downtown roanoke (Blacksburg, Jefferson: new home, theater, tax)

[sillygal]

several years ago I heard that Roanoke had a big transformation of their downtown and the parks. Is this true? What is it like as far as outdoor cafes and coffee spots in general may they be in used book stores, and such. A walkable and enjoyable main street.

Also, I thought I saw pictures of a riverwalk, and just can't picture where this would be in the area. It has been oodles of years since I have been there though.

Whats it like now? The main street and the riverwalk, if there is one.....!!!

[j1n]

Campbell is cool...Mill Mtn Coffee, Cantos Books, etc. Also the Center in the Square there - opposite the market. Riverwalk would be the athletic area near Carilion Memorial maybe? Lots of folks running on the paved paths near there.

[VALover]

I think Riverwalk is the greenway that begins at Wasena Park and it does run near Roanoke Memorial.

[sillygal]

campbell? I am sorry I don't know what/where this is. Are you saying this Cantos and Mill are in downtown Roanoke?

[VALover]

I think she means Campbell Ave. It runs through downtown. Mill Mountain Coffee very close to Market Square and is a really neat place, great coffee and desserts. Cantos Booksellers in on Campbell, I haven't patronized that establishment.

[j1n]

Originally Posted by VALover

I think she means Campbell Ave.

i'm a "he"

Originally Posted by sillygal

campbell? I am sorry I don't know what/where this is. Are you saying this Cantos and Mill are in downtown Roanoke?

Campbell and Jefferson are one of the main intersections downtown. Campbell Ave has some of the cooler stuff...Center in the Square, Mill Mtn Coffee, Cantos Books, the Market, Seeds of Light, etc.

[seanpecor]

The new Mill Mountain Coffee location (it jumped across the street into a larger space) is really, really nice. A few days ago, my wife and our two young daughters grabbed lunch at the pizza joint in the Market Building, then watched a play (A Simple Gift?) at Mill Mountain Theater, and then grabbed some coffee and hot chocolate at M.M.C. afterwards. It was absolutely loaded up with young people in their early twenties, all dressed up and talking "Art" They looked like kids playing dress up, which I think means I'm getting too old Anyway, it occurred to me that downtown Roanoke seemed to be decidedly hipper than it was just three years ago.

Last night we all went to see a Roanoke Children's Theater production of a Madeline play, at their new home inside the new Taubman Museum of Art. The new theater is fantastic, the seats were very comfortable, and I was pretty gobsmacked over how talented the teenagers were who participated in the play. The singing and acting were all spot-on, and the sound and lighting design of the theater were very good (better than M.M.T. although on a smaller scale). And once again, walking around downtown Roanoke after the play, it felt like a pretty hip little city.

Recently, we went shopping downtown, and it was a really nice experience. There are tons of shops, galleries, and restaurants. We found some really nice gifts. I'm bad with names but if you just start digging around on foot downtown, lots of great shops turn up.

They could double the size of the Market Building and I'd be in euphoria. The food is great, the open atmosphere of the whole place is very comfortable and puts me at ease. And food is prepared quickly, which is really important when you need to get to events on time.

Sean

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by seanpecor

Recently, we went shopping downtown, and it was a really nice experience. There are tons of shops, galleries, and restaurants. We found some really nice gifts. I'm bad with names but if you just start digging around on foot downtown, lots of great shops turn up.

They could double the size of the Market Building and I'd be in euphoria. The food is great, the open atmosphere of the whole place is very comfortable and puts me at ease. And food is prepared quickly, which is really important when you need to get to events on time.

Sean

We met a friend downtown for dinner at Corned Beef and Co. on a Friday night in late August. We were early, so we thought we would walk around and shop a bit. The disappointing thing was that most of the shops had closed up by 5pm, definitely by 6pm. Odd and disappointing.

[Diamond Dave]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

We met a friend downtown for dinner at Corned Beef and Co. on a Friday night in late August. We were early, so we thought we would walk around and shop a bit. The disappointing thing was that most of the shops had closed up by 5pm, definitely by 6pm. Odd and disappointing.

I think that's generally the case with mom-and-pop stores and boutiques in downtown areas. Even in downtown Blacksburg, which has had a thriving little downtown shopping district for years, everybody but the bars and restaurants closes at 5 or so. It's just a business decision. If you can't sell enough after 5 to pay the electric bill and the help, you don't open. I do think that many of the downtown merchants were open late for the "Dickens of a Christmas" promotion they do in December. I didn't go cuz that's bath-and-bedtime for my kids.

That said, downtown Roanoke was JAMMING today at lunchtime. People were streaming off the trolley from Carilion to eat in the market building. Downtown is truly enjoying a rebirth, and Roanoke has become a great place to eat, drink, be merry, be entertained, and maybe learn a little something too.

[seanpecor]

I think the trolley is a great idea. It's nice to learn that Carilion folks are making good use of it.

I wonder if we'll ever see year-round extended shopping hours beyond 5 or 6pm downtown? I suppose there would have to be enough business after hours to justify the expense and hassle of training/retaining additional staff. A really ingenious/stupid experiment for the city would be to approach the downtown merchants and offer to subsidize the hiring/training of evening staffers. Couple that with an ad campaign touting evening shopping downtown and it might create alot of opportunity for the city to generate ROI through additional business tax revenue.

Sean