  Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 1114 Registered: 01-2006 |
I know there are a ton of people here that are dead set against any chain stores or franchised restaurants opening downtown. The reality is that many of these place would help develop our downtown and would add to the livability. What are some of the chains that you think would not only survive downtown, but are either prime for an appearance or overdue? NOTE: cheesecake factory, house of blues. there i said them. now some real conversation please... | ||
Melody Member Username: Melody Post Number: 199 Registered: 11-2007 |
Regarding Cheesecake Factory: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=20088051504 13 House of Blues I could live without, we already have a Hard Rock and a Fillmore. I'd like to see a Pantera Bread downtown (dime-baguettes! sorry, inside joke). More Einstein Bagel Bros., maybe a California Pizza Kitchen? Rio Wraps? Melting Pot? Yeah...a Melting Pot in Greektown or Corktown would make my day. I'm still waiting for a Sevs (7-11) to open within city limits. Why not put one just before the Belle Isle bridge. Bike ride + slurpee (+ pint of Captain Morgan) = summertime heaven | ||
Johnnny5 Member Username: Johnnny5 Post Number: 742 Registered: 06-2005 |
"I'd like to see a Pantera Bread downtown (dime-baguettes! sorry, inside joke)." http://youtube.com/watch?v=00x I-7kUwkQ | ||
Melody Member Username: Melody Post Number: 200 Registered: 11-2007 |
Aw yeah! Judas Yeast! I had no idea. My friends and I thought we made that up. Glad somebody else got the joke. "That'll be four ferteen." Sorry, this thread is going the wrong way... straight to HELL! Ha! I'm proud to say this is my 200th post. | ||
Detroiterbychoice Member Username: Detroiterbychoice Post Number: 6 Registered: 04-2008 |
Hell no. Keep that chain crap out of here. What makes detroit so good is that its none of that froofy chain store crap. If I wanted that I would just go live in plymouth. If I were mayor I would implement a billion percent tax on chain stores and let small business owners run tax free. Like that ice cream store across from the compuware building, tax free. Stone-cold crapery in greektown, billion percent tax on that filth. Get off my court with that shit. But thats how I roll. | ||
Hudkina Member Username: Hudkina Post Number: 196 Registered: 12-2004 |
Some people think that we should start small with boutiques (Gap, A&F, AE, etc.) that are traditionally seen in malls, but the reality is that they wouldn't survive on their own in the downtown area. They generally feed off of the business of larger "anchors" such as a Best Buy, Kroger or J.C. Penny. I would particularly love to see a Best Buy in the Cadillac Centre building facing Campus Martius. Another thing that I would like to see is something similar to Disney Quest. From what I've read it seems as if they were originally going to expand the concept into several major cities, but the first "branch" location in Chicago failed to draw people. For those who don't know what Disney Quest is, it is basically a glorified arcade with interactive attractions and a large collection of old and new arcade games. The best thing is that you pay a flat rate to get in and once in you can play all the games you want. I think that such an attraction could work over on one of the empty lots near Comerica Park and the Fox Theatre. It could draw some of the family crowd before or after a Tigers game and bring people downtown to experience something they can't in the suburbs. Maybe on Friday and Saturday after 10:00, they could even turn it into a nightclub. | ||
Bigdada Member Username: Bigdada Post Number: 16 Registered: 09-2007 |
Uhh..Gold chains? | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 1115 Registered: 01-2006 |
Hudkina, there is a similar concept to Disney Quest in Toronto called "Playdium". They have all the classic arcade games as well as many new games and some that are very highly interactive. You pay for a certain amount of credits or for certain amount of time. Instead of crappy tokens or quarters you carry around a card that swipes at each game. It is a concept that I have thought would be a great way to fill an empty warehouse somewhere. Add a paintball floor and you have a complete entertainment destination that is fun for all ages. | ||
Peter Member Username: Peter Post Number: 148 Registered: 02-2007 |
Just about any chain that is willing to invest in Downtown Detroit is welcome. Filling up vacant storefronts and making jobs, sounds pretty good... right? | ||
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady Post Number: 86 Registered: 06-2005 |
White Castle! Open all night for those with midnight munchies. We recently drove 145 miles to the closest WC because I miss my Sliders! Brought home 100 of them. | ||
Django Member Username: Django Post Number: 378 Registered: 10-2003 |
Im torn, I hate going out to the burbs to a meijers or Kings Books but it makes sense to me because I can buy a very large chunk of cheese at a reasonable price and find exactly what I want at Boarders Books out in Dearborn.. I live in the hood, I want to spend my money here but there are no reasonable grociers. On my budget, Im forced to go outside the city. At the same time I understand that a Boarders Books will eat up Mom an Pops stores. If someone has a good answer for me, let me know. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 2129 Registered: 09-2007 |
