eyehrtfood

Somerset is one of the finest malls in the country. Anywhere. Period. Even Easton, which boxes well above its modest Columbus-metro (32nd or so in population) size with its loaded store roster - doesn't compare to it. Few do.

A Restoration Hardware ("RH" as now known) 2-3 story gallery/mansion has been targeted for this space over the years - after originally in renderings fir Beachwood ave Richmond side expansion. New ones are 30k-40k sq ft (up to 80k+) with rooftop restaurant, etc.. and they have most major markets in their sites. They have been, surprisingly, a big success vs 10k sq ft smaller stores. New Nordstrom prototype is 140K sq ft 2 story, vs 215K sq ft Beachwood store. Indianapolis was a recent ish market where larger store closed and smaller store built in more desirable center.

They are franchises, so owned independently, likely by style-lovers who may not have put 2 and 2 together about the challenges of running a business, especially in a high cost new retail center. Pinecrest went with a number of local one-offs and franchised operations that ultimately will make way, or have made way, for better funded national chains.

Here's a "new to market" (read: local ego project) restaurant opening in January at Pinecrest, next to Red, and so far, unannounced by Pinecrest: https://www.thelastpagerestaurant.com/

Oops - "alleged" - a quick search of his name shows football highlight vids...

The shooter this week appears to be a football player present or recent past FROM Beachwood...

I believe TopShop pulled out of the US in last year or two.

Hot Chicken Takeover likely to surface at Pinecrest, also... Athleta confirmed via inclusion in center's marketing materials (as ia Takeover) and on Orange planning commission docs. The closed Next Door does seem it could open again, despite corporate pandemic/related closures, but hard to know. It's stuck in time inside and noted as temp closed - but still on corporate site when others in chain are not. Pinecrest has been surprisingly busy... Not a bunch of teens walking around, as per teen store laden Crocker, but families, adults, shoppers. The next year will weed out some more local stores, without $ to support current slower biz, and more nationals will move in...

The Marble Room space was originally eyed by Cincy restaurateur Jeff Ruby, for one of his steakhouses - so wonder if he might be back in the mix if that unique space becomes available. Ruby is a brand unto himself. Ate at his great Precinct in Cincinnati a few weeks ago - an old favorite - and can assure you that fine dining was alive, well, $$$$$, and very well attended by those who could get a reservation. Most couldn't. Also, with regards to carryout - discussed above based on the trend... For anything other than the old carryout staples - pizza, Asian - or maybe sandwiches... - for sit down dining or fine dining - I. JUST. DON'T. GET. IT. I love the restaurant experience and food in its restaurant setting. I cant be the only one. There is little good about carryout. Even for my favorite sit - down restaurants, where I end up 2-4x a week, every week, I got carryout just 2x in 2 months while closed for COVID. Yuck! Its the experience + food.... not the food. For me, at least.

And I sent my vocally Trump loathing mother in law to Tony George's newest Summer House - without telling her what she was supporting - so that was secretly fun...

Notable in that Legacy also had Z Gallerie leave after bankruptcy maybe 7-8 years ago then re-open and close again 2 years ago when more $ issues corporately. I've detailed before, but the # of chains that have left Legacy after all or most stores closed natinally probably averages more than 1 a year since its 2003 launch. Talbot's Men's and Kids, Bombay/Bombay Kids, EXPO, Joseph-Beth, Charming Charlie, Viking Store, Sigrid Olsen, Stir Crazy are just some past tenants that are essentially no longer in biz with stores... there are many more.

Not sure if its still happening, or long term ams, but earlier this week, for at least for a few days, Saks was closed off to the mall at Beachwood. You could only enter from outside into store. For virus or other..... not a good look.

New York & Co bankrupt and closing all or most stores. More than just a Beachwood issue. With that said - Beachwood has issues.

