More closings in Birmingham

[jt1]

Is this due to other cities taking their business or something else? Any insiders with some info


http://www.freep.com/article/2013031...of-its-tenants

[Det_ard]

Stop your schadenfreude trolling. Rents are now so high in Birmingham that many otherwise successful businesses can't afford to be there.

[Bham1982]

Stop your schadenfreude trolling. Rents are now so high in Birmingham that many otherwise successful businesses can't afford to be there.

No, it's actually true; it's a total bloodbath in Birmingham.

My street is littered with firebombed carcasses, Maple Road has become a nonstop killing field, and Quarton Lake mansions, now filled with hobos and squatters, are being given away for free.

The wealthy and trendy have long since decamped for Highland Park, Brightmoor, and River Rouge, and the city is a virtual wasteland.

[Detroitnerd]

This has been going on for a while. You might call it bistro-fatigue. Forte led the way last year, closing after even a reconceptualization.

If a place is fun, approachable, lively, casual and quirky, and serves food that doesn't have a lot of intimidating French names [[or, for that matter, anything that smacks of excessive cost) on it, it still might do well. Toast does very well there.

That said, it's always difficult to make a restaurant work in such territory, given the prices per foot it all leases for there. There's less of a premium on real estate on the other side of Woodward, though. Forest Grill does pretty well over there.

[JBMcB]

That's too bad, Barrio was pretty good. I think the underlying problem is it's simply a pretty big space - the only way you could call it a bistro is that they laid out the tables far apart so there weren't that many seats. If you're paying taxes on square footage, you need to keep that place *packed* to turn a profit.

They should subdivide that place, and the old Arhaus space - I think property taxes are just too high to support anything other than a big chain taking up that much space.

[Honky Tonk]

Maybe they could try a wig & nail shop?

[Danny]

So Downtown Birmingham is dying! What the city council and its business commerce are going to do? Kick out of the those who wear gang colors, homeless folks with shopping carts, DEAD [[c) KRAK HEADS, squatters ect...

So far I don't see Downtown Birmingham dying. Just rich folks increasing rent to lure inverstors and build more superlofts and fancy coffee shops. That would lure hip cool black lining glasses, skinny pants and jeaned out of college hipter kids.

[Danny]

There's also too many bistro's! Most of them are very expensive for the middle class. Rich folks are interested throwing their birthday parties for their spoiled children. Even so with corporate parties and charitable events. Let's tell those rich landlords to bring in the clothiers, dollar stores and toy and gift shops.

Downtown Birmingham have those mom and pop stores along Old Woodward St. and Maple Rd since the late 1800s to the 1950s now their almost all gone. It's time to make Downtown Birmingham shopping available for middle class not to rich folks.
The way of fewer bistros’s closed nest to Palladium Theater Complex. Downtown Birmingham is a small piece of suburban blight in the corner.

[Bham1982]

It's timeto make Downtown Birmingham shopping available for middle class not to richfolks.

I would love for "normal" stores to replace the useless junk. We have an olive oil store, a toy store selling purple things, two pet accesesory boutiques, a Venezuelan summer dress store, and a "limited edition" designer sneaker store.

[jt1]

I would love for "normal" stores to replace the useless junk. We have an olive oil store, a toy store selling purple things, two pet accesesory boutiques, a Venezuelan summer dress store, and a "limited edition" designer sneaker store.

Are the spaces that small that allows them to be that niche or are the owners just not willing to expand their offerings? Seems like an olive oil store could include coffees, spices, unique sauces, etc. probably the same captive audience that would get other things in the same trip.

[p69rrh51]

There's also toomany bistro's! Most of them are very expensive for the middle class. Rich folksare interested throwing their birthday parties for their spoiled children. Evenso with corporate parties and charitable events. Let's tell those richlandlords to bring in the clothiers, dollar stores and toy and gift shops.

Downtown Birmingham have those mom and pop stores along Old Woodward St. andMaple Rd since the late 1800s to the 1950s now their almost all gone. It's timeto make Downtown Birmingham shopping available for middle class not to richfolks.
The way of fewer bistros’s closed nest to Palladium Theater Complex. DowntownBirmingham is a small piece of suburban blight in the corner.

Danny not all rich kids are spoiled although you seem very delusional about perpetuating that myth. I am guessing you have never owned commercial property? What is the problem for getting a good return on your investment? So landlords are supposed to just make their properties available for free? Last time I checked this was still a market economy[[for the most part) and as such the owner of the property is free to charge what the market will bare.
As for Downtown B'ham for the 50ish years I have been alive the area has always upscale shopping, the small upscale shops started moving out in the 1980's and were replaced by those who could afford the rents. The same thing that is happening now, just the market shaking itself out. Many of those from the 1980's moved to Royal Oak fueling that area's growth.
I have worked retail on and off for many years and what works best is low end or high end. The middle never makes a dollar.

