Springfield fire station, and Nick Delcalzo, who was a firefighter in New Jersey, but relocated to the First Coast to help run the restaurant.

Maloney said the downtown location was attractive because it was still affordable, something he doesn't think will be a viable option for too much longer.

"We think it's going to be an area that's going to be built up in the next few years," he said.

And, it seems Nicky G's Brick Oven Pizza is already aiding in the downtown bustle: The restaurant has attracted the interests of other businesses looking to infiltrate the downtown market. Maloney said a dance club plans to open next door, and actually plans to cater to Nicky G's hours by staying open as late as the restaurant. He said they will also provide food for the club.

Nicky G's Brick Oven Pizza will have regular operating hours during the week, with plans to stay open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Maloney said he expects to open the restaurant sometime this month.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/081307/bus_190484776.shtml

I thought you all have said that you can't designate an area and hope to create an entertainment district....seems like thst's exactly what's happening!

[thelakelander]

Not really...

2 restaurants, 2 bars and 2 clubs spread out over a four block area, three years since the streetscape project was completed is far from being labled an entertainment district.  Remember compact connectivity is the key, not a few things being located on the same street.  Visit a district like Tampa's Ybor, Pittsburgh's Strip, Orlando's Orange Avenue or even our Five Points and then attempt to make that claim.

[tufsu1]

Not really...

2 restaurants, 2 bars and 2 clubs spread out over a four block area, three years since the streetscape project was completed is far from being labled an entertainment district.  Remember compact connectivity is the key, not a few things being located on the same street.  Visit a district like Tampa's Ybor, Pittsburgh's Strip, Orlando's Orange Avenue or even our Five Points and then attempt to make that claim.

try counting again...its 3 blocks....and the one block has 3 bars/nightclubs right together....you have to start somewhere!

[Jason]

It can happen, but to me in order for it to fully live up to its potential there has to be a true mixed use element that the Bay Street Town Center lacks.  The missing peice of that puzzle is residents.  Once the courthouse is moved off of the river and something truely mixed use and pedestrian freindly gets built I think the area could be very lively and succesful.  IMO, Laura and Adams with Hemming Plaza as an anchor would have been an easier area to develop into an entertainment district because of the adaptive mixed use projects already happening, the dense building stock on both sides of the road, and the skyway connection.  But now that Hemming is pretty much a 9-5 hangout for city officials that potential has already been squandered.

[thelakelander]

Not really...

2 restaurants, 2 bars and 2 clubs spread out over a four block area, three years since the streetscape project was completed is far from being labled an entertainment district.  Remember compact connectivity is the key, not a few things being located on the same street.  Visit a district like Tampa's Ybor, Pittsburgh's Strip, Orlando's Orange Avenue or even our Five Points and then attempt to make that claim.

try counting again...its 3 blocks....and the one block has 3 bars/nightclubs right together....you have to start somewhere!

The official district is from Main to Liberty.  This would include Kuhn's building, which recieved town center grant money for it's renovation before the super bowl.  That's four blocks by my count, with the block between Market and Newnan officially no man's land, severely hampering the idea of a compact district.

Also, yes you have to start somewhere, but as Jason said, the critical issue in this area truly becoming an entertainment district will be what happens with the courthouse site.  However, we're still a decade away before seeing anything completed there.  So the jury is still out.

Finally, the easiest (and cheapest) way to create an entertainment district is to let it grow on it's own.  Historically, most tend to happen in an organic fashion.  This helps keeps the leasing rates down, which is critical for start up local clubs and bars to locate close to each other within a short time period (like within months as opposed to 3 to 5 years).  From a city's standpoint, the best thing it can do in that situation is to make sure zoning creates the opportunity for them to spring up in districts that still have a decent amount of available urban building fabric.

[tufsu1]

I belive streetscape improvements are only from Ocean to Liberty (3 blocks)....and as for residential, Churchwell Lofts are underway...again, its a start

[thelakelander]

Yes, the streetscape improvement was only 3 blocks, but the official district, at least before the Super Bowl, includes the block between Main and Ocean.

Over the next few years, its ultimate success or failure with all be based around how the city handles connectivity through the following issues.

A. How do we bridge the gap of buildings between Market and Newnan?

B. What happens with the courthouse/city hall annex site?

C. The wildcard: How does the district deal with JTA's Bus Rapid Transit lines running through the middle of it?

[comncense]

How many unused / unoccupied buildings are even located on Bay Street? It seems that between law offices, bail bonds and various other 9 to 5 businesses, there doesn't seem to be that many areas for entertainment venues to move into. I agree it isn't ideal to have these venues so spaced out. However, I guess that's not much of an option right now. Once the courthouse is moved I guess that's when you can really build up the area where Marks, Dive Bar and TSI are. BTW, what is going on with the building on Bay Street that's close to the Baseball grounds that has the "Bay Street Club" banner still up. I know that's been there since super bowl.