General Retail/Restaurant News

I couldn’t find a retail closings thread, but it looks like Wahlburger’s is closed after just 7 months.

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I went there one time for work and it was very average.

I wasn’t a huge fan, but I have to admit the amount of closings we’ve seen lately on Fayetteville has made me concerned. Perhaps the lunch market downtown is oversaturated at the moment…

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i felt like it was never going to succeed in that location and when they opened without a single local beer on tap I knew it was only a matter of time. Glad it’s gone tbh. Maybe we’ll get something worthwhile in that space. Although the former barebones is still empty so maybe people need to rethink the rents they’re asking for in those spaces.

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After delaying opening for like a year, with no community engagement, they finally opened on a sort of dead space after the office workers leave. I finally went there once for dinner, there was almost no one in there, the server was clueless, they had almost no decent beer, and the food was both messed up and not good. They charged us the wrong amount and couldn’t get someone to fix it for like 15 minutes, despite the place being empty. I left completely bewildered how a place like that would survive in a city like Raleigh, with all of these creative, delicious, local food options. I guess they didn’t.

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If another chain moves in, I’m hoping to see Shake Shack.

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I would not be heart broken if we got a downtown five guys… although the perfect restaurant for that space would be https://www.primantibros.com/

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Why not something local and unique to Raleigh? Chains are nice, but they don’t add much to the character of the city.

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Something local would be great but there is a dearth of quick grab and go/ fast uber-casual restaurants in downtown. Usually this is not a void filled by local and unique ventures. With Chik-fil-a departing what else do we have in downtown that fits the niche of a five guys or shake shack? Subway? The McDs on South… I can’t think of much else… McD’s on Boylan/Peace in the disputed area of downtown…
I’m always up for something local and unique but sometimes I just wanna grab a burger and go without having to get in my car.

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I totally agree with you. I love chain fast food restaurants. We need Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Chik-fil-a, etc… downtown.

How 'bout a Bojangles… it is an NC chain, and we all know how popular they are around here. :slight_smile:

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What about a “flagship” Golden Corral? They are headquartered in Raleigh after all.

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The Taco Bell model with Booze!

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Yuck to all of that. No need for those anywhere, much less downtown

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Tacobell Cantina is on Hillsborough st with booze. So kind of a exclusive for Raleigh!!!

High dollar retail space so only big chains could survive there.

To activate the dead space where Wahlburgers was, it needs to be a destination. Think Apple Store, or Shake Shack. It has to be something that will draw people.
As for bad locations, I don’t expect Urban Outfitters to last on that far corner of The Dillon. It should have been on the side nearest the MSFH where there are people.

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Or a Microsoft store. I was at the one in downtown Boston and it’s just great. VR equipment, tablets, all that. It would be dynamite in downtown Raleigh.

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I’m also concerned about Urban Outfitters in that location. Feel like they were a bit early and need more retail and housing around

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I’m more concerned with their hideous clothes. Went in there to get a few knickknacks for Christmas gifts and was blown away. I still have clothes from them I got in the early 2000s in college. What happened?!

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