Raleigh Downtown Living Advocates

Category: Food & Drink (Page 8 of 9)

Faces of Downtown Raleigh: Pete Pagano, Owner of Tir na nOg

April 5, 2010 /

Have you ever noticed the number of runners Downtown on a Monday evening?  Meet Pete Pagano, owner of Tir na nOg, whose sister’s inspiration started a Raleigh tradition!

DLA members, Ryan Craig and Julie Johnson Babb, caught up with Pete this week to ask him about this, as well as his general impressions of Downtown life.

Ryan: I’ve heard about the nOg run club you host here at Tir na nOg. Tell me a little more about that.

Pete: Well, my sister originally came up with the idea. We partnered with Fleet Feet Sports and at our first monthly meeting we expected around 20 people to show up.  We were really surprised when it was more like 60 people!  The demand grew so we started meeting every other week and now we meet every Monday night at 6:00 PM.  It’s just really a lot of fun, nothing serious.  It’s grown so much we get about 300+ runners every Monday night and we just started our second year.  It’s really fun to see tons of people running through Downtown Raleigh on a Monday night wearing Tir na nOg shirts.

Tracy, a DLA member commented about the Monday night runs:

“You can run or walk 3-6 miles through Historic Oakwood, Downtown Raleigh and across to Glenwood Avenue.  Once you return to the “nOg” they offer a salad and pasta buffet for $1.00/plate. Of course they offer beer specials.  What is the true motivation for running 3-6 miles after work?…Eating for a buck and playing trivia and/or bingo to win a beer!  And, after 10 runs, they give you a free Tir na nOg wicked shirt, and after 20 runs they give you a free mug.”

Ryan: What is your impression of the Downtown growth since you moved to Raleigh?

Pete: I was actually disappointed in the Downtown Raleigh food scene when I moved here 5 years ago from living in Belgium. I hoped for a lot more independent restaurant options, rather than chain stores.  I saw all the empty buildings as a blank canvas.  There are still a lot of empty spaces so I still see so much potential in Downtown Raleigh.

Ryan:  What do you find to be the best thing about your location in the Moore Square District?

Pete: Moore Square has a laid back and diverse scene, with all types of restaurants from Italian, Asian, and Irish, to German.  In addition there are family friendly places like Marbles Kids Museum and IMAX.  I’d describe the Moore Square district as unique, not trendy.  It is a consistently great place to go where you know you will be happy and have fun every time.  We will see how Moore Square changes over time.  Hopefully the Downtown Live concerts will stay in this location and we also hope to see other outdoor events.

Ryan: What would you like to see come into Downtown?

Pete: Well, if I could choose, I’d pick to have the RBC Stadium relocated to downtown Raleigh, though I know this is unrealistic.  I think Downtown Raleigh needs retail, but it’s probably still too early for that at this time.  People in Raleigh are still adjusting to city living and they want a park close by their destination.  To support retail you will need to support Downtown living. Adding small, local retail is a good start until the residential base picks up.

Ryan: What are your thoughts on the process of more retail coming to the downtown area?

Pete: In the evolution of Downtown Raleigh, I’d start with the restaurants and more destinations.  People will want to live Downtown, with more to attract them.  I wish that there would be more investment in apartment buildings.  It would be great to have more affordable, rental options and I believe that would bring a lot more foot traffic. The retail will follow.  I do believe we are on the upward trend.

Ryan: What makes Tir na nOg unique?

Pete: Every Friday night we offer Irish bands to play in the restaurant. We also support the Wake County Bag Pipe Band which we consider our house band.  Sunday’s we have an Irish Jam session and Monday nights we have Gaelic classes taught by a professor at Duke.  We really embrace the culture and help to develop the Irish culture.

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DLA  Mixer at Tir na nOg . . Come join your Downtown neighbors and friends at Tir no nOg this Wednesday, April 7th, from 5:00-7:00pm.  Hors d’oeuvres + Cash Bar provided.  RSVP, and we’ll have a name tag waiting for you when you arrive.

See you there!




 

Faces of Raleigh: Hector Ibarra, Owner of Jibarra Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Lounge in Raleigh’s Warehouse District

February 24, 2010 /

The DLA is all about getting to know you: the residents, workers and business owners who are shaping the character of Downtown life.  Watch for our Faces of Raleigh blog posts to share a glimpse of whom we’re meeting.  We appreciate the following interview provided by our DLA members, Ryan Craig and Julie Johnson Babb.  Ryan and Julie recently interviewed Hector Ibarra of Jibarra Modern Mexican and Tequila Lounge.

Ryan: What are your impressions of Downtown Raleigh?

Hector: I moved my business from North Raleigh to Downtown because people come to Downtown Raleigh for something different – a locally owned experience. My partners and I saw the momentum building in Downtown and wanted to be a part of it.  Even though the economy is slowing growth down, we’re still really excited about the momentum that continues to build Downtown. 

