Birmingham retail wish list (Montgomery, Hoover: to live in, professionals, kitchens)

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by TN2HSV

I doubt it unless they become as ubiquitous as Lowe's. If you look at IKEA's locations, there aren't THAT many of them across the US. Geographically speaking, it would make more sense for them to put one in Nashville, Memphis or St. Louis before Birmingham......it's too close in proximity to Atlanta.

They're already putting one in Memphis. And I've heard it is a smaller format then some of their stores. But even if it isn't, the fact that one is going in to a city that is virtually the same size suggests it is not as unlikely to come here as you are implying.

[UKWildcat1981]

Originally Posted by TN2HSV

I think CF and Maggiano's are both the type of restaurants that people think are really good & something special as long as they are NOT in their city. But once they are, they discover they aren't all that special. Kind of the "want what you can't have" effect. Once you have it, it's not that big a deal.

I totally agree with this statement. CF and Maggiano's are both good higher end chain restaurants and fun to dine at one in a while but still they are chains. Chain restaurants are so bad for your health. I hate chain restaurants. CF is probably my fav chain restaurant and I still only eat there maybe once every few months.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by sleepless in Bham

The last thing I've heard about D&B is that they were looking at a location around the 459/280 interchange.

That, to me, is the #1 choice of possibilities. Either somewhere in the Colonade or Perimeter Park.

Originally Posted by UKWildcat1981

I totally agree with this statement. CF and Maggiano's are both good higher end chain restaurants and fun to dine at one in a while but still they are chains. Chain restaurants are so bad for your health. I hate chain restaurants. CF is probably my fav chain restaurant and I still only eat there maybe once every few months.

That's handy to know up front since the article that spawned this most recent discussion is specifically about chains. I've never met someone who could put, say, Morton's in the same bucket of...Ruby Tuesday's.

[UKWildcat1981]

Originally Posted by Tourian

That, to me, is the #1 choice of possibilities. Either somewhere in the Colonade or Perimeter Park.



That's handy to know up front since the article that spawned this most recent discussion is specifically about chains. I've never met someone who could put, say, Morton's in the same bucket of...Ruby Tuesday's.

I went to Morton's before as well and it was good but it was a super expensive high end steakhouse not really my scene, good for a meal every blue moon or so.

[TN2HSV]

Originally Posted by UKWildcat1981

I went to Morton's before as well and it was good but it was a super expensive high end steakhouse not really my scene, good for a meal every blue moon or so.

Morton's
The Palm
Ruth's Chris
Smith & Wolinsky


All high-end steakhouses for the special occasion or business lunch/dinner.

The Palm is a bit more casual atmosphere.....not dark & serious like Morton's.

The hubs & I went to Ruth's Chris here in HSV for my birthday, and IDK.....it didn't seem as good as others I've been to.

[bhamguy]

In other news, PGA Superstore is opening in Inverness Plaza, and Alabama based Shrimp Basket is opening on Crestwood Blvd.

It seems to me that, the same "block" as AT&T across from The Summit, could be a large enough space for Dave & Busters. I am not sure if AT&T owns all of the extra land. You can see the land from Google Earth.

[TN2HSV]

After reading up on IKEA's expansion plans (Memphis & St Louis, among others), I read where a rep from IKEA stated that they need a minimum 20-30 acre parcel of land for their stores. Are there any parcels of that size available in a high-profile area in Birmingham?

Apparently, IKEA was looking at both Nashville and Memphis for a new store, and Memphis had the "perfect" location available first so they jumped on it. IKEA says that doesn't mean Nashville will never get one.

They target a MSA of 1.5-3 million, and said Memphis was on the small side of where they locate.

So.....who knows?

[Tourian]

Yeah, Wildwood has that much room.

Originally Posted by bhamguy

In other news, PGA Superstore is opening in Inverness Plaza, and Alabama based Shrimp Basket is opening on Crestwood Blvd.

It seems to me that, the same "block" as AT&T across from The Summit, could be a large enough space for Dave & Busters. I am not sure if AT&T owns all of the extra land. You can see the land from Google Earth.

That corner never occurred to me. I'm not sure they'd want to stand off alone like that, but it could give them the frontage they'd want.

[sleepless in Bham]

Originally Posted by TN2HSV

I doubt it unless they become as ubiquitous as Lowe's. If you look at IKEA's locations, there aren't THAT many of them across the US. Geographically speaking, it would make more sense for them to put one in Nashville, Memphis or St. Louis before Birmingham......it's too close in proximity to Atlanta.

And that's why Birmingham may never see an IKEA, but then again who ever Memphis would land one.

[WJSim]

I am certainly not in the know where the best location for an IKEA in the Bham area would be but there are certainly loads of space on the outskirts. They are usually located on the outskirts and in large cities there are more than one IKEA. So if one was located on the other side of Bham from Atlanta for example like the McCalla area between Bham and Tuscaloosa perhaps there could be a small chance.