The big news for Yatai was them expanding their sushi offerings. Maybe a bit overdramatic.
8 Likes
Can’t say I disagree. I get it that there’s a finite amount of opportunities to be in downtown, but the amenities and environment don’t justify the prices. DTR just doesn’t have much to offer at this point and it seems there are fewer and fewer options with each passing week.
2 Likes
What is missing that makes you say that? I’m not arguing, just curious what people see in our downtown that is lacking. Would be good feedback.
3 Likes
Raleigh is fine if it’s much cheaper. There is no downtown arena for sports, no real shopping. No entertainment like movies or bowling. Not a lot of affordable chain restaurants. Not really aesthetically pleasing.
If I’m going to pay premium for downtown give me Chicago, DC , or even a more charming city like Savannah or Charleston. All the newer stuff gradually being built is cool, but none of it seems to move the needle much . One day possibly, I’m just too old to wait.
11 Likes
Damn… this actually hit me hard. Life comes at you fast 
A gentle reminder from the Bolt Man to do what makes you happy, when it makes you happy. Don’t wait! One day you’ll be “too old to wait” 
3 Likes
Where again can I live in Wake County that offers walking distance to 200 bars and restaurants, concerts, museums, festivals, and dozens of parks…
I’ll wait…
I’m still relatively young, and enjoy the freeing mentality that not driving my car all weekend provides. Not loading up the car with kids, toys, food etc. just to go somewhere simple for the day. Or I can walk or jump in the golf cart and spend nearly every weekend car free. For the record I love driving, I go out at midnight several times a week to drive alone with less cars around for fun.
12 Likes
This makes a lot of sense. I know when I was in my early 20s and getting into all this city planning stuff, I thought “Raleigh would be great when…”. Well, here I am starting my 40s and those things we were talking about hasn’t happened. It’s ok, I’ve pivoted, changed my lifestyle somewhat and I’m having a great time NOW.
Planning is fun but if you want some urban in your life, or Raleigh just isn’t doing it for you, I highly recommend you try and move. (if you can)
7 Likes
This is pretty much my experience as well. I started getting excited about all Raleigh had on the horizon when I was 25 (moved here at 26), and now I’m 41. A lot of what I expected hasn’t really happened, and at my age I don’t really want to live in a $3000 1BR apartment just so I can walk to some bars and restaurants. (I know that’s not your situation.) I guess I had figured Raleigh would have many of the things Boltman mentioned and just a denser, larger downtown. The difference is I’ve never lived downtown all this time, and I’ve made my peace with the way things are here. I’m very happy living where I do, and having easy (driving) access to all the options around, including downtown Raleigh. And I will continue to be enthusiastic about every project that is added.
9 Likes
I found out why all the lunch spots in the red hat area are closing. Everyone collectively decided that Manhattan Café is the place to get lunch.
Analyzing it a bit too much, Manhattan Cafe’s success makes a hell of a lot of sense. They have a diverse set of offerings in the sandwich-salad realm that a larger or small group wouldn’t be offended by. It’s fast casual, which this area is sorely lacking. They’ve also got a great shaded area to eat as well as a nice indoor space.
Major props to them for figuring it out. If others follow suit around here, I think they’ll also be successful.
19 Likes
Manhattan is always crowded like that. #1 spot people at my office get lunch.
2 Likes
It’s been like that for years! Personally I never thought the food was all that good, but it was close, quick, very reasonably priced for what it is, and they understood what people wanted from an office lunch spot - lots of options, served quickly, at a fair and reasonable price. I really hope others take notice of this and we start to get more “no-frills” dining experiences downtown like this, and especially some that cater to residents (with breakfast, lunch, and dinner offerings) rather than just office workers needing lunch
3 Likes
I’d argue that the sweet spot is the NW corner of downtown.
You can walk to the very core of the city, the Village District, Pullen Park, Fletcher Park, and soonish to be Smoky Hollow Park. Even Dix is walkable if you are actually a walker like me. You can walk to NC State and “the strip” along Hillsborough, lots of shopping at the Village District and Publix at Smoky Hollow. You can walk to most of the state museums, festivals all over downtown, and tons of bars and restaurants. You can even walk to the Rialto Theater at 5 points.
Now, if your question is rhetorical and wasn’t intended to actually identify a place, then I suppose that you could shoot holes in that recommendation, but I can assure you from experience that while you wouldn’t necessarily want to live a car free life anywhere in the Triangle if you didn’t have to, you can certainly live a much more car light lifestyle in that part of downtown.
4 Likes
My dream retail expansions in downtown:
Fast food/Restaurant chains:
- 2nd Krispy Kreme Donuts - the demand is there
- Cookout w/ urban vibe - the demand is also there
- Chick-Fil-a - the demand is there
- 2nd Goodberry’s Frozen Custard
- 2nd Manhattan Cafe - the demand is there
- The Cheesecake Factory
- H-Mart (Grocery store & food hall)
- B.b.q Chicken (Korean fast food)
- Guy’s! Kitchen + Bar
- Ramsey’s Kitchen
Retail chains:
- Muji (Japanese clothing & accessories)
- Uniqlo (same as above)
- Primark (cheap but good quality clothing & accessories)
- Goodwill thrift store
- Barnes & Noble w/ a local coffee brand
- Nordstrom Rack
- Nike & New Balance & Adidas or Dick’s SG
- CHANEL
- Cartier
Where? The Glenwood South, Fayetteville St, Park, Warehouse districts and Downtown South
4 Likes
I think you are right. My experience would have been different if I moved closer to St Mary’s street nearer to Cameron Village. Even at that time though prices were close to a million for a townhome near there.
My area, even though new homes were built was still sketchy and then it just crapped me out for entire downtown living.
Looked at Cary, Apex etc, afterwards but decided I might as well get out of the rat race of the immediate Triangle once and for all. Not gloating, but I really like it in Pittsboro. Has some character to it, although small. Easy living and my wife and silly little dogs like it so I’m good.
7 Likes
Still selling yourself on it I see …
2 Likes
I can see the logic of not wanting to be in thick of suburbia. While I wouldn’t choose to be out in the country/small town, I can see its advantages over a sea of minivans, SUVs and wide roads that funnel in and out of limited access subdivisions and strip malls.
If it could remain stable, I could see living next to the walkable core of a thoughtfully run small town with an active main street.
1 Like
Not official news, not a birdie thing. I don’t know anything. But, I saw some people touring the former Darby Space right next to Oak City Meatball while walking over to Manhattan Cafe earlier. Could just be general interest, but, it’s odd that the touring is happening just a bit after the Oak City Meatball place is closing down.
It is a gigantic leap, but I’m wondering if there are plans to combine the two spaces into one. Is it possible that the landlord had an offer to fill out both spaces and they let Oak City Meatball know that they had to also rent the other space or hit the bricks by the end of the lease?
I guess we’ll know if there’s more to it or if I’m just seeing things I want to see.
2 Likes
The same restaurant person that owned Meatballs owned Darby. Darby used to be some Japanese fusion place, then something else, and now Darby. Guessing he’s just tired and decided not to renew the leases on both sites.
1 Like
Selling it to you. Your ideas could make more of a difference here. Build a utopia in your vision. Raleigh is a lost cause .
If I’m not mistaken, I thought the Darby was owned by the original owner of the Davie. Back when they were open, I know they shared a lot of the same staff as well. They used to also allow you to order directly from the Darby at the Davie.