When key, anchor retailers leave because of this continued issue - which won't be easy to fix for all the reasons we know - it will be hard to see them relocating locally. They will simply leave Cleveland as the largest metro without __________ (fill in the blank with major retailer's name).

Its a shame that Sam Allard and crew at Scene write such inflammatory pieces. They deserve all comments thrown their way and - as per the norm - radicals like those have no tolerance for opposing opinions.

After I found out they get cooked food in bulk and reheat it in microwaves vs actually making from scratch or even grilling things like chicken... i lost interest in them ever completing.

Watching video of Geiger's downtown literally being cleaned out by looters. Unreal. Terrible events this week tbat could have been avoided. This is another one.

Rose was a watered down M in what never stopped looking like the old Applebee's it was. On the other hand, M in Chagrin Falls is a restaurant which is constantly packed. Strange how "CAP" missed twice on this Solon spot.

(Apparently) Add J. Alexander's/Lyndhurst Grill to the closed east suburban chain restaurant group. Ouch! This was a 2-3x a month for 20 years kind of place for us. Had been watching the crowds dwindle a bit in recent years. Still "mostly full" most days we dined recently but rarely a wait, etc. Seemed a bit off and apparently it was. Not sure whats going to be left. CLE isn't alone in closings of many types of restaurants but so many now gone - doesn't bode well for the future. No matter how you feel about chains, this isn't a good thing as for how CLE is viewed by potential entrants into the market.

Rough Winter/Spring for Eastern suburbs restaurants between virus and competition: Brio at Legacy, Bravo at Eton (the company that owns both may close all or most of their 99 restaurants) and Bahama Breeze all closed March-April after 16-17 years - just as Fleming's at Eton did last Summer. Add to that Abuelo's (12ish years) at Harvard Park and City Works and Next Door at Pinecrest (16ish months each) which closed late 2019/early 2020 and there are some major vacancies. And we will see what happens upcoming... Related (to city not suburbs... CLE mentioned): As Restaurants Remain Shuttered, American Cities Fear the Future Restaurants have become the economic lifeblood for many cities. The coronavirus threatens to take away more than just delicious food. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/07/us/coronavirus-restaurants-closings.html

Casper mattress, Athleta (presumably moving from Beachwood Place) Fabletics (June 15) all opening soon at Pinecrest - along with this place, The Last Page, which was originally slated for this same space next to RED that Dante's GOMA was going to take before picking up to go to the former Chinato space downtown. Celeb/TV DC chef Spike Mendelsohn may or may not have something to do with this now - he was attached/visited space back during initial plans in 2018. The Last Page/job: https://culinaryagents.com/jobs/203058-Executive-Chef Saucy Brew Works presumably still opening, too.. - originally April - but we will see...

Northbrook Court in a Beachwoody area of Chicago is doing this right now - same owners as Beachwood Place. https://www.omniplan.com/work/projects/northbrook.html

Good news,, Bill.. Phew! Does appear Nordstrom rumors were rumors per published list of closing stores. Now, Broookfield Properties needs to get its act in gear and remake Beachwood Place.

So.. Nordstrom announced this week that they are closing 16 of their full line department stores. If you believe some posted rumors, one of them may be the store at Beachwood Place.... which surely suffers by perceived mall issues plus, especially, being a more costly to run old, 3 floor store - some 70K sqaure feet larger than the 2 floor stores they have built for a decade or more in most new markets. I hope not true - as that is a bad sign forcCLE retail overall- and could be a huge blow to Beachwood Place and easily could hasten the departure of Saks and others - if not the mall itself. Nordstrom dept stores in Richmond, Annapolis, Hartford and a Dallas store noted in media as on closing list - which I assume we may see today.

Cheesecake chose not to pay rent early on as many big chains also did - whether actually cash-strapped or just cautious. Note: Cheesecake Legacy Village was the #1 in sales in country in this chain of 250+ restaurants last week - over $150K in carryout and delivery sales for the week. That's huge.