"White Castle! Open all night for those with midnight munchies. We recently drove 145 miles to the closest WC because I miss my Sliders! Brought home 100 of them." Not Exactly "downtown", but there are 3 surrounding it. -Michigan Ave. (behind TS) -Gratiot Ave. (near Mt. Elliot) -Woodward Ave. (New Center) (Message edited by DetroitRise on May 16, 2008) | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 6007 Registered: 10-2003 |
What chains are acceptable downtown, you ask? Any damn chains downtown can get! | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 2366 Registered: 09-2006 |
I don't really get the question nor do I get anyone who would object to any chain moving downtown. Its not like we have them just flooding in so we can pick and choose them, we get what scraps we can. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4291 Registered: 06-2004 |
As long as chains move into an existing building or anything they build blends with the existing buildings, any can move downtown - but no buildings with setbacks or surrounded by drive thrus or parking spaces. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 2020 Registered: 03-2006 |
major magic's pizza review! | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 1245 Registered: 08-2007 |
quote: wow, ... . ---- Chains in downtown...hmm, a Penske oil change place with conceirge service, where they would come, pick up your car, wash it, change the oil, etc. A One Hour Martinizer. I think the last downtown drycleaner moved out of the first National building two year ago. A shoe-shine stand should be on the sidewalk in front of Forans. not a chain, but a business An Ace Hardware. A McDonalds ... never made sense to me they moved out of the Congress location. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 345 Registered: 03-2008 |
Franchises are often operated by locals. So in those cases, chains are great. For example, you'd probably have better sales if you were a "Dunkin' Donuts" than "Jill's Donut Stand". It's just buying a name and a system. Many of these businesses are still locally owned and operated. That being said, I would like to see a Seven Eleven down here. I've talked to them about this (as I at one time had the means and desire to open one). I tried pitching how much suburbanites would love going and getting a Slurpee before a tigers game. I even pitched the idea of "Slurpee Carts" to be place inside some venues. It just seems like such a slam dunk. If we want to get suburbanites shopping and eating downtown, then we have to have these type of places. They are familiar to them. They know they can trust a chain (and for some reason they love chains). I think this is the main reason that suburbanites just jump on the freeway before and after a game, concert, or trip to the casino. They see nothing familiar, and that makes them uncomfortable. I think many would stop if these places (even a Meijer) were located near the freeway exits and entrances. I'm sure they'd love to be able to stop at a Meijer on one of those vacant lots along Woodward near I-75. How many people would go shopping before a game or after work? Maybe it is more convenient to stop there that their local grocer. If it's right at the entrance this could be true. Maybe the one near their home is a few miles out of the way. Then of course you have all the under served urban market. You also have tourists. People who would stop for tailgating supplies, people who would buy novelties for the Country and Techno Fest, people who buy sparklers for their kids before the fireworks. The list is long. There are so many more potential customers in Detroit than many think. I would say there is enough to even offset the cost of a good security system. You'd STILL make a killing after all those crazy taxes, laws, and shop lifting scenarios. Plus, there is little competition. Detroit is really just THAT under served. The Seven Eleven idea never panned out because of many reasons. The biggest was that they wanted us to open more than one or two. The second biggest was that they required a insane amount of devotion. That's good, but it was more like being hired by the company. I want to do things on my own. Just wasn't/isn't the right move for me. Maybe it's right for someone reading this? They are extremely nice to work with. They also were willing to convert existing stores (this seemed to be a better idea than just driving them out of business). If anyone here ever plans on opening one of these places, I would be willing to offer a couple tips and contacts. About the arcade; Hudkins, I really like that idea. It seems like that would do great attached to another venture. I actually have a semi complete business plan I did for practice when I was 17 for a arcade downtown. The numbers would need to be updated, and the quality brought up a little, but that should be pretty easy. I have (or know where to get) all the data, which is the tedious part. I'd love to pass ideas back and forth if you (or anyone else) is interested, or is already pursuing this. E-mail: Sean_Of_Detroit AT Yahoo.com Edit: Spelling (Message edited by Sean_Of_Detroit on May 16, 2008) | ||
