ToolMan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Sweet Retreat opened where Stalone's used to be - haven't checked it out yet. Laidback Manor closed and Matra (I think that is the spelling) opened in it's place. It's Indian food and I hear it is pretty good (not a buffet). Brick House/Nestlees Cookies - Decent sandwiches but kind of small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 (edited) What's up with that Hiccups place? Not very inviting during lunch. I was going to stop by there yesterday, but everyhting looked like it was closed. Had to settle for St Petes. Edited November 21, 2006 by WesternGulf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolMan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 (edited) Oh yea thanks for the reminder, Hicupps closed a few weeks ago. And Everyone knows about NOTSUOH now. Edited November 21, 2006 by ToolMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Main Street needs a Class A seafood restaurant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sketkar Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Laidback Manor closed and Matra (I think that is the spelling) opened in it's place. It's Indian food and I hear it is pretty good (not a buffet). Is this right across from the Flying Saucer? I think I've seen it but never been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadrunner Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 On the northwest corner of Main and McKinney it looks like that retail space is being developed right next to the McKinney tunnel entrance. Anybody know what this is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniepwils Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 I haven't seen any signs.If you look right next to that nasty store across from The Corner Bakery, they are cleaning out that storefront that was boarded up for so long as well (next to Sakowitz Building). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cottonmather0 Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 On the northwest corner of Main and McKinney it looks like that retail space is being developed right next to the McKinney tunnel entrance. Anybody know what this is?If you are talking about the space that used to be Krispy Kreme, I noticed that too today. Not sure what it might be, but fast food or semi-fast food would be likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q3llLY Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 It's going to be AT&T. They are moving from the location in Reliant. There was suppose to be a restaurant coming in but they were chosen instead. Cell phones over food I guess brings more foot traffic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Actually, that's a very good location for it. As much as I hate it, you'd be amazed how many times a month I get asked where the nearest store is because of their phone had/was lost in cab/run over/dunked/fell in sewer/soaked from rain/etc....I wish I can keep those kinds of stats.This post brought to you by my inner geek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 The space between Shay McElroy's and iBar (at the foot of the Post Rice building) has been completely ripped out, exterior walls and everything. You can see straight back to the brick wall at the back of the space. They've put up a construction fence around it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Interesting. Were you able to snap any pictures? Does your cell phone have a camera? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Yes, but my phone's messed up right now. I'll take my camera with me tomorrow when I catch the train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 My lens kept fogging up this morning. Also, the Byrd's project seems to be back on track. I always see construction workers and material in the morning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Come to think of it, this may have been office space, possibly a lawyer if I recall correctly. The Google streetview pass just shows a plain white wall with a for lease sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Come to think of it, this may have been office space, possibly a lawyer if I recall correctly. The Google streetview pass just shows a plain white wall with a for lease sign.That space has been empty for years. During the Super Bowl, they put up the plywood so that it would not look so bad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Some work going on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Plumb Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Here are a few opportunities I have thought of if I was in the business A full sized Starbucks style sit down McDonalds in the tunnel.A high quality Chinese buffet.A nice lodge/lounge style men's barbershop.An AUTHENTIC Texas style KOLACHE shop.A REAL Mom & Pop local donut shop to replace Shipley's.A Laredo Taco Stand quality breakfast taco shop.A second Whataburger.AMAZON lockers. Please NO MORE Subways. A Soylent Green style BUM scooping truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 there is no such thing as a high quality chinese buffet. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I think your taco suggestion is the most likely. Some of the others have execution issues because of the limited hours they have to sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrodiii Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Isn't there already a (small) sit-down McDonalrd's? And do you not like Red's Barber Shop, or are you speaking about something like Shave in Midtown? A Mom and Pop Doughnut shop - kind of like some of the Mom and Pop kolache shops that have gone out of business over the years? And why would one need an amazon locker, when they could just have their order delivered to their home or work? I would like to see a Taco bell., preferably street level so I can (hopefully) go on a Saturday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Plumb Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Isn't there already a (small) sit-down McDonalrd's? And do you not like Red's Barber Shop, or are you speaking about something like Shave in Midtown? A Mom and Pop Doughnut shop - kind of like some of the Mom and Pop kolache shops that have gone out of business over the years? And why would one need an amazon locker, when they could just have their order delivered to their home or work? I would like to see a Taco bell., preferably street level so I can (hopefully) go on a Saturday Please re read my post, apply reading comprehension, then answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Plumb Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I think your taco suggestion is the most likely. Some of the others have execution issues because of the limited hours they have to sell. A fast, fresh and homemade breakfast/lunch taco stand would probably make a killing. The one at Luchi & Joey's or w/e they are called is good but most of the time it takes too long for them to get around to getting to the cash register. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrodiii Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) Please re read my post, apply reading comprehension, then answer. A little testy on a Tuesday morning? Edited June 11, 2013 by arrodiii 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Plumb Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Nope. Sorry. Thought my post was pretty straight forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naviguessor Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Nope. You came across testy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasta Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 An Italian Bakery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Here are a few opportunities I have thought of if I was in the business A full sized Starbucks style sit down McDonalds in the tunnel.A high quality Chinese buffet.A nice lodge/lounge style men's barbershop.An AUTHENTIC Texas style KOLACHE shop.A REAL Mom & Pop local donut shop to replace Shipley's.A Laredo Taco Stand quality breakfast taco shop.A second Whataburger.AMAZON lockers. Please NO MORE Subways. A Soylent Green style BUM scooping truck. Large seating areas are going to be more expensive and not appeal to that many customers, especially n the tunnels where a good chunk of your business is grab and go. Fast food @ street level = bum magnet = people with money repellant. The guy that ran the BK in the Houston Club building told me as much. Chinese food that people will pay for in America is bulk stir fry. I think quality is something of a secondary issue and would just lose money. Maybe a Pei Wei would do well because people know the name, but I don't see myself eating there every week, and that's my gut measure for what I guess would work in a DT lunch only place. Not sure what a lounge style barber shop would do, but there are plenty of fairly conventional shops that have been around for a long time, they seem to be the best in terms of not going out of business, but I go to Supercuts, so what do I know. 4-6 are suggestions for higher quality more niche focused stuff, which means more expensive stuff. For the day in/day out traffic you need to survive, you're going to have a hard time pricing above your competitors unless you are offering something almost completely different in terms of quality. I don't think you can go from Wendy's to Beck's Prime in the donut world. If it were good enough, it could catch on, but the market for premium food seems pretty shallow downtown. A second Whataburger seems more than reasonable. The one under 1000 Main does killer business breakfast and lunch. I agree that we're at Subway (Alonti, Murphy's, WhichWich, etc.) saturation, but that kind of proves the point about what the market supports. People go with cheap commodity food if they are buying it 200+ times per year. I've seen so many shops try and fail in the tunnels and downtown, it's hard to see what might be left to exploit that has not already been attempted. I'm really hoping Phonecia holds on (no reason to think they won't), but apart from them, I can't really think of anything new and different that got any traction recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Plumb Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 All I know is that every day all I hear is people complaining about not having enough dining choices dt and I see all these empty retail locations above and below. I'm obv no expert but I do see opportunities. And a nice fancy McD's would be a GOLDMINE. Keep it near the city office bldg like it is in the tunnel and it will be packed all day. There really isn't much of a bum problem in the tunnels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 First of all, premium burger joints tend to stay pretty busy during the lunch hours. Now if they're getting by charging a higher margin, why would McDonald's benefit from charging a lower margin?Besides, the surface McDonald's by the police station already does stay busy all day. Not like they need another location for possibly higher rent. Only certain spaces have a vent hood installed in the tunnels, and installing one where one doesn't exist is expensive, hence all the cold cut shops. Thirdly, McDonald's sucks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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