One might think that any restaurant on the edge of Glenwood South should fare reasonably well. Apparently not so. The building at the corner of St. Mary’s and Johnson Street has an interesting track record. The original tenant the space was designed for, Cold Mountain Creamery, lasted two or three years before shutting down. Cape Fear Crab Shack, which came away with nothing but good feedback, put in a similar 2+ year tenure before closing its doors. More recently, and notwithstanding countless positive reviews, the BBQ & Ribs Co. at the same location closed down several months ago. Actually, parent company Bodie-Noell (Moe’s, Hardee’s) closed the entire chain. A spokesperson said that, “the chain didn’t meet its long-term growth goals.”
However, according to building owner Bobby Lewis, Bodie-Noell has a long term lease contract. So, there is a new game here under sublease: The Hook Up Marina Bar and Resort, motto: “Eat Up.. Drink Up… Hook Up!”
This is a tricky restaurant location for several reasons. Businesses nearby on Peace Street do not lend themselves to pedestrian traffic: street front parking lots set back one story buildings that serve gasoline, drive-thru McRibs, beer and flowers. It’s centered between two prep schools and an elementary school--not exactly your legal restaurant drinking crowd. The surrounding residential and office uses are predominantly supported by people who drive to work somewhere else, or drive from somewhere else to work here, respectively. Whatever is on this site has to be a destination, because if you are the pedestrian, it’s not really on the way to anywhere.
The unsuccessfulness of the previous tenants is likely tied to the building, as well as the location. The current structure is a single story hip-roofed building, surrounded by asphalt and an uninviting metal fence. It is anchored at the street corner and ties to the pedestrian through outdoor patio spaces. This scheme is centered upon itself as most of the surrounding typological kin lends to low-slope roofs with parapet walls, emitting a more urban energy. In short, the building looks like every other fast-food joint in Anywhere, USA.
The site rests on a clear edge separating the downtown grid from the rest of the city--it has a unique opportunity to help define the urban edge. Perhaps it should take cues from the increasingly contemporary attitude of Glenwood South (Helios, The Creamery, Solas, even the gaudy postmodern Paramount). Why try so hard to be a restaurant? A relatively small multi-story (and thus, multi-tenant) building of mixed use might be more appropriate to negotiate Cameron Park with Downtown Raleigh, instead of a building that mimics the nearby residential architectural language.
. The reason we have a myspace already is two fold. It’s easy, free, and if you look at it, you will realize we put it out there as a recruiting tool to hire staff (college kids work in restaurants and bars). And in response to David’s “Who wants to be friends with a fried seafood restaurant?�” Lisa Jeffries does, just check our Myspace.
