General Retail/Restaurant News

Weird. All they were trying to do was match the existing use with the zoning.

The purpose of the zoning request is to permit the existing use on the property, which
includes a dance studio and temporary event space, to continue as a conforming use.

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Sooooo there goes another arts space, I guess

It already is, you could argue. This year’s lineup is one of their smallest yet.

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Yeah we went once and thought it was really fun, creative, and delcious. I was very excited to see something unique like that in downtown Raleigh, and in underused City Market no less. I was really hoping it would be a catalyst to revitalize that area, and apparently it sounded exactly like that was the actually the plan… more than I knew.

This is probably my biggest disappointment from the pandemic closures because of what could have been, and how effortlessly it just closed while many others hung on.

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We were also big fans of his High Horse concept the couple of times we went. Excited to hear he has more plans in the area. I just hope they aren’t all in strip malls.

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TLDL : Nothing concrete.
He’s got lots of ideas. He’s still getting to know the area / hasn’t had tons of time to research the area for ‘fave’ / go-to spots he likes (when not working long hours in his restaurant kitchen). He loves bar concepts: smaller scale, well-executed food menu, dark ‘old-Hollywodd’ vibes - hopes that can be his next venture. He lives in North (west) Raleigh and he can see that its one of the areas most needing creative concepts ( to which the RalMag editor concurs, as a resident herself). Also thinks the area could use more upscale supper club / dinner, dancing and a show type spots ('y’know for those over 25-30)

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Yeah the fact that he opened a new place in a strip mall in the worst area (to get around) in Cary was just the icing on the crap cake of High Horse closing.

Happy to hear he has some other ideas though, and if the Cary place is what it takes it keep him afloat for those, then I’m cool with that.

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Yeah I was half listening half working on some stuff and caught the gist of it all. Heard the part of the 1940s-style bar concept idea he had. Sounds like an interesting concept, I’ve been to prohibition-style era bars before but not quite sure how different or what 1940s style is.

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I’d imagine you’d be thinking Casablanca and Hollywood Golden Age instead of flappers and mobsters. Just a different look and style. Definitely not a speakeasy, either.

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Yeah thinking more like this:

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C.grace space could probably fit that bill!

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Longleaf BBQ is coming along nicely.

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I drove by this morning, it looks great. The contractor went a little overboard on the canopy, that much steel could support a 3 story building. I remember construction costs being one of their main hurdles to getting started, they could have gone a lot cheaper on that. Gringo across the street has 60% of their seating under EZ-UP tents.

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Cup of Joe in Mission Valley going on 3 days straight of closure due to “covid related staffing shortages.”

If this closes I’ll be truly bummed. I know there’s one on Hillsborough but it’s not convenient if you live south of main campus. Was one of the only remaining bright spots in a hideous Mission Valley.

Yeah, and it looks like shit LMAO. Much prefer a permanent build vs cheapo tents

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Watts & Ward does live jazz sometimes, right? Not quite as intimate, though… and I’d argue that C.Grace blew them out of the water in terms of drinks.

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I agree, but I also wouldn’t allow the construction to be delayed over something like that. You need to get people in the door and spending money first. If the food is good, what they are sitting under becomes an afterthought. Now if the food blows, no one is coming back regardless how fancy the canopy’s are.

My wife’s GC was asked to quote this project, let’s just say their vision was always substantially larger than their budget.

Only on Thursday nights I think.

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Well the one thing I can personally guarantee is that their food most definitely does not blow! Some of the BEST BBQ I’ve ever had.

Speaking of Hopscotch I was reading their lineup this year and they’ve gotten creative in picking venues in absence of some closing, like the parking deck basement behind Slim’s? which is the GoRaleigh Bus station?

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