Last Remaining Tenet at Unity Plaza Closes Up Shop

[KenFSU]

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/05/02/last-remaining-tenant-closes-at-brooklyns-unity.html

[vicupstate]

Welcome to FL, Brixx's

[Dapperdan]

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.

[thelakelander]

Jax accept who you are. Bring Waffle House.

[KenFSU]

^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.

[remc86007]

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.

[JeffreyS]

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.

[Kerry]

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.

[KenFSU]

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?

[Snaketoz]

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.

[pierre]

No surprise.

Terrible signage, limited foot traffic and parking was not ideal.

[Steve]

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.

[JeffreyS]

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.

[dp8541]

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!

[thelakelander]

Funny how the center down the street stays full and this one is 100% empty.