Ryan: It seems Downtown Raleigh has adapted to the economy better than other cities nationally. Do you get the same feeling?

Hector: Higher end businesses have definitely been hurt. They used to be a white tablecloth dining establishment but when they moved downtown, they wanted to recreate their image. They wanted it to be a lot more casual and fun. We had so much fun designing and decorating the restaurant. We are young and feel comfortable attracting that audience.

Ryan: Explain your restaurant.

Hector: We like to introduce our guests to new things in taste, sight and environment. I am proud of my Mexican heritage and want people to see a different side to Mexican food. Our wines focus on South American and Spanish wines and our Mexican tequila is the best selection in all of Raleigh. Did you know tequila is supposed to be sipped room temperature and chased with a pallet cleansing drink – not salt and lime?  We put a large focus on attention to detail and encourage our staff to teach our customers about real Mexican traditions.

Hector IbarraRyan: It seems like your restaurant is not just a financial venture to you.

Hector: Absolutely not. One works so many hours in the restaurant business that there must be a lot of love and passion behind what you are doing.

Ryan: Is there any specific direction you’d like to see in Downtown development?

Hector: There are a lot of dining establishments and museums in Downtown, but  still plenty of holes to fill in with retail.  Downtown needs more public art and more activities in order to be better rounded.

Ryan: Are you looking forward to the transportation project that is proposed right outside your front door?

Hector: More traffic would be appreciated if the train project happens. I’d like to see more people walking by.  We already get a decent amount of traffic from the train station.

Hector: One more thing on the aspect of living in Downtown…I’ve got a lot of friends who would like to live Downtown but because of the cost, it’s not an option. I wish there were more rental properties and more affordable places to live. I believe that would create a much more interesting group of residents, instead of just high-end. 

[The DLA will soon be releasing a blog post that describes the increasing number of options for more affordable and different styles of housing, focused on the redevelopment of smaller single family homes to the east of Moore Square.]

Ryan: What has been the best thing for your restaurant since you moved to Downtown?

Hector: I really feel at home here in Downtown. Our beloved restaurant has finally found its home.


What do you get when you mix national and international talent with wine??? Mosaic’s Spring Music Fest

February 15, 2010 /

Mosaic Wine Lounge offers a sexy, sophisticated and romantic atmosphere with their Moroccan inspired décor with numerous couches, hanging lamps and candles.  The owner reports the clientele to be 75% professional women, with the crowd generally over 25 years of age.

Established in 2006 in Raleigh’s Glenwood South entertainment district (517 W. Jones Street), Mosaic attracts an array of national and international DJ talent, with live Salsa and Samba Bands after 10:00pm.  You will not find any Televisions or Hip Hop music in this joint.

Each night of the week Mosaic features a different theme and speciality drink.  Wednesday nights they host a free wine tasting at 7:30pm.  And, if you do not wish to sample the wine Mosaic offers, all other wine on Wednesdays (by the bottle or the glass) are available at half price.  

Mosaic recently added an outdoor lounge which is quite beautiful.  At night a DJ plays inside and outside (weather permitting).  

Mosaic will be hosting the Spring Music Fest, offering eleven days of music from close to fifty local national and internationals DJ’s and artists representing a broad range of musical styles.  The event runs from May 28th through June 7th, 2010, so be sure to mark your calendars.  

You can visit the Mosaic Wine Lounge on the web at www.mosaicwinelounge.com. or join the Mosaic Facebook Group.


High-end dining is well suited for Raleigh’s Downtown core, but business is struggling

October 19, 2009 /

With the high incomes of the bankers, lawyers, accountants and lobbyists who work in its office towers, the Downtown core would seem to be well-suited for certain types of high-end dining, specifically, ones where clients are wined and dined, deals are consummated, and expense accounts cover the bill.  Furthermore, supplemental demand for such traditional upscale food and drink offerings is generated by the “high culture” performances and shows at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. This audience can make even more of a contribution now with the new R-Line (Downtown circulator), which has a stop at the Center.

So why are current high-end dining businesses struggling?

1. The impact of the poor economy . . . 

Sit-down dining establishments with high price points in the Downtown core, like Fins and The Mint, appear to struggle, while ones offering better value and less flamboyance, such as Caffe Luna, The Raleigh Times and Sitti, thrive. Entrees in the low $20’s seem to be the ceiling. Of course, this might be a function of the poor economy of 2008/2009, or, perhaps, the restaurants themselves.

2. Downtown core not ready yet . . . 

Clearly the recent economic downturn has hurt the establishment of more high-end dining establishments.  And, developers of the RBC Plaza and The West condominiums would certainly prefer to fill their prime ground-floor space with a high-profile, high-end brand like, for example, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Capitol Grille, The Palm or McCormick & Schmick’s, but such operators do not seem to feel that the Downtown core is ready yet.  

