Melt, among others that have closed in midtown recently

[masterblaster]

Melt, a cool gelato and coffee shop is now closed.

Some other businesses that I have seen close in the last couple months include FatBurger, Bigby's Coffee and RadioShack in the Studio One Development.

Sad to see these businesses go, but I guess that is just the nature of restaurants/retail.

[SpartanDawg]

there's another store filling in the empty storefront left by Melt, treat dreams

http://detroit.eater.com/2015/3/25/8...elt-in-midtown

[ddaydetroit]

I watch auctions for my work and you wouldn't believe how may restaurants in the area go up for auction. The area with the most restaurant auctions by far is Ferndale.
http://auctionhq.com/eventcategory/m...tdate_low_high
http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/sear...ype=3&State=MI

[Junjie]

Melt, a cool gelato and coffee shop is now closed.

Some other businesses that I have seen close in the last couple months include FatBurger, Bigby's Coffee and RadioShack in the Studio One Development.

Sad to see these businesses go, but I guess that is just the nature of restaurants/retail.

I think Melt in specific was too far ahead of the curve. Midtown, for all of its progress, is not even close to fully "rebuilt", "densified", "gentrified" or whatever you want to call it when every block is occupied by middle-to-upper income urbanites with disposable cash to buy things like gelato. Not to mention that gelato is a pretty rare purchase even for those folks compared to something like coffee.

[mtburb]

Some other businesses that I have seen close in the last couple months include FatBurger, Bigby's Coffee and RadioShack in the Studio One Development.

Will the last tenant left at Studio One please turn off their lights?

[Wesley Mouch]

Melt, a cool gelato and coffee shop is now closed.

Some other businesses that I have seen close in the last couple months include FatBurger, Bigby's Coffee and RadioShack in the Studio One Development.

Sad to see these businesses go, but I guess that is just the nature of restaurants/retail.

Radio Shack's problem wasn't the neighborhood. It was a little bigger and greatly broader problem you might have heard about on the business page.

[eliboyer]

I think Melt in specific was too far ahead of the curve. Midtown, for all of its progress, is not even close to fully "rebuilt", "densified", "gentrified" or whatever you want to call it when every block is occupied by middle-to-upper income urbanites with disposable cash to buy things like gelato. Not to mention that gelato is a pretty rare purchase even for those folks compared to something like coffee.

Melt was too far ahead of the curve? I would argue exactly the opposite. Low quality product, low quality service experience.

If that was the case, then I wouldn't be too excited about Treat Dreams prospects. Much more progressive of a product than Melt.

[Mackinaw]

It's just market correction and bad tenants. Radio Shack-- struggling company that closed hundreds if not thousands of outlets. FatBurger-- not befitting the midtown taste [[there's not much space to occupy between the low-brow stalwarts like McD's on Woodward and the higher brow, local-focused tastes of the average midtown newcomer). Biggby-- also part of corporate downsizing, I do believe. If not, let's consider that the coffee space is extremely well covered along Woodward and for chain options there is already Starbucks close by. Starbucks has loyal patrons and is not going anywhere. The rest of the space seems to be going towards smaller/specialized coffee. Caribou/Peets is basically going under-- another example.

Finally, Melt. I think it's a density issue. Nice concept, just not enough people. Plus getting gelato is not a destination thing, it's something you do when you're already in the neighborhood hanging out. Another tenant from a related/same sector has already jumped in, so you can see the interest in trying out the space.

Bottom line, though, is I think Midtown is en route to doubling its density, and honestly NEEDS to double its density to support a full range of high quality retail. Go to Cass and Canfield, pretty near the heart of new midtown, and look around. There is so much empty space left for infill. You've got WSU sitting around and doing nothing with its "South University District" development at that corner, and Cass is just full of underutilized space and parking lots. It's not a particularly dense area, yet. Again, it's on track to get there in ten years, but because it's not there yet, you are going to see high quality, destination establishments like Selden Standard, Avalon, and Shinola's block of retail thrive [[or continue to thrive, I should say), just as Corktown is thriving despite a low population density, but basic stuff like chain burger and coffee places go under for simple lack of potential customers.

[Dan Wesson]

Restaurants are notorious for start up and shut down in short periods of time. Happens everywhere.

It something to see brand new construction one year. Vacant restaurant a year of two later.

[Mackinaw]

Brutal industry in any city. Plus just look at how, when the food scene blossoms, there are a bunch of new entrants competing for the same type of customers. Another problem is often that an exemplary restaurant that may be near the best of the bunch, if too small or if its hours are too limited, won't do enough tables per night to be profitable. Also, things often turn out better if the restaurant owns the building or at least its space.

The consistent new entrants trend is definitely happening in Detroit, but it appears the great newer restaraunts are still consistently busy, so that's a great sign.

[Honky Tonk]

Melt, Among Others That Have Closed In Midtown Recently

Well, There goes the neighborhood......

[Junjie]

Melt was too far ahead of the curve? I would argue exactly the opposite. Low quality product, low quality service experience.

If that was the case, then I wouldn't be too excited about Treat Dreams prospects. Much more progressive of a product than Melt.

I didn't mean Melt specifically [[never actually bought anything there), just gelato shops in general. Basically just agreeing with what Mackinaw said four posts up.

[Zacha341]

Hmm, I avoid Woodward now due to the rail construction so I was unaware of the exodus. The hamburger place was unremarkable IMO. Sad to see Bigby's go as I used to go there sometimes and prefer B's over Expensive-BUCKS nearby or elsewhere.

Starters seems to be doing well, but I don't like their poor service or food.

Some other businesses that I have seen close in the last couple months include FatBurger, Bigby's Coffee and RadioShack in the Studio One Development.

[Zacha341]

Ebay and Amazon impacted R-Shack and they had a horrible jinky employee hiring and retention and incentive policies. Some of their items were over priced and you can find most electronic, computer items and components online now.

Radio Shack's problem wasn't the neighborhood. It was a little bigger and greatly broader problem you might have heard about on the business page.

[rb336]

the culprits are usually a) poor business plans b) poor product c) poor management.

With Melt, from what I've heard, the quality wasn't there, the service wasn't there and it was too...specialized? I had never gone there because I heard nothing good from the people I know who have gone

[royce]

I don't understand how one can comment on the quality of a place based on what other people think. That's like listening to vegetarians give a bad review a steak house when they didn't order steak and also complained about the limited options. Now, I went to Melt a number of times. The server served me in a timely manner, the product was tasty, and the offerings were plentiful for the kind of place that it was. Maybe the prices were too high. Maybe they didn't advertise enough. Maybe they could have explained better what gelato is to customers. Maybe the coffee sucked. Maybe there wasn't enough foot traffic. For whatever reason, sorry to see them go.

[Danny]

When folks can't lure Wayne State Students or some hip cool skinny jean hipsters into your business. Or due to main street construction. It appears that business have an advetissent or managment attitude problem. I don't think there is a sudden economic recession problem hiting Detroit yet. But when it comes be prepare to cut, cap and close down.


By the way After S. Fort St. from Goodard St. to the Monroe Co. border was under cosntruction. Lot's of businesses there suddenly closed down. It was an instant ghetto filled with vacant buildings. At least fewer businesses survived for their have extra cash to pay their bills. Same thing is going to happen along Woodward Ave. from New Center Area to Gilberttown Detroit. At the end Woodward Ave. will have a new street with a second People Mover to nowhere.