Quality over quantity?
I've noticed that we're losing businesses in the Grove and probably always have but never noticed. I don't mean that a business leaves and something else takes over, I mean the space is being lost. Landlords are combining a few businesses and making them into one and this gives us less restaurant and retail space in the Grove.
I noticed that Berries on 27th Avenue took over the restaurant that was next door, on the corner of Oak. So now there is one less restaurant space in the Grove.
At Commodore Plaza, the new pizza place, Farinelli 1937, is taking over two spots, possibly three. If a large restaurant wants the Johnny Rockets space, they are willing to give them four or five storefronts to make up the space they need. And of course we all know that Mayfair was combined into one giant office from a bunch of separate stores.
Is this good? Is this bad? I have always wondered about that. If all the landlords keep combining spaces, we may end up with a handful of businesses and not a very eclectic mix.
I noticed that Berries on 27th Avenue took over the restaurant that was next door, on the corner of Oak. So now there is one less restaurant space in the Grove.
At Commodore Plaza, the new pizza place, Farinelli 1937, is taking over two spots, possibly three. If a large restaurant wants the Johnny Rockets space, they are willing to give them four or five storefronts to make up the space they need. And of course we all know that Mayfair was combined into one giant office from a bunch of separate stores.
Is this good? Is this bad? I have always wondered about that. If all the landlords keep combining spaces, we may end up with a handful of businesses and not a very eclectic mix.
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 AM
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12 Comments:
How much did Johnny Rockets pay in rent per month? How long ago did they leave? Now do the math. The owners of those perennially spaces simply don't care about the Grove, heck, apparently they don't even care about making money. That's how filthy rich and/or corrupted they are.
I've learned from print & TV media that many, as you put it "filthy rich and/or corrupted the are" want and/or need to give something back to humanity because they feel guilty for having created so much wealth. And many billionaires and millionaires have formed groups and co-op's to distribute their wealth intelligently. I'm of modest past and present financial security and it is my opinion you'll find, as I would put it these "arrogant" types in all the races of people and at all levels of wealth, including the homeless, or someone texting in the middle of some intersection. And if Berries, a restaurant takes over a restaurant on Oak I wouldn't view that as loosing or gaining a restaurant, even if the one on Oak is called Berries. It would still employ people who need jobs and might draw folks into the Grove. And if a store takes up several store fronts the same rules would apply. Jobie Steppe
Has you ever wondered if Johnny Rockets didnt want to stay? That the space wasnt functional anymore? I do remember it being really small inside. Maybe nobody wants the space as is. Its a small triangle. I did read in the Herald a while back that the Smoothie King lease is coming up and the owners will combine the space to bring in a better tenant. That makes sense to me.
The last time I drove through central Grove, Oak Ave. begins at Mary Street and Tigertail, Ave., the N.E. corner of the Miami Parking garage. Berries is a mile or so away at Trapp and 27 Ave. Hope Berries makes a go of it there. The previous five or six businesses didn't.
Look close the next time you drive past the original Berries. You'll see vestiges of a 1940's two story house which had served as a quirky antique shop run by an aging cross-dresser who lent true color to the Grove. He didn't really care about selling anything...just liked to meet people.
JRL
To the hasty respondent at 1:45 PM, he meant Cocoanut Ave., not Trapp.
Thanx,
JRL
I remember that character you mentioned as a cross-dresser. He was colorful and typical of the older Grove. Now that you mentioned it, in looking back I remembered I got the impression he never tried to make a sale when I visited him, which is why I dropped by often to chat with him - - - thanks for that refreshing memory.
Who cares if a landlord combines the space. One large, good restaurant is better than three businesses losing money. Time marches on. Stop being so afraid of change. Sure, it's not always good, but it's also not always bad. Embrace it. Smile. You live in Coconut Grove!
Usually better to have a diverse mix of stores, and limit the sizes of each while encouraging strong curation... Bigger stores rarely create a batter, more walkable urban experience...
The quirky owner of the antique store set fire to the store and put a round in his head.
Larger stores will destroy Coconut Grove's quaint and historic character.
I used to work at the Starbucks next to johnny rockets. At that time they we making a healthy profit, however the rent was so high they could barely stay out of the red. I left before they moved across to cocowalk, but I remebered thinking if a busy Starbucks can't make it there nobody can. Maybe the thing that really would make a difference is instituting commercial rent control within the heart of the grove. We shouldn't be losing or discouraging new businesses merely because if high rent going to a handful of people.
Berries is run & owned by Grovites who've been here since the 80s, they have done a great job with that building, it was in very bad disrepair when they bought it. Berries also does a lot of Grove-centric events, and has always supported the Grove. They are a + to the Grove, a local place made by locals and thriving. We need more such places.
Now, had it been the Gap that did that, in an old Grove space, I would say that was a bad thing.
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