Uptown Retail & Restaurant News

[QuietBlue]

Um. What? Surely a person paying "overpriced" rents spends more in the neighborhood shops than if they lived elsewhere.

They will if they are the right kinds of shops, sure. But they're not exactly going to buy a new Arc'teryx jacket each month, either.

[Anondson]

The Sons of Norway parking lot didn’t exactly have a lot of residents living on it shopping at the neighborhood retail. Whatever the income level of future residents, the neighborhood retail gained.

I have thought for a while though that Uptown’s retail landscape is changing from a regional shopping destination to be a local shopping district, all despite the surround demographic changes.

[CalMcKenney]

Put....in....a....BREWERY. Me and my buddies live in the area and spend many friday's in North Loop or NE to hit some breweries. We would be more than happy to stay near our apartments if Uptown put one in. This seems like a guaranteed winner to me. Also agree with the above comment that we are just seeing a transition in the makeup of retail in the area. More people are lively more densely in the area than ever before. Uptown will have a come back, just needs some time for the makeup of businesses to readjust.

[mplsjaromir]

I think a premium outerwear purveyor like Marmot or Helly/Hanson would do well.

[Didier]

I've said it before, but retail geared towards the daily needs of the many people who live in the area should do quite well.

Like a Lunds, Cub, CVS and mini Target? Just looking at Google Maps the immediate area also has a large gym, library, liquor store, dry cleaners, car repair and FedEx store, plus multiple banks and medical clinics, including a vet. This is in addition to secondary service places like several hair salons, a tanning place, a nail studio, a vaping store if that’s your thing, and several coffee shops. And on top of this there are plenty of “regional” stores that would be quite nice to have around, including a movie theater, yoga and other specialty studios, an Apple store, an independent book store, a running store, Kitchen Window, Penzeys and a makeup store. This is to say nothing of restaurant options ranging from McDonalds to People’s Organic to many “fancy” places. And this is just within a block of Lake Street from Humboldt to Colfax.

So I get the idea, but think it’s overstated.

[QuietBlue]

Like a Lunds, Cub, CVS and mini Target? Just looking at Google Maps the immediate area also has a large gym, library, liquor store, dry cleaners, car repair and FedEx store, plus multiple banks and medical clinics, including a vet. This is in addition to secondary service places like several hair salons, a tanning place, a nail studio, a vaping store if that’s your thing, and several coffee shops. And on top of this there are plenty of “regional” stores that would be quite nice to have around, including a movie theater, yoga and other specialty studios, an Apple store, an independent book store, a running store, Kitchen Window, Penzeys and a makeup store. This is to say nothing of restaurant options ranging from McDonalds to People’s Organic to many “fancy” places. And this is just within a block of Lake Street from Humboldt to Colfax.

So I get the idea, but think it’s overstated.

Yep, all of that reinforces my point. Those are the businesses in the area that are doing well, and new businesses along those lines would likely do well too. It's the higher-end retail places that don't work there. Well, Apple and Penzey's are higher-end, but they are also the kind of stores that customers visit more regularly and are less reliant on people coming from outside the area. I'm not too familiar with Kitchen Window, but they've been around for a while, so they've probably been able to establish a good customer base by now.

[CalMcKenney]

Kitchen Window also provides things that residents need on a somewhat regular basis. I visit there monthly to get stocked up on Nespresso pods and will occasionally buy other things. I think the point is valid - the area is transitioning to resident based uses. Of course some destination shopping could do well here, but it probably needs to be local and unique. Something you can only get by visiting Uptown. For larger name brand companies it's just too easy for people to go to a mall instead.

[Nick]

The medium to high end outerwear cluster always seemed a bit odd to me—everyone knows what size North Face jacket they wear. It’s a category that’s particularly vulnerable to online shopping.

[Bob Stinson's Ghost]

Recreational dispensary? Maybe next year?

Seriously, you have to literally make money hand over fist every single day to pay the fixed costs of operating in a brand new storefront in the heart of uptown.

[VacantLuxuries]

Which is 100% the result of the property owners drinking their own kool-aid on Uptown and not pricing their rent accordingly.

[MattW]

CHX, a chicken tenders specialty place opened in the in the former hot dog window in the space that is now Pourhouse.

Went last weekend, definitely worth a visit.

[xandrex]

Apple store to close permanently.

https://www.startribune.com/uptown-appl ... 572830252/

[uptownbro]

A very bad trend for retail in uptown.

[Anondson]

It was always the lowest trafficked Apple Store in the market, by a noticeable amount.

Plus, it’s much too small for the current store designs and a remodel would not help, there isn’t enough room.

[uptownbro]

I wonder if we will that whole strip of stores will be re done. I cant remember if someone went into the north face or Columbia store add on the empty victory secret store

[VacantLuxuries]

It's a bad trend for luxury retail in Uptown. It could be the start of a trend towards more neighborhood and community focused retail if the people who own the properties don't get caught up in chasing luxury leases or chains that have no logical reason to be in this neighborhood.

[drgrant]

Luxury retail in general is in trouble. It was kind of cool having a little cluster of nice shops there--felt very cosmopolitan, but honestly how many times does a person need to visit an Apple store or a North Face store? And how many of the dollars spent there stay in the neighborhood, or even the metro area?

It could be a tough transition for the landlords, but I don't think the city needs to be doing anything to try to keep this sort of retail around.

Most of those buildings should be redeveloped into something taller.

[Austinite]

Luxury retail in general is in trouble. It was kind of cool having a little cluster of nice shops there--felt very cosmopolitan, but honestly how many times does a person need to visit an Apple store or a North Face store? And how many of the dollars spent there stay in the neighborhood, or even the metro area?

It could be a tough transition for the landlords, but I don't think the city needs to be doing anything to try to keep this sort of retail around.

Most of those buildings should be redeveloped into something taller.

Really am kinda shocked. I would think at least an Apple Store would survive in Uptown. How are they doing at the 'Dales? And to think the Uptown Diner was torn down for this. I am really doubtful local retail is going to return to Uptown - considering the current economic state, the change in shopping habits and Uptown's current demographics. Seems Uptown has turned into a party zone. Seems bars/nightlife are the only things keeping the area staying afloat. Not even restaurants.

Perhaps Apple, when the economy starts to recover, will move downtown (i.e. Dayton's Block). Personally I think chains would be better to relocate back downtown - leave local retail for the city's neighborhoods. Tourists/office workers would support chain retail in the city's core.

[SurlyLHT]

Moving Downtown makes sense with both the residents and the commuters. Think about the average number of Apple Customers per day within a mile of a Dayton's location versus Uptown.

[xandrex]

I know that Apple might be considered a "luxury" store, but in some ways I think it straddled the line between luxury and actual, useful retail!

Sure, you probably aren't going to an Apple store on a fairly regular basis. But I know I found it handy for the times I had an issue with my MacBook or iPhone - I live fairly close, I could pretty much always make a same-day appointment to get whatever I needed fixed or replaced. And, yes, a few times I actually bought hardware there. Now those types of visits will require driving out to one of the Dales. Not exactly a huge deal, but I'll miss the convenience of the neighborhood.

Related, but also a bit of an aside: This whole stretch of Hennepin has so much potential, but, wow, it feels bleak these days. Still stuff boarded up, plenty closed or vacant. And, of course, there's always at least one car parked in the bike lane and another idling in front of Amazing Thailand.