[Archived] Uptown Retail & Restaurant News 2012-17

[mattaudio]

In general, I agree. But it sounded like Cause's lease was terminated by no fault of the tenant, and the post-mortems mentioned they were having a great year financially. Sure, that may have been the landlord's prerogative.

As a musician, I'd really like to see more live music joints in the neighborhood. Just like chef-driven neighborhood restaurants, locals find neighborhood music clubs to be more accessible than going downtown - it's easier to draw a crowd. I also have no idea why venues start shows so late - most shows go 9 to midnight on weeknights. That might work for the 21-23 crowd but I feel like I outgrew that by my mid-20s. If shows started around 8 on weekends, and bands reciprocated by having a softer first set to transition the crowd into the live music, everyone would be happier.

There's not a lot of money in live music venues, and that's been the case as long as I've been in the scene. So I'm not sure why people aren't creating more intimate spaces upstairs or below an established restaurant, sort of the Artists Quarter or Clown Lounge feel. But as a drummer, I really hope they have a house kit if it involves a flight of stairs.

So, hopefully we'll see one or two small-scale music venues pop up in lower rent spaces Uptown/Lyn-Lake.

[widin007]

Hey, if private enterprise wants to invest their own money into a sports bar and not a place for start-up bands to play then isn't that their prerogative? I wish there were more small live music venues in the area (especially Uptown) but apparently that mold didn't fit as a business, at least not for this space, otherwise it would have stayed the way it is.

Unless of course this Mac's group is somehow kicking out a perfectly well-functioning establishment in Cause and leaving them high and dry. That wasn't how I interpreted the situation though.

They were actually evicted by the landlord over trumped up "violations" on their lease. Things like a keg was left in the wrong room or bathroom out of toilet paper. They had a 15 year lease and were doing just fine, it was the landlords who wanted them out.

[mattaudio]

Let me guess... 15 year lease, business is doing fine, suddenly LynLake is much hotter than it was when the lease was signed, and landlord does anything they can to break the lease so they can get a few hundred bucks more each month.

[seanrichardryan]

Yet they rent to the 'E Cig Crib'...

[min-chi-cbus]

Hey, if private enterprise wants to invest their own money into a sports bar and not a place for start-up bands to play then isn't that their prerogative? I wish there were more small live music venues in the area (especially Uptown) but apparently that mold didn't fit as a business, at least not for this space, otherwise it would have stayed the way it is.

Unless of course this Mac's group is somehow kicking out a perfectly well-functioning establishment in Cause and leaving them high and dry. That wasn't how I interpreted the situation though.

They were actually evicted by the landlord over trumped up "violations" on their lease. Things like a keg was left in the wrong room or bathroom out of toilet paper. They had a 15 year lease and were doing just fine, it was the landlords who wanted them out.

Oh okay, well in that case that's really too bad. It sounds like the LL wanted more revenues (not surprising) and they know/think this new place will generate more rent.

[widin007]

Let me guess... 15 year lease, business is doing fine, suddenly LynLake is much hotter than it was when the lease was signed, and landlord does anything they can to break the lease so they can get a few hundred bucks more each month.

Exactly. And people are now out of jobs. I heard from someone who worked at Cause that they might try and get Champions old space down Lake, but it might be a long shot.

[RailBaronYarr]

Not wearing hats indoors is really the adult thing

I routinely do. I'm very bald and thus when I go out I wear a hat nearly all times of the year. Summer to keep from burning, winter to keep warm. I prefer ballcaps because they're comfortable and also provide shade/rain protection (plus, fun colors amirite). I'm not wild about having a hat on inside because it does make conversation at a dining table a little more difficult. As a result I'll sometimes take it off. But putting a hat with a stiff brim (curved or flat..) in my pocket is challenging. Leaving it on the booth means I'll forget it. Standing with a drink and playing darts makes having a hat on inconsequential for conversation. So, I keep it on, and that should be my right. I'm still an adult who treats places with respect and exchanges money for goods and services. I've got friends who prefer the New Era baseball caps with a very slight curve (but by no means flat) and they've been turned away - also adults.