Crew Member Username: Crew Post Number: 1432 Registered: 02-2004 |
Dillard's The closest one is Toledo so it would be a draw for an anchor store. | ||
Zephyrprocess Member Username: Zephyrprocess Post Number: 623 Registered: 08-2006 |
The Ace Hardware proposed for midtown (Cass and Canfield--essentially behind the midtown McDs) now has a "Coming Soon" sign on the chain link fence surrounding its parking lot. | ||
Rax Member Username: Rax Post Number: 271 Registered: 11-2007 |
What chains are "acceptable"? Um, anything is better than the nothing that is lower Woodward. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 869 Registered: 07-2006 |
Worth repeating: quote: The chains can and will serve a vital function in the revitalization of downtown. As Sean said, suburbanites see nothing familiar, and feel uncomfortable, so they go straight home and spend their money there. If they see an Applebees, as much as I despise the place, it's hard to deny that they would be more willing to stay. And as they spend more time downtown, they'll grow more comfortable with it, and eventually venture past the chains and into a local restaurant or store. But I do NOT want to see the standard suburban building. That would honestly make me sick. As for chains, to start I think downtown could use an Applebees, TGI Fridays, Outback, etc. More Starbucks. Target (I think it's a better fit for downtown than Meijers). Even more Starbucks. More fast food, like McDs, BK, Taco Bell. Mind you, I am shuddering as I type this, but these places are necessary evils. think of them as gateway stores. But I think it needs to be kept in check somehow, so as to prevent the locally owned stores from being wiped out entirely. Certainly, some will disappear no matter what - they'll blame the chains, but usually they were going out anyways, they're just looking for a scapegoat. Django, why not go to the Borders in the Compuware building? At least then you keep your money in Detroit. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 6688 Registered: 10-2003 |
Three types of chains who's investment would be good for the city: 1) Any 2) All 3) Dear God please invest your money here, PLEASE | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 2130 Registered: 09-2007 |
Well, ANY chain (even IKEA) could fit downtown if the store were designed properly. So I don't understand the point of this thread. | ||
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj Post Number: 529 Registered: 11-2003 |
As long as downtown looks and feels like my local suburban area mall such as Lakeside or Oakland, I am all for any chains that make me feel comfortable. I would prefer to drive 30 minutes to the downtown Applebee's rather than drive 5 minutes to the Applebee’s down the street. I really don't like trying different types of foods because that is scary and prefer a standard corporate chosen menu that is formulated to make the highest profit possible for the chain. And make sure there is plenty of parking because I don’t like to walk either. “I want to be stereotyped I want to be classified I want to be a clone I want a suburban home" | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 6691 Registered: 10-2003 |
I don't want no hippy pad, I want a house just like mom and dad. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 870 Registered: 07-2006 |
Rjlj, the point is not that people will drive 30 miles to the Applebee's downtown over the one 5 minutes away, it is that while they are downtown for a game, for gambling, for whatever, that they will actually spend their money downtown rather than go back home and spend it there. | ||
Izzadore Member Username: Izzadore Post Number: 136 Registered: 11-2006 |
A first-of-its-kind Downtown Wal Mart. | ||
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj Post Number: 530 Registered: 11-2003 |
I think Metro Detroiter's need to be reprogrammed. We are so far behind other major cities it is sickening. You don’t keep people downtown by giving them their favorite chain restaurant so they can comfortably eat after a ballgame. Fundamental changes need to happen first. The environment needs to exist that is safe for people to want to visit and live. The perception of downtown needs to change. Next, good retail spaces (which downtown has plenty) need to exist and cheap rent to attract tenants. Why hasn’t all the vacant space downtown been filled already? It all starts at the top. If you keep electing officials that only have their personal interests in mind, Detroit will never be a world class city again. | ||
Professorscott Member Username: Professorscott Post Number: 1297 Registered: 12-2006 |
Detroit is not attractive to multi-unit operators in general because such companies need to have a way for people to arrive at their business location. This either means ample free parking or excellent transit. Downtown Detroit has neither of these so is not attractive, regardless of other issues. Suburban shopping areas exist because they provide ample free parking. Downtown shopping areas exist in other cities because they have excellent transit. Downtown Detroit has neither, which is why the amount of retail is what it is. Recall that in the streetcar era, when the DSR took people on half a billion rides per year at its peak, downtown Detroit had a thriving shopping district. |
