New stores coming to Duluth, anyone know of any? (Starbuck: movies, authority)

[duluthian2008]

Duluth really needs to use Branson Missouri as a model for our city. We need to do more with our waterfront like Branson has and we need to do more to attract tourists year round. Branson has numerous entertainment shows and also has Branson Landing, a 400,000 square foot retail center with a Hilton hotel, Condos, Bass Pro Shop, Belk Department Store, multiple restaurants and stores and a fire and water outdoor show. We also need to redo our convention and add a hotel to it so we can attract more businesses such as Branson has. We need to have people stay more by our arena and by our waterfront and Bayfront, even though we have hotels already in Canal we still need another one at the DECC. This is what I believe Duluth should do. Branson has truly flourished in the last fifty years. If Duluth really would follow Branson's plan and see how they have come from a little town of barely anyone to a town of 10,000 permanent residents in the winter and 500,000 tourists a day in the summer and up to 2 million visitors some summer days we really would be doing much better as a city. We already have a large permanent city population and we already attract almost 4 million tourist each summer. But when winter comes that number goes way down. If we had shows and some truly unique things to add to the addition we could draw so many more people than just those who come for the already beautiful attractions and landscapes we already have. We now just need to focus more on our entertainment section of our city. We need permanent shows and a major retail center downtown. Here are some pictures of Branson Landing and the Branson Convention Center.

Branson Landing


Branson Convention Center

[ComeToDuluth]

I heard the GAP is closing in the mall and some other store too. Anyone know what would go in the GAP? How about buffalo wild wings? I'd love that....

[tvdxer]

Why on earth do tourists eat at chain restaurants? You'd figure that staying in a hotel are from some other area, and a good percentage if not most are from other urbanized areas that already have the same chains. Why not put some good local restaurants by hotels / motels?

[Globe199]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

Why on earth do tourists eat at chain restaurants? You'd figure that staying in a hotel are from some other area, and a good percentage if not most are from other urbanized areas that already have the same chains. Why not put some good local restaurants by hotels / motels?

Probably several reasons. Real estate near hotels is expensive because you have a captive audience. So only big companies can afford those leases...and property owners want to lease to big companies that are less likely to experience turnover.

Also, sometimes travelers want "safe" dining options. The first time I was in London, my wife and I ate at TGI Friday's and Pizza Hut. I now roll my eyes at that decision, but at the time, we were so hungry and so jet-lagged that we wanted something reliable. They were both reliable and boring.

[nateduluthnative]

One piece of good news for Downtown-Blackwoods is opening an upscale restaurant in the Chinese Garden space at Graysolon Plaza.

[aluminumpork]

Originally Posted by nateduluthnative

One piece of good news for Downtown-Blackwoods is opening an upscale restaurant in the Chinese Garden space at Graysolon Plaza.

Yeah, I believe it's called Black Waters (or something to that effect). I didn't realize it was a full on restaurant though, that'd be great! I've always heard it was for of an upscale lounge/bar.

[duluthian2008]

Wow I knew they were planning on opening a restaurant but I thought it was still far off from becoming a reality. Black Waters? That sounds cool being it has something to do with Blackwoods name. How big is this space? Does anyone know if it is going to be a total remodel?

[chublake]

tvdxer is right about chain restaurants. A few staples like Chili's, Olive Garden, Outback, Texas Roadhouse Grill are fine. We moved from Duluth after living there 25 years. We came to town the week before Christmas to see our kids/grandkids. We couldn't wait to have Chopsticks, Sammy's Pizza, Culvers, Coney Island and breakfast at the truck stop in Carlton. People that don't live there love places like that because they can't get it where they live. Same with retailers - Anybody can go to the Gap, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic where they live. They want shops that have stuff they can't get where they live. We travel alot and those are the places we go. As much as you don't want to hear it - Duluth needs a Super Walmart. Travelers want it because they can get what they want, know where to find it and know that it's a good price. Another retailer that Duluth needs is a Dick's Sporting Goods or Academy Sports given all the sports played in the area. I still think that a gorgeous upscale mall on the site of the old Central High School would be awesome. We go to a mall in Birmingham, AL called the Summit and it's drop dead wonderful. It's on a similar site and you can see forever. That mall attracted a Cheesecake Factory, Macaroni Grill and other upscale restaurants along with the retailers that you seem to crave for the locals. You need to get people away from just Canal Park. There is so much potential there. I could think of 5 or 6 small businesses to start that would be profitable for an individual. I'm jealous - you can have a Sammy's pizza, I have to fly up there to have one.

[duluthian2008]

chublake... I never ever thought about an upscale mall going on Centrals site! That is a wonderful idea. I think it should be a lifestyle center and have streets winding through it. The site probably would need a parking ramp and could probably hold about 50 retailers. I am very familiar with the Summit shopping center and also think it is gorgeous. I also agree with what you are saying about chains in Duluth. I too think we need a Walmart Supercenter AND IN ADDITION a Super Target. But people also have to realize that we want chains in Duluth because we have the local stuff but not too many national chains. We dont want to have to drive 250 miles to somewhere to get a piece of clothing or pay 20.00 dollars in shipping to get an item sent to us from a store that is not in Duluth. Im sure if I lived in a suburb of Minneapolis I would like more local stores due to the large amount of commercial chains down there... but thats not the case up here.

[acrylic]

The only way I'd support a mall or anything like that going where Central is if there's more access roads. There's no way I could handle even more cars on that part of Central Entrance (on that particular part.)