Does the rise of Ferndale make Corktown irrelevant?

[Khorasaurus]

Moved to Ferndale thinking it would avoid the RO trap of morphing into an outdoor foodcourt for drunken yuppies, but here we are. Most remaining businesses are highly mobilized against the proposed parking garage development [[laughably dubbed a 'high rise' by the opposition). But at this point I'm almost hoping it happens and their fears come true - only so many haircuts or hangovers I can use in a month.

I don't think BW3s moving out says anything more than that they were across the street from Rosie O'Grady's, a direct competitor that is better than them in every way [[food, atmosphere, beers on tap, TVs, etc).

Of course, they'll have competition in RO, too. But such is the life of a chain with bad food.

Downtown Ferndale is a long way from "declining." There are some businesses moving out and others moving in - just like any other business district. It's also not a competitor with Corktown at all. They offer very different experiences.

[MAcc]

The "average suburban couple" from Troy or Shelby Twp isn't in the target demographic of either Ferndale or Corktown.

The majority of the people I talk to in Slow's, Green Dot, Mercury, Sugar House are couples from the boring middle tier burbs.

Ferndale is clearly on the rise, and serves as another "edgy" alternative to "edgy" and hip Corktown. My point is why drive to Corktown if a similar if not better experience is in Ferndale? Because you want a view of the train station?

[MAcc]

I don't think BW3s moving out says anything more than that they were across the street from Rosie O'Grady's, a direct competitor that is better than them in every way [[food, atmosphere, beers on tap, TVs, etc).

Of course, they'll have competition in RO, too. But such is the life of a chain with bad food.

Downtown Ferndale is a long way from "declining." There are some businesses moving out and others moving in - just like any other business district. It's also not a competitor with Corktown at all. They offer very different experiences.

Ferndale is absolutely on the rise. It's set up as an edgier Royal Oak. Corktown was branding itself as pretty much the same. Corktown and Ferndale are clearly competitors in this niche.

[EastsideAl]

The majority of the people I talk to in Slow's, Green Dot, Mercury, Sugar House are couples from the boring middle tier burbs.

Ferndale is clearly on the rise, and serves as another "edgy" alternative to "edgy" and hip Corktown. My point is why drive to Corktown if a similar if not better experience in is Ferndale? Because you want a view of the train station?

Alternatively, for the enormous segment of our area's population that doesn't live in Oakland County, why drive all the way to Ferndale, when you can just get right off 75 and be right in Corktown and near the center of the city?

[MSUguy]

The majority of the people I talk to in Slow's, Green Dot, Mercury, Sugar House are couples from the boring middle tier burbs.

Ferndale is clearly on the rise, and serves as another "edgy" alternative to "edgy" and hip Corktown. My point is why drive to Corktown if a similar if not better experience is in Ferndale? Because you want a view of the train station?

For one, you have a lot more options in things to do after or before in the city within in a few miles compared to Ferndale.

[dtowncitylover]

The majority of the people I talk to in Slow's, Green Dot, Mercury, Sugar House are couples from the boring middle tier burbs.

Ferndale is clearly on the rise, and serves as another "edgy" alternative to "edgy" and hip Corktown. My point is why drive to Corktown if a similar if not better experience is in Ferndale? Because you want a view of the train station?

Omgosh, people want an urban experience, or be closer to the stadium before/after the game, or love or try a certain restaurant, or want to take a restaurant bus to the stadium [[Nemo's), or yes visited the train station and then decided to eat there. These things happen, they're real. Oh my gosh.

As the saying goes here, I can't believe this thread is as big for as a useless and stupid topic this is.

[Rolfsy]

I don't think BW3s moving out says anything more than that they were across the street from Rosie O'Grady's, a direct competitor that is better than them in every way [[food, atmosphere, beers on tap, TVs, etc).

Of course, they'll have competition in RO, too. But such is the life of a chain with bad food.

Downtown Ferndale is a long way from "declining." There are some businesses moving out and others moving in - just like any other business district. It's also not a competitor with Corktown at all. They offer very different experiences.

I knew when Rosie's went up that Bdubs days were numbered. Still have fond memories of when Bdubs was a college town thing with 25 cent wing night. Even though franchise quality has been sliding... it will be one less creature comfort nearby. Not too comfortable in Rosie's powershow [[distracted headset waiters, mensroom monitor), especially since I remember it as a cozy dive for karoake.

And Ferndale isn't declining per say. I should clarify that I moved there for a more rounded downtown with retail, services etc. for a car-lite lifestyle, not just its eateries/nightlife which have begun to dominate. It's been interesting to watch it's progress - it will have great surges of activity followed by a fairly alarming die-off. During each lull the downtowns trajectory changes slightly - already seems to have been 2 or 3 things since I moved there. It's kinda in a 'downstroke' right now and I'm anxious to see what fills in.

ROFern is not really competition for MidCorkWood Villages in a head to head sense [[although Ferndale and Corktown in specific have some striking symmetry), but the hipster halo isn't there like in the 90s/00s. The young and educated no longer need a training-wheels urban and are heading straight downtown. So not decline, but I think the tailwind is tapering slightly.

[Khorasaurus]

ROFern is not really competition for MidCorkWood Villages in a head to head sense [[although Ferndale and Corktown in specific have some striking symmetry), but the hipster halo isn't there like in the 90s/00s. The young and educated no longer need a training-wheels urban and are heading straight downtown. So not decline, but I think the tailwind is tapering slightly.

I'm seeing a lot more strollers around Ferndale these days, and I think that may be the future. Ferndale will be the place where the downtown crowd moves once they have babies. The question remains where that group will move [[or if they will move) when their kids hit kindergarten.

So maybe a return to the more retail-oriented downtown is coming in the next 3-4 years.

[Danny]

Ferndale's Downtown is still fashionable and thriving since 1900. It never died and give in to rediculous 'cool cities' plan. Its atmosphere lured not only homosexuals but also hip cool skinny jean kids.

Corktown in the meantime suffered more after the Detroit Tigers move to their new ball park. But its ghetto hood this thriving thanks to generations of Irish preservationists. Also it lure hip cool kids that want to preserve its ghetto hoods. New resturants are poping up like mushrooms along Michigan Ave. and Dan Gilbert is building its Quicken Loan Annex at Rosa Parks Bvld.

I see both Ferndale and Corktown are in the rise, there is no relevant nor difference in both of those communities.

[southen]

The majority of the people I talk to in Slow's, Green Dot, Mercury, Sugar House are couples from the boring middle tier burbs.

Ferndale is clearly on the rise, and serves as another "edgy" alternative to "edgy" and hip Corktown. My point is why drive to Corktown if a similar if not better experience is in Ferndale? Because you want a view of the train station?

if you take a moment to consider that people make decisions based on a wide array of criteria and arent simply robots who choose a place based on proximity and how many stars a yelp review has it may help to open your eyes as to why corktown hasnt withered and died due to the success of ferndale. just a thought...