I saw a lot of convention attendees walk up only to be told they are online order only. Most left to go find other options that weren’t as standoff-ish. Agree that this space can be better utilized with a more sensical and consistent business model.
6 Likes
Downtown is underserved by Cook Out.
16 Likes
The Chick-Fil- A that was downtown was slammed and didn’t have a drive thru. Need a quick fast breakfast place and quick lunch place. Raleigh times does great breakfast but not the volume Bojanlges or CFA does. Plus downtown has got the bad rep lately. I was downtown few weeks ago an almost stepped in human waste on sidewalk near Beasley’s Chicken. I love that place. So if not clean and safe them on to next place. Downtown Cary is busting now.
5 Likes
Didn’t DTR once have a “BiscuitVille” location on Wilmington Street at some point? 
Half of the ideas won’t generate traffic and just sounds like wishful thinking or feel good stuff. Which for the most part is cheaper than actually doing the key projects that will generate foot traffic. So what’s the budget because this seems like fresh paint on a rusty barn door.
The city needs to find out what will actually get people to downtown and then work on other goals once that is achieved.
If you have $2 million dollars, spend $1.9 million recruiting Apple to build a store on Fayetteville Street (or whatever traffic generator is in right now) and then once people are going to Fayetteville Street you can spend $100,000 to build a public toilet or support small businesses.
If you build a public toilet but no real, actual foot traffic generator–well no one is going to Fayetteville Street because it has a public toilet.
3 Likes
I’m not sure how recruiting one store/one solution would create enough traffic on this street over multiple solutions (big and small, short-term and long-term).
I’ve traveled a lot in my lifetime, I’m only 24 so I may have limited experience in comparison to others but, it seems like all of these proposed solutions work. I’ve seen some of these street designs and ideas used in D.C. (The Wharf), Savannah (GA), Miami, NYC, Boston/Cambridge… etc.
Also, how would paying Apple to put a store downtown be a good use of tax dollars? With the street’s current condition, they’d certainly turn down the offer. Especially since the demand is probably low since there’s a store in Crabtree Mall, which by car is close enough to downtown.
3 Likes
@RobertSanderlin there was definitely a biscuit place somewhere near the Capitol Building, so Wilmington Street sounds reasonable. I don’t think it was Biscuitville though. Not positive, but it may have been Sunrise Biscuits.
2 Likes
I’m just proposing using the money to spend on projects that actually generate foot traffic not just on feel good stuff. Whatever that is. I just provided an example of what that a look like.
Let’s look at the Fenton, it has public toilets. But no one is going to the Fenton because it has public toilets, they go because it’s nice and clean and it has good restaurants and a movie theater.
Nice, clean, entertainment. Seems like the Fenton devs know what they’re doing to get people to the Fenton.
3 Likes
Oh, really? I guess I’ve been using the bushes wrong then…
3 Likes
I think that we need something “similar” to Fenton just to the East of Fayetteville Street in order activate Fayetteville Street…?
Cannot tell you the last time I ever went to an Apple store nor even wanted to. Stores will come when more people are just hanging out on F-street, but as you state, more people need more reason to hang out on F-street. This means it needs more stuff for them to DO (not buy, not eat - DO). F-street (and downtown Raleigh as a whole) really needs more ACTIVITIES for people to come plan a day around. The shopping and eating will happen naturally around that.
6 Likes
Once upon a time I took a chance and bought an Apple product (iMac). One day I got a recall notice about the hard drive, and was told to take it in to be swapped out. They wanted me to either buy a bunch of stuff to transfer everything off or sign up for a paid service. I told them no thanks and left. It’s been a decade and I’ve never been back. When my hard drive inevitably started to fail, I switched back to Windows and breathed a sigh of relief.
True story.
Seriously though, I don’t understand this idea that Apple stores are this magic cure-all for bringing in the crowds. I feel like they locate where people already are, and thus usually have some customers in them. If one wants to locate downtown, I’m just fine with it. But it’s about as useful to me as another tea-with-chunks shop.
2 Likes
My god it’s the context that you’re missing–it can be anything as long as it gets people to Fayetteville Street. I don’t even own Apple stuff, I’ve been Android since it existed. Replace Apple with Store-That-Hands-Out-Free-Bars-of-Gold.
This is another example why we need a real downtown Raleigh library. People need to read. 
9 Likes
Chiming in that you aren’t an Apple Fan(X) is definitely missing the entire point of @Francisco. The facts are, Apple Stores generate significant traffic. People may just drop in if they happen to be in the area (not you guys, obv) but mostly people will specifically go to wherever an Apple Store exists and other businesses in the proximity benefit. It’s not your average store and because there are people that haven’t shopped there, or don’t use Apple, or maybe had a less than stellar experience in the past doesn’t change the fact that Apple Stores generate considerable traffic.
I’m not suggesting Francisco’s example of putting an Apple Store on F-street is necessarily the “right” thing to do, but if you have enough stores like Apple on F-street, there will be a revitalization no doubt.
3 Likes
Who needs an Apple Store on Fayetteville Street, when we’re getting a ABC Liquor Shop instead!
5 Likes
I think the public toilets are to keep people from going on the sidewalks!! They’re not an attraction.
I’m mainly joking but Chick-fil-A created a lot of traffic when it opened and look at that space now, very inviting.
In all seriousness, I see nothing wrong with creating spaces for small businesses along the street while redesigning the sidewalks and adding art to the street. That seems to be what draws people to the Village District.
6 Likes
I did read. I read what Jake wrote and responded to it with a thrilling anecdote.
Not sure if this is supposed to go in Fayetteville Street or Restaurants. I’ll put it here since it’s more localized. Lots of work being done on the restaurant space in the Wells Fargo Building this week
26 Likes
i am not sure how much total parking f-street really has to make any difference in anything…i looked at google maps imagery and it appears maybe 7 cars can park around the base of a 30 story building…to me it was best in mall form as it catereed to people flooding out at lunchtime and being outdoors in a plaza setting. sure it died after 6, but a few mobile eateries and just map out a lap from memorial auditorium to the capitol for walkers and joggers with good lighting…and then cater to rcc conventions when they occur, and major events…maybe sane quiet space amidst all the activity wil be ok