second retail fatality at 9th and olive ends hopes for change
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The evolution of Olive Street south of 9th into Downtown's new "SoNi" district is taking another major hit... possibly the end-all blow.
Before the open-then-close antics of Mode befuddled Downtown on-lookers in January, a couple independent businesses had announced plans to back the restaurant to revitalize a small strip of storefronts in this empty corner of South Park.
Now, those hopes for would-be pedestrian life here seem unwarranted today.
B & G Cookie Company, a small bakery and delivery service under construction next to the dormant Mode space, will probably never get off the ground according to the owner, leaving many to draw the conclusion that the premium denim shop and planned streetscape improvements along the block are a lost cause.
Owner Beverly Griffith tells angelenic that unresolved electrical problems in the leased building are preventing the business from opening its doors.
"Despite building out our side of the space... we have been unable to pass final inspections due to problems specific to the building’s division of the electrical power” Griffith explains in an email this weekend.
“Initially, we understood as per our lease, that this electrical issue would be resolved by the building owner, however that has not been the case. This has been devastating for our business and at this point we don’t think we will be able to open at all.” (At least the city inspection process isn’t to blame for this one.)
Until another anchor tenant (or a reconditioned Mode) can get the ball rolling again, this row of vacant structures will remain full of potential.
-more improvements coming to 9th and olive
-mode skirts health laws? allegations raise eyebrows
-mode closes again — haunted?
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13 comments
How come you conclusion that this ratail area is a lost cause due to one retailers problems with their building?
My opinion isn’t based on one retailer’s problems, it’s a culmination of events and an understanding of how change happens. The success of this block was riding on Mode - and now that B&G isn’t working out, are any other businesses going to risk opening on a block that gets no pedestrian traffic? No.
With no new businesses on this street, there are no constituents to push for capital improvements, and (at least for the moment) things will stay as they are.
I would love to see an investor scoop up Mode and reopen it, which may still happen. But until a solid anchor tenant can lure more pedestrians to that part of town, my opinion stands. And I’m not saying retail here is a lost cause altogether (it has great potential), I’m saying this wave of retail openings is not happening.
Stephen, any postings in th works on how the flea market went yesterday?
Hmmm, there can be. I should put something together.
i heard mode closed because they didn’t have a license to serve food. I think they are going to reopen it.
Dan,
Mode didn’t have a health permit, and according to many of his employees who have contacted us directly - Tony Jones (the owner) never paid his bills or his payroll. Don’t expect Mode to reopen under his direction.
I was really looking forward the the cookies. It’s a shame that B&G isn’t going to get off the ground.
The street is in dire need of pedestrian amenities. There’s a total lack of street parking for one, so nobody knows if anything is really going on, as the section between 11th & Olympic on Olive feels like a mini-highway. Need for some benches along the street (and definitly some work on the sidewalks). Also, Galaxy Girls is really your “friendly neighborhood” retail store either…
“There’s nothing to do down here.” - That’s the quote from
more than one person that I’ve met, who is moving out of this area.
Having said that, it’s also true that a huge number of new businesses fail after opening, due to many different problems.
Kind of glad I tried Mode during the three weeks (or so) it was open.
Food was good. The space is nicely done, though quite right that the block is kind of dark and ghost-towny.
Whatever kind of business, it needs to be open for more than three weeks to start building up a clientele. Fingers crossed that somebody else takes over Mode. It’s actually not too from Concerto and the Meruelo project, that means hundreds more residents in the area. Maybe those buildings opening will be the push needed to get someone to give the Mode space another shot.
Ortho, anyone who can’t find anything to do downtown is a very sad soul. Pathetic is the word.
Was the cookie business supposed to be primarily a delivery service, or a walk-in bakery shop?
If its primary focus was delivery, then it’s effect on the local scene would be minimal.
So let’s suppose that its primary focus was as a walk-in bake shop. There is certainly a limit to how many cookies a resident is going to consume. And South Park is (and probably never will be) a big tourist magnet. So who exactly was the planned customer base?
Joel:
This shop was to be B & G Cookie’s first retail location, focusing on pedestrian traffic (in addition to delivery orders). They’re already a delivery service, so this was a new direction for the business.
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