I never understand that either, but something similar is a feature on so many “fancy” menus nowadays. Sometimes it’s a pork chop.
I’ll eat everything else tho.
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Yeah, that steak isn’t for the average Joe that goes to a nice restaurant. It’s for the business travelers on expense reports that went to the bar before sitting down to order (that aren’t currently in existence). Sharing from a friend’s perspective. 
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Good news for me since my condo is a block away!
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So Briggs closes, again, this Saturday. I guess I hate to see such a long run end but at the same time I’m not that attached to them. Are they a hardware store? A gift shop? A convenience store? I can’t fit them into my life. What do others think?
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article244349332.html
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I agree with your questions. Hate it but not sure what they are.
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It says what they are right on the sign, come on
It’s really a gift shop that happens to have a few hardware items. I’ve been in there once or twice but always leave without buying anything. Hopefully a larger space will help them focus on a wider variety of items.
I don’t think there’s any shortage of variety in that space right now. They have probably the widest variety of any store downtown, though it is very random. They’re essentially trying to stock anything you might need as a downtown resident (shy of grocery items) and they’ve offered to special order anything I need. I think a larger space might help them with segmenting the stock and making it more clear what they are and why people should go there. I try to shop there when I can.
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That’s my thinking. I’ve been often but walk out empty handed most times. I think a variety store like that works best when it’s real big, so you can kind of just browse for stuff AND be useful as the “I’m sure Briggs has that” kind of place.
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Goes back to my argument that downtown needs more mainstream places for the basics. I go to the Ace over at seaboard. Wish it was more downtown but at least it is close.
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Wish there was a more attractive way to do it
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I agree with both you and @TedF. It’s a start but we are going to be like this a while. Let’s do better than a construction 
barricade.
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Went to SoCa this evening, was one of the first restaurants to have a COVID scare a few months ago, just a wonderful time, wonderful atmosphere and great food, much better than downtown.
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Those decorative awnings really look silly now! I sure hope this is a trend that continues after the pandemic is over. I prefer eating outside about 8 months of the year. It also brings a lot of life to streets.
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For a place where weather allows ‘almost’ year round alfresco dining, Raleigh really doesn’t prioritize it in the designing of spaces. It was an issue pre-pandemic and obviously more so now when it’s so needed.
Blows my mind - it shouldn’t be so difficult - I’ve prioritized outside spaces in my personal zone - but it really seems more of an after thought more often than not. Think about our summer dining season - how many commercial spaces fail to address the street and functional space for humans to find shade / dry zones outside of the building envelope…?
The exceptions are few and I typically lean towards giving them my business.
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With all of the outdoor seating being proposed, I’m giggling about all of those naysayers a few years back with their Drunktown negative adverts.
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Had lunch at Trophy on Morgan today. Finally open for actual dining, even if it is outside. They had similar planters and the whole thing was really well done.
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Not sure if there is a list going of closures, but Tama Tea (on Fayetteville St. next to Duke Energy building) closed up for good around Memorial Day. Barber shop next door says they may only last a few more months if things don’t pick up, they weren’t too big on masks though which may have kept some people away.