A friend of mine is expanding his restaurant and is deciding between Southside some of the neighborhoods in the urban core? Where would you put a restaurant at this point (taking vacant space into consideration) in the city?
Downtown! Can't beat the Financing and Terms.
You would get some free press. I almost feel like it is too easy to get lost in the Town Center though. If you are in Riverside or San Marco, the neighborhood takes an interest in you.
Probably depends on the type of restaurant and demographic your friend's business intends to cater too.
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 16, 2015, 10:40:44 AM
You would get some free press. I almost feel like it is too easy to get lost in the Town Center though. If you are in Riverside or San Marco, the neighborhood takes an interest in you.
^True, but I think Riverside and San Marco can be VERY competitive. I think if you nail the restaurant you can become a staple Downtown.
Depends on the restaurant. Places that seem to do very well in the urban core seem to be those don't mind putting the extra money and effort into standing out a bit with their food and atmosphere (it doesn't necessarily take a lot of money vs. effort - there are plenty of hole in the walls and dives).
As the decision is between Southside and the Urban Core, I might recommend San Marco if it's a higher end place, Murray Hill if it's not, and Downtown if it caters to the office crowd. San Marco will likely be the most expensive but also draw the highest revenues. There are still some spots on San Marco Blvd. and Hendricks, perhaps even in the square, and word on the street is that Kings Ave. will be next to fill out. That will continue once Healthy Town and (God willing) the East San Marco Publix project come together.
Murray Hill, on the other hand, has started filling the niche that much of Riverside held 10 years ago: it's an affordable and increasingly hip place that draws a lot of young people currently priced out of Riverside and Avondale. A lot has been brewing on Edgewood just within the last two years.
If the place mainly serves the lunch and after-work crowds, as opposed to nights and weekends, Downtown would probably work best. Despite its failings it's the center of the office worker crowd in the urban core, which can be seen by how fast Brooklyn has filled in. Brooklyn would probably be hard to get into right now, but it might be instructive to talk to the new developers. Most of what has been proposed and developed downtown is mixed use and therefore looking for commercial tenants like restaurants.
If I couldn't get inside, I'd get as close to possible to Maxwell House and open a cafe/coffee shop with a historical theme.
Murray Hill! ;)
Honestly, there are a number of locations I would consider depending on the concept, but thinking seriously about it Murray Hill would probably be the place in the end. Also it makes a difference whether this is "starting a restaurant" as you write in the title or "expanding" as you wrote in your post.
Murray Hill all the way!
Take advantage of the low rent and close proximity to riverside/avondale. If you have a good product and a great atmoshpere it can easily be done.
I want to open up a vegan cafe in Murray Hill. I just have to figure out what I need lol. I gotta hurry before the storefronts disappear.
I would love to see a nice 24 hour cafe or diner across from Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Business would always be available because there's always people working, including holidays. This area really needs something of quality as too many organizations feel that the Southside is the up and coming market while totally overlooking the Westside.
Quote from: b1gworm on December 16, 2015, 07:41:13 PM
I would love to see a nice 24 hour cafe or diner across from Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Business would always be available because there's always people working, including holidays. This area really needs something of quality as too many organizations feel that the Southside is the up and coming market while totally overlooking the Westside.
Trent's moved in across from the Naval Air Station.Long established. Among other westside locations, I believe at least one other Trent's Westside locate now closed.??
The Westside might be "well done" for a bit
QuoteDepends on the restaurant. Places that seem to do very well in the urban core seem to be those don't mind putting the extra money and effort into standing out a bit with their food and atmosphere (it doesn't necessarily take a lot of money vs. effort - there are plenty of hole in the walls and dives).
As the decision is between Southside and the Urban Core, I might recommend San Marco if it's a higher end place, Murray Hill if it's not, and Downtown if it caters to the office crowd. San Marco will likely be the most expensive but also draw the highest revenues. There are still some spots on San Marco Blvd. and Hendricks, perhaps even in the square, and word on the street is that Kings Ave. will be next to fill out. That will continue once Healthy Town and (God willing) the East San Marco Publix project come together.
Murray Hill, on the other hand, has started filling the niche that much of Riverside held 10 years ago: it's an affordable and increasingly hip place that draws a lot of young people currently priced out of Riverside and Avondale. A lot has been brewing on Edgewood just within the last two years.
If the place mainly serves the lunch and after-work crowds, as opposed to nights and weekends, Downtown would probably work best. Despite its failings it's the center of the office worker crowd in the urban core, which can be seen by how fast Brooklyn has filled in. Brooklyn would probably be hard to get into right now, but it might be instructive to talk to the new developers. Most of what has been proposed and developed downtown is mixed use and therefore looking for commercial tenants like restaurants.
(http://www.mapmodnews.com/images/library/image/MW3/Cod-blah-blah.jpg)
Find the demographics based on the zip code and make sure people can find you online, http://www.esri.com/data/esri_data/ziptapestry (http://www.esri.com/data/esri_data/ziptapestry)
Quote from: mtraininjax on December 17, 2015, 05:37:20 AM
QuoteDepends on the restaurant. Places that seem to do very well in the urban core seem to be those don't mind putting the extra money and effort into standing out a bit with their food and atmosphere (it doesn't necessarily take a lot of money vs. effort - there are plenty of hole in the walls and dives).
As the decision is between Southside and the Urban Core, I might recommend San Marco if it's a higher end place, Murray Hill if it's not, and Downtown if it caters to the office crowd. San Marco will likely be the most expensive but also draw the highest revenues. There are still some spots on San Marco Blvd. and Hendricks, perhaps even in the square, and word on the street is that Kings Ave. will be next to fill out. That will continue once Healthy Town and (God willing) the East San Marco Publix project come together.
Murray Hill, on the other hand, has started filling the niche that much of Riverside held 10 years ago: it's an affordable and increasingly hip place that draws a lot of young people currently priced out of Riverside and Avondale. A lot has been brewing on Edgewood just within the last two years.
If the place mainly serves the lunch and after-work crowds, as opposed to nights and weekends, Downtown would probably work best. Despite its failings it's the center of the office worker crowd in the urban core, which can be seen by how fast Brooklyn has filled in. Brooklyn would probably be hard to get into right now, but it might be instructive to talk to the new developers. Most of what has been proposed and developed downtown is mixed use and therefore looking for commercial tenants like restaurants.
(http://www.mapmodnews.com/images/library/image/MW3/Cod-blah-blah.jpg)
Find the demographics based on the zip code and make sure people can find you online, http://www.esri.com/data/esri_data/ziptapestry (http://www.esri.com/data/esri_data/ziptapestry)
(http://smijesne.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Trolling-in-the-deep.jpg)
Quote from: FlaBoy on December 16, 2015, 08:23:21 AM
A friend of mine is expanding his restaurant and is deciding between Southside some of the neighborhoods in the urban core? Where would you put a restaurant at this point (taking vacant space into consideration) in the city?
Is your friend being represented by CBRE?
Quote from: blizz01 on December 16, 2015, 11:32:34 AM
If I couldn't get inside, I'd get as close to possible to Maxwell House and open a cafe/coffee shop with a historical theme.
2013-384 the armory for a buck a year and ZERO Access to our American Heritage River.
Just did a Downtown District RICO loop on 12/17/15 after listening to Melissa Ross and her guest Angela Corey on First Coast Connect. Launched at RCB. Did a Vivian Harrell KJB Bluebag cleanup with some Environmental Ethics-Vince Seibold on Hogans Creek. I'm hungry.
Who's next?