Obviously, the restaurant has the right to enforce any dress code they want, and suffer the PR consequences. I do think the code is clearly targeting a certain demographic, and it's also hypocritical given the behavior of many patrons who pass the code. So I just won't go there (not that I had much interest anyway).

[Wedgeguy]

Well the new Cub has replaced Rainbow, but it is Rainbow 2.0 IF you are expecting a big difference don't bother going. Same store, same pretty much layout, but with a new coat of paint in area and a freshly waxed floor. At this point selection is less, partly due to some missing product,and dropping some of my favorite products. Will cost you more as I found most of what I used to get are now 10 to 30 cents more expensive. I'll save my praise for this new store until get there bugs worked out. Right now I'm very disappointed.

[David Greene]

Well the new Cub has replaced Rainbow, but it is Rainbow 2.0 IF you are expecting a big difference don't bother going. Same store, same pretty much layout, but with a new coat of paint in area and a freshly waxed floor.

I find that very encouraging. It means they haven't put much into it and will have an easier time accepting redevelopment of the parcel.

[Wedgeguy]

Hate to burst your bubble on that one. There was some real money put in where you can't see it. Electronics, fire update, I'll hope HVAC will be coming before the A/C goes out on a hot day. This is a cash cow, you reap the money off with minimal investment. Electrical and fire I'm sure had to be updated due to it being a new enterprise. You'll be looking to sell your house before they look to get rid of this cash cow. What ever you put here will have to better the current return on investment . This was one of Roundy's most profitable stores here in the twin cities.

[thatchio]

A customer was telling me that one of their employees said that they weren't doing a lot of renovation now but were potentially going to do something much bigger next year. No indication what that meant, and I got the impression neither did the employee.

[seanrichardryan]

An off-center stucco front with beige split-face concrete block? SOunds elegante'

[TommyT]

My dream is that they could build an urban store with parking underneath on the current lot while keeping the store open and then tear that thing down and redevelop that land into something else.

[mnmike]

To me, it seems like a good place for Cub to develop a new and bigger (possibly new format? ) store for them...as Roundy's was going to do a while back. Not sure that Cub is interested in experimenting in Urban formats, but if they were, this would be the site to do it. Pretty much impossible to stay open while under construction at that site though, unfortunately. Even if they aren't planning a new, better store for the site (where I am sure they could easily get a big return on their investment), I wonder if they aren't treating this site as more of a real estate investment in the land rather than a store.

[Minneapolisite]

http://www.vita.mn/crawl/266297911.html

A sports bar will be replacing Cause (no more local music vending machine). Needless to say, I am less than thrilled.

[TommyT]

I do just have to put this out there that the food at Marche is absolutely phenomenal. I was quite pleasantly surprised with both of the sandwiches I've had.

[twincitizen]

Social House is closed. Forced out of their lease by the building owner. They had been there for 9 years (including Fusion & Zeno before it).
http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2014/07 ... _house.php

Maybe they can take over the Buddha Lounge space over on Eat Street...though that would require another name change (right next to Eat Street Social).

[TommyT]

Social House is closed. Forced out of their lease by the building owner. They had been there for 9 years (including Fusion & Zeno before it).
http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2014/07 ... _house.php

Maybe they can take over the Buddha Lounge space over on Eat Street...though that would require another name change (right next to Eat Street Social).

That's really too bad, they had pretty decent Sushi and a cool atmosphere.

[maxbaby]

Here's a big one.
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... urant.html

[twincitizen]

I'm a big fan of everything The Walkway is doing for Uptown: the huge sidewalk, the seating, the huge reflective thingy...it all looks great. But most especially Yogurt Lab, though my wallet and waistline disagree. Did they at one point mention MyBurger was coming too? That'll be another regular stop for me.

I wonder what happens first: this new restaurant opening for business or an announcement from Ackerberg about the vacant lot across the street? That thing continues to be an eyesore. If nothing is imminent, I'd hope they at least spring for a new fence. A hotel would provide some additional business for these restaurants.