https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/05/02/last-remaining-tenant-closes-at-brooklyns-unity.html
Welcome to FL, Brixx's
A Panera or Moe's type restaurant in that location would be much better or even a mini drug store. The experiment of flu flu restaurants failed. bring in the bread and butter type places.
Jax accept who you are. Bring Waffle House.
^Agree with you on the tenet mix.
Those storefronts probably need to rely on regular foot traffic to be successful.
Might be better served with twice-a-week lunch/dinner tenets targeted toward neighbors and workers than once-a-month dinner tenets targeted at drivers.
Hate to say it, but I actually think a Starbucks would work well in one of the spots.
There isn't one in Brooklyn, and having people coming, going, and staying throughout the day might help activate an otherwise dead plaza.
I can't believe Brixx lasted as long as they did. The food was nowhere near the quality of other pizza places in town, it was overpriced and only had one size of pie, and somehow it wasn't the same menu or quality as the Brixx in downtown Charlotte.
I feel like this is a problem with the tenants not the area. Spraga had the worst bar area with very uncomfortable stools, Hobnob was ok but inconsistent and Brixx was about the 6th choice in the core for pizza.
The problem for me with all 3 restaurants was the price. I don't know if the rent was so high that the only type of place that can afford it is over-priced food or if they just thought we were all rich because the rent is higher than average. Bring in a Baffalo Wild Wings, TGI Friday, and a Pizza Hut. There isn't enough foot traffic for locally owned or unknown brands. National chains I think will do much better. As for Grabbagreen - despite their loud voice, the left-wing militant vegan crowd they target isn't that big and they are broke. If you were with 3 people 2 of them would starve to death going there.
Quote from: JeffreyS on May 02, 2018, 12:34:41 PM
I feel like this is a problem with the tenants not the area. Spraga had the worst bar area with very uncomfortable stools, Hobnob was ok but inconsistent and Brixx was about the 6th choice in the core for pizza.
Is there decent pizza between Brooklyn and the CBD that I'm missing somewhere?
Not a fan of the place across from the Courthouse, Casa Dora seems to get shut down regularly for health violations, and I'm pretty sure Big Pete's is raiding a Hungry Howie's dumpster the previous night and then re-heating it.
There's gotta be good pizza somewhere, right?
If you want to make it in Jacksonville you have to serve good food at a fair price. Ferns, hubcaps, and antiques may work in Chicago, but here you have to deliver on value. There are too many places serving Ruby Tuesday food at Tavern on the Green prices. That may work in high traffic, upscale locations, but not in Brooklyn. Not at this time.
No surprise.
Terrible signage, limited foot traffic and parking was not ideal.
Quote from: Kerry on May 02, 2018, 12:45:09 PM
The problem for me with all 3 restaurants was the price. I don't know if the rent was so high that the only type of place that can afford it is over-priced food or if they just thought we were all rich because the rent is higher than average. Bring in a Baffalo Wild Wings, TGI Friday, and a Pizza Hut. There isn't enough foot traffic for locally owned or unknown brands. National chains I think will do much better. As for Grabbagreen - despite their loud voice, the left-wing militant vegan crowd they target isn't that big and they are broke. If you were with 3 people 2 of them would starve to death going there.
Not sure I 100% agree on the national vs local. Obviously a known name helps, but I'll tell you what-if the Black Sheep folks (or the Taverna folks) opened a place there and kept it at the same quality as their other areas, I bet they wouldn't have an issue.
Not that a Buffalo Wild Wings WOULDN'T work....but B-Dubs works because it's inexpensive and consistent....and has built a name.
I honestly thought that while the location isn't ideal, none of the places gave me a huge desire to come back soon.
Quote from: KenFSU on May 02, 2018, 12:53:05 PM
Quote from: JeffreyS on May 02, 2018, 12:34:41 PM
I feel like this is a problem with the tenants not the area. Spraga had the worst bar area with very uncomfortable stools, Hobnob was ok but inconsistent and Brixx was about the 6th choice in the core for pizza.
Is there decent pizza between Brooklyn and the CBD that I'm missing somewhere?
Not a fan of the place across from the Courthouse, Casa Dora seems to get shut down regularly for health violations, and I'm pretty sure Big Pete's is raiding a Hungry Howie's dumpster the previous night and then re-heating it.
There's gotta be good pizza somewhere, right?
For me coming from Avondale. I like Carmines, Al's and Mello Mushroom over Brixx and they are all closer. Chicago Pizza is preferable to me as well although farther away as is V pizza.
I went to Brixx once to eat in and once for pick up. Both times there may have been one or two tables of customers (so basically empty) in prime dinner time (once on a Saturday night). This has more to do with the tenant than the location.
Within about 5 miles you have V, Moon River, Carmines, Als and Mellow, all with better pizza.
I was actually the most surprised of Sbraga closing, I thought their food and service was pretty good. Hobnob wasn't as good of an option as other nearby places with the same price point (Orsay, Blacksheep, BBs, Taverna, etc.) so that wasn't terribly surprising to me.
I do agree that a national, quick service place (Panera, Chipotle, Starbucks, etc.) would be successful there, and ultimately help the other now vacant storefronts in the long run. Now the issue is getting one of those chains to sign on!
Funny how the center down the street stays full and this one is 100% empty.
Quote from: thelakelander on May 02, 2018, 03:23:47 PM
Funny how the center down the street stays full and this one is 100% empty.
It's too late now, but they should have moved the retail to Riverside Ave, not attempted putting lipstick on a pic (FDOT Retention Pond), and I bet things would have gone better.
But, the tenant mix......not great. One restauranteur that expanded too quickly, one that had decent food but expensive, and an average pizza place.
