All good, I’m just joking. I think Chatham county is beautiful, and I would love to be able to start a new town, or convince a town like Pittsboro to go out and buy a couple hundred acres and platted out with a grid of public right of way and then subdivide the parcels into 40 ft wide by 120 ft. Deep properties all zoned mixed use for the private sector to fill out with development starting with one anchor that funds a community well and septic until the density is great enough to justify public utilities.
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You are correct. The owner of the Davie owned Darbie - not the Meatball Shop.
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Boltman pretty much nailed what I was going to say. Outside of restaurants and bars there’s not much of a draw to make me want to come downtown. I live behind the NCMA and I can easily ride my bike downtown, but there’s nothing that draws me down there. I like Hillsborough St and Pullen Park, but the park at the NCMA is a block from my house, so no desire to make the trek very often. Luckily DTR is close enough that if it ever gets it act together I can get down there pretty quick.
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Biscuit Belly in Seaboard Station is having their grand opening tomorrow
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Different strokes…Extra Characters…
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So, given your point of view, may I ask you what brings you to this community about downtown? Serious question…I’m not intending to be triggering or anything. Thanks!
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For the most part I just like keeping up with new developments, both in downtown and around the area. Maybe one day I’ll read about something that draws me downtown again. I was born and raised in Raleigh, so I root for downtown to grow into something that’s worthwhile, but it feels like the mixed use developments continue to steal DTR’s thunder. I just read on TBJ that Apex is about to start doing site work on a 1000 acre, $3B mixed use development.
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I’m not convinced that faceless national franchises do much for downtown revitalization, especially 2nd location of places that already exist a few miles away. The cool downtowns I like don’t really have name-brand retail and dining…
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For anyone that wanted to see the menu posted at Bistro 401 (formerl Union Special space). Does not appear to be open yet.
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“Bistro 401” man… can we get any more bland in naming here?? Lol
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Their logo is very inspiring
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Would you prefer that they name it something like Dorsia
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Is that an American Psycho reference? Lol. And I mean… yeah, sure, that’s at least a bit more creative than “Restaurant [number]” - which is essentially what “Bistro 401” is. The “Raleigh is Boring” meme thrives because of bland shit like that. Where is the unique branding? The theming? Give me something I will see an ad for and immediately think “no idea what this place is but I gotta check it out!!!”
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Great point Josh. Should be something quirky but inoffensive. Like Shenanigans or TGI Fridays.
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Who are you talking to?
He’s talking to you, Josh. 
So what you want is a cool name like Jaguar Bolera?
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I guess it depends on which downtowns you’re talking about and where in those downtowns you’re talking about? Plenty of fast-casual chains in the downtowns of Austin, Nashville, Seattle, Denver, Boston, etc…
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Jaguar Bolera = exactly what I’m talking about. And yet it’s in an isolated development outside downtown. “Bistro 401” right on “main St” in the CBD is just 
- where is the creativity??? Imagine you are finally realizing your dream of starting a restaurant coming to life, that’s the BEST you can come up with?? Just call it “Food and Stuff” why don’t you lmao. Re: “Josh” - with you I know you’re joking. I don’t know Spero’s intentions but I will def block a MFer if he’s being rude to me personally for zero legitimate reason.
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“Hey Farva, what’s the name of that restaurant you like”
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If the food is good, it could be called ‘General Food’ and I’d still be a happy man.
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