Northstar Pizza Bar Closed

[DDC]

From their Facebook Page in a post by Kris Kaos:

"Alright everyone it breaks my heart to have to say this but this weekend is the last weekend northstar will be open. I though about quietly not saying anything and riding off Into sunset but for anyone that knows me that's not my style. Tonight and tomorrow were throwing down like it's the first week we opened. Unfortunately downtown Jacksonville has a lot to learn about small business and how to help keep flourishing. I've loved every minute of what I've done and for my first (not last) bar I've owned I've learned a lot and have made a lot of great friends over the last 7 years. Thank you Alva Michael Philip Rae and everyone else that's been here and brought my dream to my eyes plus all my service industry family that has supported through the years."

[thelakelander]

Unfortunately downtown Jacksonville has a lot to learn about small business and how to help keep flourishing.

I'd love to find out more about what Kris believes can be done to help downtown Jacksonville in this particular area.

[DDC]

Another post on Facebook said that most of the taps had been pulled and they had not had a major restock of supplies since February. Seems like that was a sign of things to come.

[marksjax]

Sad day on Bay Street for sure. Thank you Chris and your staff for fighting the good fight for so long.

Lake, in a nutshell, it is tough down here due to lack of foot traffic on a daily basis (few residents, few tourists, etc).
In my opinion, Downtown needs a 'Draw' of some sort to give peeps a reason to go down there. Were that the case, the restaurants and bars that are there would be a 'support system' for the 'Draw' and could feed the visitors and thereby survive until the infill of new residents gains critical mass.
That magical number of 10,000 residents in DT was supposed to be there by now according to 'projections' from JEDC/DVI of ten years ago.

The small businesses can only hang on for so long. The city isn't paying our rent, lol. The city has no 'skin in the game'. They want you to open up in DT (on your nickel of course) and then we are left to fend for ourselves.

Another example: Three years since closing and there are still no plans for the old courthouse? Are you kidding? It's prime riverfront property!!!!!
This is the DT small business issue: Lots of talk, little action. Nothing changes.

Chris, best of luck Dude!   

[coredumped]

7 years is a pretty good run for a restaurant. Of course I'd like to see them remain, they were a cool place.
Hopefully something will move in real quick.

[thelakelander]

Sad day on Bay Street for sure. Thank you Chris and your staff for fighting the good fight for so long.

Lake, in a nutshell, it is tough down here due to lack of foot traffic on a daily basis (few residents, few tourists, etc).
In my opinion, Downtown needs a 'Draw' of some sort to give peeps a reason to go down there. Were that the case, the restaurants and bars that are there would be a 'support system' for the 'Draw' and could feed the visitors and thereby survive until the infill of new residents gains critical mass.

The decades old talk of moving the convention center to the old Courthouse site would be the most logical way to provide such a draw in the short term.

That magical number of 10,000 residents in DT was supposed to be there by now according to 'projections' from JEDC/DVI of ten years ago.

Unfortunately, this number being sold to people is nothing more than a bill of goods. Realistically, DT is probably another decade or so from getting anywhere near that number, given the pace of current momentum. However, if it did hit that number, it would really depend on the number's concentration.  10k in the heart of the Northbank is a lot different from spreading it out from Everbank Field to Brooklyn and the Southbank.

[MusicMan]

................ and meanwhile we are waiting for the Shipyards to be cleaned up, Berkman II to be finished or torn down, a plan for the old courthouse, and the County Jail in the middle of it all.......................

[downtownbrown]

DIA is on record saying that the old courthouse will have to wait until after the Landing and the Shipyards gets resolved and are moving forward.  Seems fairly clear that DIA supports the convention center idea, and it also seems clear that the courthouse parking long, South Liberty, and Coastline east of the Hyatt will remain closed until the old courthouse initiative is resolved.  Which means years and years and years.

Meanwhile, pizza is pizza, and drinking is drinking.  Had lunch at Hawker's in 5 Points yesterday (Asian street food restaurant).  Very hip, and excellent food.  That's what Bay Street needs.  If we had that sort of thing, downtown could have a fair fight over where the new Brooklyn residents want to hang out.

[MusicMan]

As I understand it there are plans for several new restaurants downtown but none are like Hawkers. A couple of higher end steakhouses is what I'm thinking. Like Cowford ChopHouse, Bull Briar......  I agree something similar in price point to Burrito Gallery but not Tex Mex would be helpful.

Will there be a food component to the new Intuition location?

[thelakelander]

DIA is on record saying that the old courthouse will have to wait until after the Landing and the Shipyards gets resolved and are moving forward.  Seems fairly clear that DIA supports the convention center idea, and it also seems clear that the courthouse parking long, South Liberty, and Coastline east of the Hyatt will remain closed until the old courthouse initiative is resolved.  Which means years and years and years.

Meanwhile, pizza is pizza, and drinking is drinking.  Had lunch at Hawker's in 5 Points yesterday (Asian street food restaurant).  Very hip, and excellent food.  That's what Bay Street needs.  If we had that sort of thing, downtown could have a fair fight over where the new Brooklyn residents want to hang out.

Unfortunately, why would someplace like Hawker's want to come to Bay Street? It lacks everything that makes Five Points a desirable destination for those types of small businesses. Then, to top it off, the catalytic site (former courthouse/annex) that should be an anchor destination for East Bay appears to be in eternal limbo.

[ProjectMaximus]

DIA is on record saying that the old courthouse will have to wait until after the Landing and the Shipyards gets resolved and are moving forward.  Seems fairly clear that DIA supports the convention center idea, and it also seems clear that the courthouse parking long, South Liberty, and Coastline east of the Hyatt will remain closed until the old courthouse initiative is resolved.  Which means years and years and years.

Meanwhile, pizza is pizza, and drinking is drinking.  Had lunch at Hawker's in 5 Points yesterday (Asian street food restaurant).  Very hip, and excellent food.  That's what Bay Street needs.  If we had that sort of thing, downtown could have a fair fight over where the new Brooklyn residents want to hang out.

Unfortunately, why would someplace like Hawker's want to come to Bay Street? It lacks everything that makes Five Points a desirable destination for those types of small businesses. Then, to top it off, the catalytic site (former courthouse/annex) that should be an anchor destination for East Bay appears to be in eternal limbo.

^Right. In fact, we had a debate on here about the quality of Hawkers and it seemed some people (like myself) who don't really like the food or think it's just ok still go there because of the ideal location.

[Jaxson]

It's a shame that NorthStar is closing, it is my understanding that the Jacksonville Young Democrats met there regularly. 

[downtownbrown]

^that explains it...

[Jaxson]

I noticed that they were out of a pineapple hard cider on draft when I was there, but they were out.  The bartender said that it was a popular favorite and heard to keep in stock.  I had the impression that they were doing gangbusters business.

[johnnyliar]

Sad that a downtown business is closing, but Northstar was definitely an interesting place.

Cowford Chophouse might bring a little boom to the area.