New stores coming to Duluth, anyone know of any? (Rochester: housing, rent)

[fromupthere]

I can't help but laugh at the comments that if Rochester or St. Cloud have certain businesses it means Duluth should have them too. The difference here is Rochester has a population over 100,000 not including neighboring cities or counties. Rochester's population has increased over 15,000 in less than 10 years. St. Cloud is also rapidly growing. Duluth is not. Duluth's population only increases by including more and more small towns in the Duluth area. Not only does Rochester have 2 Super Walmarts and 2 Super Targets, there are also 2 ShopKos and a K-Mart that is worse than the Miller Hill K-Mart.

That being said, it would be nice to see some more restaurants there. I would love to see a Friday's there. It is nice to have non-chain restaurants too though. That's something you need to really appreciate.

[duluthian2008]

Rochester also only has a metro of less than 150,000 people. Duluths is much larger. Second of all St. Cloud has been staying at its population of around 60,000 for many years now. It would be different if Duluth was being compared to Maple Grove or something. Another reason I think its been said that Duluth should have these businesses if these other cities do is because we are so far away from the Twin Cities metro. Duluth has many tourists and also many canadians shop here too. So its not just Duluthians, Minnesotans or Wiconsins but its much more. We are supporting more than just our metro.

[fromupthere]

LOL! I knew you'd bring up the metro population business. Rochester supports a great deal of SE MN (more than what shows up on the metro area) along with parts of Iowa. People from Iowa work in Rochester. Duluth has continually dropped. I do know Canadians come down there and shop, and I've also heard that that has decreased in the last couple years and I'm sure will continue with gas prices on the rise. I lived in Duluth for 30 years so I'm well aware of the statistics. There still is a big difference between Duluth and Rochester and St. Cloud. We both may be closer to the Cities and Duluth may have tourism, but it's still a big difference. I'd love nothing more than to see Duluth grow but it needs to work on getting more businesses there that aren't restaurants, retail or hotels. (And your numbers are off in the inaccurate metro stats.)

[brandy77]

There are more Canadians in Duluth now thanks to W and the crappy value of the dollar.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by duluthian2008

Rochester also only has a metro of less than 150,000 people. Duluths is much larger. Second of all St. Cloud has been staying at its population of around 60,000 for many years now. It would be different if Duluth was being compared to Maple Grove or something. Another reason I think its been said that Duluth should have these businesses if these other cities do is because we are so far away from the Twin Cities metro. Duluth has many tourists and also many canadians shop here too. So its not just Duluthians, Minnesotans or Wiconsins but its much more. We are supporting more than just our metro.

As of 2007...Rochester's population is 96,975 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 13.02 percent. St. Cloud's population is 66,228 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 12.05 percent. Duluth's population is 84,167 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of -3.17 percent.

Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed

[fromupthere]

As of January 2008, Rochester's population is over 100,000.

[dennyd]

I feel that the current pop. of Duluth is irrelevant. For the immediate area of the Twin Ports, we are lacking in stores that many other areas much smaller, and maybe not all that more economically advanced.

Some things that I would love to see come to duluth;

-A foreign car dealership (not Toyota, Honda, Nissan), but maybe Volvo or Audi/VW would probably be welcome here.

-A remodel of Miller Hill Mall is needed I believe.

-A Chipolte would be nice, but Burrito Union is so, so good. I would hate to have them lose business.

-Trader Joes. Great organic food that does not cost an arm and a leg.

[duluthian2008]

What I am trying to say is not that Duluths population is booming for I myself know that it has been decreasing, but rather what I am trying to say is that Duluth serves much more than Duluth. Where as these other cities such as Rochester and Saint Cloud they also serve other cities then themselves but I do not believe they serve as many people as Duluth does. I mean duluth does have almost four million tourists a year not to mention the countless shows and activities that are held here that attract thousands, such as Grandmas Marathon which doubles the cities population.

It was said a few years ago that Saab wanted to build a dealership in Hermantown on a site which now is next to Saturn. I think they still might be interested. I do think though that Duluth definently needs a Volvo or Audi dealership. I seems that many people here in Duluth seem to have those two types of cars.

Remodel of the Miller Hill Mall is not that far off in the future. It is being designed as we speak. It is greatly needed.

Chipotle said they would love to locate in Duluth but have not yet found a suitable site. Five sites in Duluth will be looked at by Chipotle this summer in Duluth. Chipotle said that they hope to have atleast one location in Duluth in the next three to five years.

I am not sure about Trader Joes in Duluth. We definently do need a lower cost organic store in Duluth. I think it should be a store that adds to Whole Foods Coop instead of killing it. Trader Joes I would love to see here but they are so new to Minnesota at the moment. But they are rapidly expanding in the cities at the moment.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by dennyd

I feel that the current pop. of Duluth is irrelevant. For the immediate area of the Twin Ports, we are lacking in stores that many other areas much smaller, and maybe not all that more economically advanced.

Some things that I would love to see come to duluth;

-A foreign car dealership (not Toyota, Honda, Nissan), but maybe Volvo or Audi/VW would probably be welcome here.

-A remodel of Miller Hill Mall is needed I believe.

-A Chipolte would be nice, but Burrito Union is so, so good. I would hate to have them lose business.

-Trader Joes. Great organic food that does not cost an arm and a leg.

If Burrito Union is good. Why would anybody want Chipotle to locate in Duluth. Chipotle is owned by McDonald's. I am going to guess that Burrito Union is locally owned.

I do not understand this obsession with getting chain restaurants and more big box stores in Duluth. It's just strange to me. The spending ability (BPI) and size of the population is the determining factor on national chains locating in a given city. That's why Rochester and St Cloud have the stores that they do.

[nateduluthnative]

Another reason besides population loss is that Duluth does not have the high paying jobs that Rochester and St. Cloud have. Also can anyone keep us posted on Duluth Hill, the former Gander Mtn. and the Maple Square developments