Downtown Minneapolis Retail News

[grrdanko]

There is construction going on in the empty Centre Village convenience store space.

The building permit is issued to Fresh Market. Looks like it's another convenience store.

[Minneapolitan]

Amateur but some ideas i sent to the nicollet mall project. i bet they wont try recruiting these stores. its a shame bc we need a heavyweight district in the city to serve the huge demand for shopping. Even more grocery stores would be nice, but something superbowl worthy that acts as a Midwestern landmark well after and beyond the game.
im new here btw hi

[matt91486]

Well, this is in a sense retail news. http://www.startribune.com/local/298687131.html

[Lancestar2]

Ok ill try again, I agree Nicollet Mall can be as you stated lame and lifeless. What do you think should be done to make it not so lame and lifeless? Just these retailers being added anything else? Thoughts?

[Minneapolitan]

Ok ill try again, I agree Nicollet Mall can be as you stated lame and lifeless. What do you think should be done to make it not so lame and lifeless? Just these retailers being added anything else? Thoughts?

Really it's about the retail, that is the attraction. But nicollet mall could use more recreation, I know they are proposing a ice rink and bocce ball. I'd like to see lighting features, kinetic sculptures/art.

They definitely need something to ease pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks and leading into the skyways. They skyway need all new infrastructure ie. signs lights maps but that's probably on another thread.

It maybe too far out but, I want to see people movers on Nicollet mall. But the proposed streetcars sound ok. People movers are just more interesting and make the mall unique and attractive. People movers are futuristic and need to be utilized more in modern US cities. Preferably a MagLev system. All though taxi lanes might be useful. Idk

Some buildings façades need some refurbishment

Most of all the street needs it's own branding! It needs to be THE **NICOLLET MALL**. with its own name in lights. It should be something to see from all parallel streets and perpendicular streets nearby. I want this to be a more exclusive shopping district than the MOA but with a comparable atmosphere. Downtowns are supposed to be constantly bubbling and if our Times Square is flat, then so is our entire City.

Idk if the moderator put my post here but I originally wanted this in the nicollet mall thread.

[proverfent]

I enjoy your post 'minneapolitan!' I am new to downtown Minneapolis and I see so much potential for nicollet mall. I dislike the boring curved road full of buses, the wide and oddly quiet, I mean literally quiet, sidewalks, and the 1970's facade of many of the buildings. I really want to see more signage ie. LED, brightly lit, and more store fronts on the street level. I'm excited for the future of Nicollet Mall but honestly some of the renderings for the mall don't really excite me.

[John]

If they would finally renovate Peavey Plaza, and bring it back to its former glory, it would have a significant impact on increasing pedestrian activity on the south end of the mall. It's the perfect space for summer concerts and other outdoor programming that attract large crowds along Nicollet Mall.

I wish the city would look at the north end of Nicollet Mall as less of a gateway to the river, and focus more on creating a strong retail link with The North Loop. The Ritz and Gateway blocks should be required to have 100% retail frontage along the Mall designed to be used for national, urban-oriented retail chains.

[grant1simons2]

2 escalators are in place lining up with the whole in the exterior they cut out facing Nicollet for the new Walgreens. Hard to see inside but there's progress

[Munch'n]

Sports Authority exterior and a little interior renders....

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups ... 140243.pdf

[grant1simons2]

Does anyone have some information on 25-33 5th St S? I found they're owned by South Street Property Management in Chicago and they were sold last year, but beyond that it's a tough search. I found some old images of it and what used to be tenanted there. Its always been a small dream of mine to convert those spaces to retail and on the upper floors and run a skyway through it from Renaissance Square. If anyone has any rumors or information that'd be great. This stretch always feels empty and it's sandwiched between 2 light rail stations. Seems like a dream spot.

[twincitizen]

They were purchased along with the Plymouth Building last year. Not sure if Heartland Realty (developer that planned to do the now dead Conrad Hotel conversion) planned to incorporate them into that project somehow or sell them off separately.

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/b ... l?page=all

[Wedgeguy]

There is already a skyway running thru the buildings that is connected to the Lumber Exchange and to both the Plymouth and the 50 S 6th Building. Wiskey park in the main tenant of on of the 2 buildings. There is office above that would be class C if even that.

[xandrex]

^Is Whisky Park even still open? I walk by there frequently to get to my bus on Hennepin and it kind of looks vacant.

[Viktor Vaughn]

They closed maybe two years ago.

[xandrex]

Definitely less than that. I had friends who went there for NYE 2014.

[Wedgeguy]

They closed maybe two years ago.

My bad, as I have said before, I rarely get to downtown at night unless it is for an evening twins game and then I'm catching the bus home after the game and not wandering Hennepin and 1st to see what is open and what is no longer in business. I think some investment could help make the building more marketable. Once the AC gets build that will be part of the skyway system that will have that foot traffic going thru it to reach the other parts of DT by skyway.

[mattaudio]

Definitely was open less than a year ago (I was there to get my bro on).

[Viktor Vaughn]

Well, then my recollection is off. It seemed like a while ago. But before they were out of business entirely they changed their hours to more of a weekend only situation, so maybe it seems longer to me. I used to go there when I had a few minutes to wait for my bus after work. Once they ended their two Summits for $4 happy hour, I don't think I ever went back.

[grant1simons2]

DSC_1062 (2) by grant.simons, on Flickr

All of the first floor retail between Nic and Hennepin is for lease. I saw them move the basketball hoop and start disassembling it in the Renaissance square retail space... That could mean something.

[Didier]

Bogart's Doughnuts opening a kiosk in the Crystal Court Open on Saturday, too.

http://blog.startribune.com/bogart-s-do ... 302989951/