Prospect Park - General Topics

Northeast, Near North, Camden, Old St. Anthony, University and surrounding neighborhoods
Didier
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby Didier » January 2nd, 2016, 2:24 pm

Cupcake has closed its Minneapolis and St. Paul locations.

seanrichardryan
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby seanrichardryan » January 3rd, 2016, 12:20 pm

huh. I was at Art & Architecture yesterday and didn't even notice. Perhaps I'm part of the problem :)
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

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FISHMANPET
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby FISHMANPET » January 3rd, 2016, 12:32 pm

https://www.facebook.com/cupcakempls/po ... 6820112717

It sounds like their business is too successful to bother with the dinky little shops in Minneapolis and St Paul. I would bet that Eagan is still open because it's close to their main production facility or it is the main production facility.

Wedgeguy
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby Wedgeguy » January 3rd, 2016, 1:48 pm

I'm sure that Cupcakes MPLS location was looking at a major rent increase with the two new apartment complexes bring added less than a block away. The buildings owner must have had $$$$ pop up when the Fresh Thyme signed for across the street. If they have a production facility in Eagan, they may have decided to change their business model to a wholesaler of fresh goods instead of a retailer where you have everyday expenses of stores and a customer count you could not guarantee due to the weather and other stuff. As a wholesaler you can get guaranteed contracts and pretty much know what your daily numbers are going to be. It is also easier to grow you business by supplying to more restaurants and cafes to increase you profits.

Edited: I forgot about their MOA location, that in itself must be 3-4 time the volume of the St.Paul/MPLS stores combined. So it sounds more like a business move than a higher rent move that made them close. But I'm sure that the location will fill up with another coffee house, maybe that one that closed due to Fresh Thyme complex can reopen across the street. But from a location stand point, the space is close to the LRT station, a few blocks from how many residential tenants, and 2 more apartment complexes yet to open. Having fresh Thyme across the street will only make the space more desirable by being seen by customers going to the grocery store. Unless the landlord get greedy, I don't think this space will sit empty very long.

Didier
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby Didier » January 3rd, 2016, 4:49 pm

I though the Minneapolis location supplied the St. Paul and Mall of America stores, which is why the move was surprising. But perhaps that's not the case, or else I'm guessing FMP's theory is right that their production facility is now in Eagan.

As a neighbor I rarely got cupcakes there, and Dunn Bros. has better coffee, but having a solid lunch restaurant in the area was a benefit. I'm curious what demand will be like to re-fill this space, given the lack of parking, not-quite-adjacent-to-lrt location and general lack of retail success in the area. But with so many people living around Westgate I'm hopeful something new will go there.

seanrichardryan
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby seanrichardryan » January 27th, 2016, 11:14 pm

Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

melaniem89
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby melaniem89 » March 9th, 2016, 10:50 am

I though the Minneapolis location supplied the St. Paul and Mall of America stores, which is why the move was surprising. But perhaps that's not the case, or else I'm guessing FMP's theory is right that their production facility is now in Eagan.

As a neighbor I rarely got cupcakes there, and Dunn Bros. has better coffee, but having a solid lunch restaurant in the area was a benefit. I'm curious what demand will be like to re-fill this space, given the lack of parking, not-quite-adjacent-to-lrt location and general lack of retail success in the area. But with so many people living around Westgate I'm hopeful something new will go there.
New retailer in the old Cupcake Spot opening on May 10th: T-Rex Cookie and Hub City Cafe
https://www.facebook.com/TRexCookie/?fref=ts

The cookies are delicious FYI. I'm not exactly sure what the cafe will be offering besides coffee.

Didier
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby Didier » March 18th, 2016, 1:11 pm

There are signs for a new cafe coming to the Cupcake space. Can't remember the name.

Wedgeguy
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby Wedgeguy » March 18th, 2016, 7:04 pm

Great to hear, that was a very cool place with a neat atmosphere.

Didier
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby Didier » March 20th, 2016, 9:41 am

The new place will apparently be called T-Rex Cookies and Hub City Cafe.

mattaudio
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby mattaudio » May 31st, 2016, 8:12 am

Is the Witch's Hat normally open to the public? Or is this a one-time opportunity?
http://www.pperr.org/events/ice-cream-social.html

mplsjaromir
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby mplsjaromir » May 31st, 2016, 8:18 am

One day a year.

MNdible
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby MNdible » May 31st, 2016, 9:18 am

View is, as you might expect, gobsmacking. Definitely go if you haven't been before. Expect to wait in line.

Didier
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby Didier » May 31st, 2016, 10:24 am

The view of Minneapolis even from the base of the tower is worth checking out.

mattaudio
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby mattaudio » June 21st, 2016, 2:47 pm

Bike lanes on Franklin causing residents to try for off-street parking. City staff recommends denial. http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 181858.pdf

EOst
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby EOst » June 21st, 2016, 7:41 pm

This seems like a reasonable request to me.

mattaudio
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby mattaudio » June 21st, 2016, 8:50 pm

I agree, actually.

twincitizen
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby twincitizen » June 22nd, 2016, 6:46 am

Agreed. I am glad those provisions are in the zoning code (total ban on front yard parking areas), but in this case it certainly seems like they meet the criteria for a variance. Odd that staff is recommending denial. Parking is being removed from Franklin Avenue entirely. The property does not have access to an alley. It is clearly a practical difficulty for the property owner, and the situation is unique to this property (and select others throughout the city, but not to all properties generally).

EDIT: Even the way the staff report is written seems to be accepting of the fact that the ZBA will likely approve the variances (i.e. "IF approved, not withstanding CPED's recommendation, it should be decorative pavers, not asphalt...")

mattaudio
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby mattaudio » June 22nd, 2016, 7:52 am

I'd rather have them require concrete or better (no asphalt) - pavers seem like an undue burden for some unneeded aesthetic points. And then maybe the neighbor with the little pad of decaying asphalt and the shared use agreement could get in on the concrete job and have their parking pad redone to match... I doubt they'd do that with a paver driveway.

Didier
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Re: Prospect Park - General Topics

Postby Didier » June 22nd, 2016, 7:58 am

I live in the area and checked out this house last night. It's a tricky one. The next door neighbor has a curb cut and carport literally right next to where this one is being proposed, so it's not like this would be totally unprecedented. Also, as far as I can tell, this house is unique in that it doesn't have either alley access or a driveway.


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