New stores coming to Duluth, anyone know of any? (Hermantown: designs, architectural)

[chublake]

You guys are going to hate me for what I'm about to say, but that's okay, I'm a big girl..... You set your sights so low - Bennigans? Ahhh, those are closing everywhere including Orlando of all places. Dunkin Donuts in Duluth where the food police are prowling? Ever wonder why Krispy Kreme doesn't come there? Liberals. Krispy Kreme opened in Wausau, WI and the liberals drove them out saying it wasn't healthy. Until you change the political climate in that City, you will not have what you want. I agree that the area needs the new development with new blood and the area would flourish, but you can't get the liberals to go with it. They want you to chew on flax seed and eat soy and the City to stay as it is. So, you are stuck in a rut. I told you guys, run for office and change the City - Duluth has so much potential - the view is Superior ( I know, old joke). Cloquet gets it and they are taking advantage. Others surrounding will too, and you will be left with the leftovers. It's up to you guys to make it work. Bennigans? Get real.....

[duluthian2008]

We wont hate you because we all are entitled to our own opinions! I do agree with you on part of this. I know of Bennigans as a chain, I have never ate there though, and there are other restaurants that I would want before Bennigans, like Benihana, P.F. Changs and The Cheesecake Factory. Krispy Kreme was in the Duluth gas stations for a while, and they were planning on opening a location in Duluth, but then the health crisis hit and Krispy Kreme plunged into closures everywhere, including all their Minnesota locations and Minnesota production plant. I agree 100 percent with you on the liberals in Duluth wanting everything to be green and the city not to change. I often am very upset with those people in our city because they are not allowing us to grow at all. I mean be real people, you live in Northern Minnesota, adding some new retailers to the city wont do anything to the forests up here. Especially when the land these retailers want to take has already been cleared. It seems that with each Duluth election we are promised a mayor that supports developers and developments in Duluth. But each time that mayor goes through his term, it seems none of this ever is seen in Duluth. I wish there was more we could do... but that is why I am hoping with these new developments in the surrounding cities that Duluth will start to hurt a little, and then that will cause them to re-evaluate themselves and make the right decisions regarding development.

[abrockman]

I agree with the notion that this city is in dire need of new development. This is why everyone needs to e-mail the city council and mayor and get on their backs about the lack of development in this town. Duluth is great and we need to start moving in the right direction. Little by little we can turn around what has been set in stone to long by the tree huggers and the people with money who have the political say around here. I urge all of you to e-mail on these important issues.

[nateduluthnative]

I e-mailed Culvers this weekend and they said they want to be in Duluth later this year. I e-mailed Five Guys and they have not returned yet. I believe if people want change in the retail and business climate in Duluth and Minnesota in general they need to get liberty minded people elected to office. Keep in mind that Republicans were in control for six years nationally and government programs and regulations grew faster than the Clinton years and our governor signed the smoking ban. The Libertarian Party and Constitution Party are better alternatives to the two socialist parties running things now. Bennigans have closed a few locations in the Cities over the last few years, and I talked to a manager at the Red Robin by my home and he said that they are looking at Duluth and they turned corporate from franchise a few months ago.

[duluthian2008]

Yup, later this year would mean this Summer. Did you talk to Todd Goldsmith? Wow! Thats nice to hear about Red Robin! Turns out a lot of businesses are looking at Duluth.

[chublake]

Hey... I get news alerts from the Duluth Tribune down here in Alabama. I just got one and noticed a story about Wal-Mart renewing plans for expansion. But, it sounded like they were just going to expand the old one. That doesn't make sense - Walmart never does that. It's cheaper to start over. I thought they were going out further near LaVaque Road.... Any clue what that is all about? As for Five Guys - we have one here (it's really good, but it's not nearly as good as Culvers). The space that they leased here had a Coming Soon - Five Guys for a good 6 months before opening. So, you should have some signage well before hand. I thought I heard they were going into the space at the Mall Food Court where Burger King used to be. You guys should lobby Williams Sonoma for a store in the mall - that would be a great fit and I could see them coming there. Women love that store and I see alot of guys in ours too. Plus, Linen and Things just closed around the corner from Williams in our Shoppes at East Chase as did a little kids clothes store next door. So, we are lobbying Pottery Barn and PB Kids to move in there. Sometimes it helps to get on the companies and they take closer looks if people show there is alot of interest. It seems to work here.

[duluthian2008]

I just saw that article. It does not make sense at all. First of all they cannot expand in the location their current store is. They have to rebuild and move behind the current store because neither side of the store can hold more expansion. And they are going further down on the corner of the Miller Trunk Highway and LaVaque Bypass. This does not make sense for me. The development on that corner for sure will house a Walmart Supercenter... so does this mean they are going to keep both? That would be crazy. One would close. This does not make any sense to me. I am really confused now, but someone also said that they had already heard Walmart Supercenter was planning a location on that corner. Wow... now I am going to have to research this more.

Five Guys still is working on securing their location here... and I am pretty sure they are going on the streetscape being they need atleast 1,500 square feet, they dont locate in Food Courts yet. Although we could be a first.

I would love a Williams Sonoma here. I think it would be perfect to go down in the J.C.Penny wing in the interior space of the redevelopment. I think do get on companies here, but lobbying really never seems to work for us. Companies are too afraid to enter our market.

[chublake]

Now, you have to think positive. Call Jeno - he's an entrepreur. He has a stake there and he's a conservative ( I think because he's smart). There are still some wealthy people in Duluth and they have beautiful homes. I personally know many of them and they like high end stuff. So, you engage them via whatever way you can (letters to the editors or whatever) to get these high end stores to come to town. Women are powerful in "suggesting" to their husbands that they should get these stores in town and backing those moves. Just a little insight for you guys. Trust me - been there, done that. Once you get one, you will get others. People feed upon that and they will demand more. You have to start a movement. Go guys... I'm bringing yankee stuff to the deep south and I'm getting it done.

[nateduluthnative]

Check out today's online News Tribune-WalMart and the new Menards store! Don't get your hopes up on Williams Sonoma, they are not doing well from what I have read.

[duluthian2008]

I saw that article! I am really happy that Menards is opening a month earlier, its going to be an awesome store. Its a little big for my liking. But the Walmart expansion still does not make sense to me! How could they be expanding their store when they are about to open another three or four miles down the road?!