[rb336]

bottom line - for the most part you can get better food at better prices in a better atmosphere almost everywhere else

[Shollin]

They're moving to Detroit to be next to all of the creative energy and for the better of the region.

[jt1]

They're moving to Detroit to be next to all of the creative energy and for the better of the region.

I assumed they would be moving to Warren because there is no other destination that would make more sense for a business.

[Shollin]

I assumed they would be moving to Warren because there is no other destination that would make more sense for a business.

Warren isn't relevant because they aren't getting international attention for being bankrupt. Birmingham isn't relevant either because everyone confuses it with Birmingham Alabama.

[jt1]

Warren isn't relevant because they aren't getting international attention for being bankrupt.

Among a myriad of other reasons.

[iheartthed]

Warren isn't relevant because they aren't getting international attention for being bankrupt. Birmingham isn't relevant either because everyone confuses it with Birmingham Alabama.

Warren isn't relevant because if it were bankrupt no one would care.

[DTWflyer]

These large nightclubs/restaurants don't necessarily make enough money to justify the enormous rents that are being charged for these spaces. Plus, some of them are lower-level/basement that aren't visible from the street.

The Palledium block has all sorts of issues and a stigma attached that does not necessarily draw in the demographics that live in Birmngham/Bloomfield.

Those spaces are huge, and while they may do well on weekends, they are not pulling in the crowds the other 4-5 nights a week to cover the huge overhead costs.

Zazios is reopening this spring with a new name, owner, and format.
The property of Max & Ermas is reopening in a new steakhouse format [[as if B'ham needs another steakhouse, but the demand is there and it makes money).

[Bham1982]

Zazios is reopening this spring with a new name, owner, and format.

That place was really expensive and bad, IMO. Glad to hear it's being replaced.

[DTWflyer]

Agreed as there are some properties - residential, commerical, and office space that is priced unreasonably compared to what the market will bear.

There are some developers in Birmingham that have some outrageous asking prices, compared to neighboring communities.

One example is there is a vacant double lot near where I live that is currently selling for $350K. The houses next door can be bought for anywhere from $150-$250K.

[iheartthed]

These large nightclubs/restaurants don't necessarily make enough money to justify the enormous rents that are being charged for these spaces. Plus, some of them are lower-level/basement that aren't visible from the street.

The Palledium block has all sorts of issues and a stigma attached that does not necessarily draw in the demographics that live in Birmngham/Bloomfield.

I thought the game plan for downtown Birmingham was to attract a clientele beyond Birmingham/Bloomfield? Otherwise, how else could the expansion of Birmingham's entertainment district over the past two decades be supported? There certainly hasn't been an equivalent population boost in the area over the same period of time.

[bailey]

I thought the game plan for downtown Birmingham was to attract a clientele beyond Birmingham/Bloomfield? Otherwise, how else could the expansion of Birmingham's entertainment district over the past two decades be supported? There certainly hasn't been an equivalent population boost in the area over the same period of time.

only if you define "clientele" old white women who lunch.

In 2011, the Dali Group was involved in a proposal to convert the Buca di Beppo and Arhaus space into a family entertainment center called Play Birmingham that would offer bowling, electronic golf, plus a restaurant and sweet shop. But city officials weren't real keen on the idea, raising concerns about the number of teenagers already hanging out in that area, and whether the operators could provide adequate supervision. When told it could not stay open past midnight on weekends, the plan was pulled off the table.

[iheartthed]

only if you define "clientele" old white women who lunch.

They certainly have been aiming for more than old white women who lunch. When I was last in Birmingham, some of the bar/restaurants I went to looked like they were attempting to recreate Manhattan's Meatpacking District in suburban Detroit.

[softailrider]

I thought the game plan for downtown Birmingham was to attract a clientele beyond Birmingham/Bloomfield? Otherwise, how else could the expansion of Birmingham's entertainment district over the past two decades be supported? There certainly hasn't been an equivalent population boost in the area over the same period of time.

Depends on what kind of clientele you're referring to. They sure don't want kids - unless they're being pushed in strollers. Those groups of young people hanging around on weekend nights during the summer are making people real nervous.

[Bham1982]

Depends on what kind of clientele you're referring to. They sure don't want kids - unless they're being pushed in strollers. Those groups of young people hanging around on weekend nights during the summer are making people real nervous.

There have been incidents, though. It's not just crochety old Republican scardy-cats.

My friend's car windows were smashed in, and there were some violent incidents.

No one wants a bunch of surly teenagers hanging out where they live. Teenagers suck.

On the other hand, city officials don't seem to understand that if you want your city to be a "regional entertainment destination" you're going to get rowdy kids too. It comes with the territory.