Quote from: thelakelander on May 02, 2018, 03:23:47 PM
Funny how the center down the street stays full and this one is 100% empty.
There is one vacancy at Brooklyn Station. ;)
Quote from: thelakelander on May 02, 2018, 03:23:47 PM
Funny how the center down the street stays full and this one is 100% empty.
If you are talking about Brooklyn Station - turn over there is pretty high. Seems like every time I walk to Fresh Market something is closing.
Zoe's, Burger Fi, Burrito Gallery, Fresh Market, etc. all seem to do fine. Fine enough for a second retail center being proposed right next door. The things that seem to turn over are new concepts or places like Corner Bakery, which closed all their Jax locations. Even those spots seem to find new tenants pretty quick.
I was thinking more about the retail spots adjacent to the Fresh Market. And while several place have gone, you are right, it doesn't take long to fill the vacancy.
QuoteIt's too late now, but they should have moved the retail to Riverside Ave, not attempted putting lipstick on a pic
yep. watch, i'd bet nothing makes it there for more than a year or 2 until the surrounding area gets denser and has more residents/more projects are built. unity plaza was a nice story to get 220 built and sold, like the idea of alex coley living there. it's too far too walk from most of riverside and the whole parking/walking up to the plaza experience feels like you're on a construction site where you shouldn't be
QuoteRuby Tuesday food at Tavern on the Green prices
a succinct summary of jax food, sadly. chophouse comes to mind.
Quote from: jlmann on May 03, 2018, 09:31:34 AM
QuoteIt's too late now, but they should have moved the retail to Riverside Ave, not attempted putting lipstick on a pic
yep. watch, i'd bet nothing makes it there for more than a year or 2 until the surrounding area gets denser and has more residents/more projects are built. unity plaza was a nice story to get 220 built and sold, like the idea of alex coley living there. it's too far too walk from most of riverside and the whole parking/walking up to the plaza experience feels like you're on a construction site where you shouldn't be
Completely Agree
Quote from: jlmann on May 03, 2018, 09:31:34 AM
QuoteRuby Tuesday food at Tavern on the Green prices
a succinct summary of jax food, sadly. chophouse comes to mind.
Couldn't disagree more, but hey, that's 50%
Quote from: Kerry on May 02, 2018, 05:31:32 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on May 02, 2018, 03:23:47 PM
Funny how the center down the street stays full and this one is 100% empty.
If you are talking about Brooklyn Station - turn over there is pretty high. Seems like every time I walk to Fresh Market something is closing.
The only 2 that have closed are corner bakery and grabbagreen. Corner bakery was hoping to make a large chunk of their money from catering, which did not pan our. Grabbagreen was poorly designed and executed. There have been pop up shops that came and went, but those weren't designed to be permanent.
A couple of the spaces immediately adjacent to Fresh Market have turned over. I believe they are all full now though.
I stand corrected-the old Marilyn Monroe Spa is still vacant.
Quote from: Steve on May 03, 2018, 10:12:15 AM
I stand corrected-the old Marilyn Monroe Spa is still vacant.
There is a tenant there now. I think the Pink Nickel sport is still vacant.
See, turnover is so high we can't even remember which closed store occupied the currently vacant space.
The Pink Nickel & Marilyn Monroe had their rents raised, that's why they left.
I thought Monroe left because they decided that they needed a full spa to operate properly.
Quote from: thelakelander on May 02, 2018, 11:21:54 AM
Jax accept who you are. Bring Waffle House.
I don't understand how one small area of a neighborhood represents an entire city, but whatever...There was a multitude of issues concerning the failure of those restaurants at Unity, and price point (which was average fast casual) might not crack the top five in importance. As others pointed out; parking, poor signage, low name recognition, no shade, poorly laid out.
A poor layout or one that relies on density and foot traffic that won't be in Brooklyn any time soon would account for the failure of spaces in limited visibility from Riverside Avenue. Brixx's location, not so much. The visibility from the street there is just as good as anyone else's. This means it's more likely a situation with the business and the product itself or the rent is too high for what area is. Either way, a more proven concept in the market that does not have a presence in the downtown area (i.e. Waffle House, etc. ;-) would likely fare much better.
But this was such a wonderful design, it was beautiful, it was dare I say, I dare, I dare "a game changer"!!
https://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,20011.0.html
Just keep all this in mind when the next great thing comes down the pike that will just be the best thing since sliced bread.
Let that be a lesson to us all - don't believe the hype or fall for the pretty drawings (cough Khan and Shipyards cough). The only thing that matters is that it follows good urban design principles. If it doesn't it won't be succesful.
I've been saying don't believe the hype for well over a decade now. Anything labelled a "game changer" will general end up in disappointment because people are sold on a dream that has high expectations that are impossible to meet.
My question is, where's all the private money going that was promised for Unity Plaza. Taxpayers chipped in $2.6 million, nearly twice what we've put in to improve and staff Hemming Park over the last three years, with the understanding that a portion of residents' rent would be set aside each month to staff and activate Unity Plaza 365 days a year. That money was also supposed to help fund promised improvements, like a giant video screen for outdoor movies, floating concert stage with state-of-the-art Av equipment, sculpture, a butterfly garden, etc. 220 Riverside has very little residential vacancy, so either that yoga instructor has a garage full of Bentleys at home, or the developer isn't holding up their end of the deal.
Surprised Grabba Greens closed so fast, Tossed Greens Downtown has a line out the door on most days.
I didn't make it to Grabba Green before it closed. I almost went with my wife one night before an event, but we looked at the menu and were concerned we wouldn't get enough food to make it through the event.
I love Toss Green and I'm so happy they are downtown now. Their salads fill me up and I don't feel terrible after eating them.
How is the residential doing in the building?
The residential part stays full.