3. There are alternatives outside of Downtown . . . 

Raleigh has long been a city where the center of gravity falls not in Downtown, but along the Beltline, and particularly, along its northwesterly stretch, close to its most affluent neighborhoods and largest employment base (Research Triangle Park). High-end operators tend to first look to suburban centers like Crabtree Valley Mall.

4. Competition from other cities . . . 

National brand operators might not even be looking at Raleigh at all. In trying to lure such names (or entice them to open a second restaurant), Raleigh is competing with other opportunities across the U.S., and it does not always fare especially well in that competition, with national brands historically enjoying higher sales at their locations in the Northeast and in Florida and therefore focusing more heavily on those markets.  

A Recommended Solution is to focus on Regional Chains and Proven Local Restaurateurs.

Of course, the economy will ultimately recover, Raleigh will likely continue to grow (and perhaps become more appealing vis-à-vis one-dimensional markets like Florida that have been pummeled in this recession), and the larger brands will look closer at a first or second location.  But in the meantime, landlords might look instead to regional chain-lets or, better yet, proven local restaurateurs, like Jason Smith, the chef/proprietor of 18 Seaboard or Ashley Christensen, the chef/proprietor at Poole’s Diner.

In the end, such local concepts might be better for the city’s overall image. In choosing where to eat, business travelers and other visitors might not be looking for something unique — indeed, they might want a known brand — but if they have no choice but to experience something they have not seen before, they would probably leave with a more positive impression of Raleigh (and relay the same to others).

 

Source: The information presented here was taken from a Retail Market Analysis & Positioning Strategy conducted on behalf of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance by MJB Consulting, a NY-based national retail planning and real estate concern.  Data was gathered over a six-month period from August 2008 through February 2009.  The study was fully paid for by corporate contributions.


 

Downtown Raleigh has 40,000 office workers, so why aren’t there more convenience oriented retail businesses?

October 10, 2009 /

This is a question echoed from the sidewalks of Fayetteville Street. to the offices of City Council.  To find an answer, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance engaged MJB Consulting, (a NY-based national retail planning and real estate concern) to do a Retail Market Analysis & Positioning Strategy for Downtown Raleigh.  They gathered data over a six-month period from August 2008 through February 2009.

This is what they found.

Daytime office workers will typically provide support throughout the weekday for various quick-service food concepts, where diners submit, pay and receive their order at a counter (e.g. Chick-Fil-A, Quiznos Sub, Port City Java.), specialty beverage purveyors (e.g. Starbucks, Morning Times), and other convenience oriented businesses (e.g. CVS and the UPS Store).

So why aren’t there more options available like these?

The study drew the following conclusions:

1. Too far to walk from Capital District . . . 

Most government buildings are located in the Capital District, which was never designed to include retail space.  Workers tend not to wander far for lunch or other conveniences, where the rule-of-thumb is that the typical office employee will not walk further than six minutes, and the Capital District’s distance from Fayetteville Street makes it too far to walk.

2. Faster to drive for Government workers . . . 

Government workers typically enjoy cheaply priced reserved parking spaces, so these workers find it is faster to drive to lunch or for other errands to the automobile friendly places in Cameron Village, or Sunflowers Sandwich Shoppe or Seaboard Cafe off Peace Street.  

3. Government workers have no time to take the bus . . . 

With the Downtown Raleigh Circulator/”The R Line”, government workers potential reach has been widened, but with just two buses plying the roughly twenty-minute route at any one time, it can only operate on headways of ten minutes, and could easily veer off schedule. Workers on break do not have a moment to waste, and such issues of frequency and reliability would likely minimize its use for this purpose.

4. Lack of convenience store size spaces in the Fayetteville Street District . . . 

The Fayetteville District has collected a number of convenience oriented businesses given the presence of workers located within the large corporate office towers.  However, a key limitation on worker-oriented retail in the Fayetteville District is the lack of 1,200- 1,400 sq.ft. spaces with appropriate dimensions on Fayetteville Street, with the excessive depths resulting in several cases in unusable square-footage in the back. Landlords are hesitant to split those bays because they are not confident that the levels of foot traffic on the parallel streets — Wilmington Street and Salisbury Street — would be sufficient to attract interest.  

5. Residential population is too small . . . 

Offerings for the worker are also limited by Downtown Raleigh’s still relatively small residential population. Many types of businesses struggle to survive on just Downtown’s weekday-lunch trade alone, and yet, they do not see the number of rooftops that would justify later opening hours. This hinders, for example, efforts to attract the newest wave of quick-service food concepts, the “fast-casual” restaurants (e.g. Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Noodles and Company).  There is clearly a demand for this sort of concept among Raleigh’s daytime workers, however the lack of sufficient residential density in Downtown Raleigh discourages those fast-casual brands that also rely on quick-service evening trade.

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The study seems to conclude that the large population of daytime workers cannot translate into more retail by itself, and must depend on other customer types (event goers, residents, destination shoppers), which will be discussed in future posts to this blog.

Bringing more retail to our Downtown core is clearly a desire of people who work and live downtown.  So what do you think?

 

 

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