http://www.gogoraleigh.com The Latest in Retail, Entertainment, and Development in Raleigh Wed, 24 Jun 2015 02:05:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/09/25/jarrett-bay-store-coming-to-crabtree/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/09/25/jarrett-bay-store-coming-to-crabtree/#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2014 13:38:17 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7523 The latest brand to jump on the wave of nautical-themed clothing comes from yachtmaker Jarrett Bay. The company will open a pop-up store for the holidays on October 3rd in the area of Crabtree Valley Mall’s food court. The store will carry merchandise similar to their popular Beaufort store (shirts, jackets, bags, gifts, and...

]]> The latest brand to jump on the wave of nautical-themed clothing comes from yachtmaker Jarrett Bay . The company will open a pop-up store for the holidays on October 3rd in the area of Crabtree Valley Mall’s food court. The store will carry merchandise similar to their popular Beaufort store (shirts, jackets, bags, gifts, and more).

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/02/20/vinyard-vines-coming-to-north-hills/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2014/02/20/vinyard-vines-coming-to-north-hills/#comments Thu, 20 Feb 2014 17:30:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7303 Great news for the Raleigh clothing scene! Upscale casual clothing retailer Vinyard Vines will open their 32nd store in North Hills, in the 3,500 sq ft location where The Varsity and Acorn once were. The nautical-themed stores feature bright, preppy pastels in a classic Massachusetts nautical style. This will be North Carolina’s second location (the first is in SouthPark Mall in Charlotte). Boaters will love the arrangement of sconces at the stores’ entrances; one green light, one red light. (true enthusiasts will know which light will be on the right when shoppers are returning…to the...

]]> Great news for the Raleigh clothing scene! Upscale casual clothing retailer Vinyard Vines will open their 32nd store in North Hills, in the 3,500 sq ft location where The Varsity and Acorn once were. The nautical-themed stores feature bright, preppy pastels in a classic Massachusetts nautical style. This will be North Carolina’s second location (the first is in SouthPark Mall in Charlotte).

Boaters will love the arrangement of sconces at the stores’ entrances; one green light, one red light. (true enthusiasts will know which light will be on the right when shoppers are returning…to the store).

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/23/aloft-set-to-elevate-hillsborough-street/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/23/aloft-set-to-elevate-hillsborough-street/#comments Wed, 23 Oct 2013 18:00:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7022 About 10 years ago the City of Raleigh began the process of restoring Hillsborough Street near NCSU. The street, once a revered college strip of business, restaurants and bars, had fallen into economic malaise as Centennial Campus and the residences of students migrated south of campus. About $13 million later, the street finds itself cleaned up, however the economic climate has been slow to follow. That all changed with the announcement of an Aloft Hotel, set to replace Sadlacks and the strip that includes SchoolKids’ Records, two thriving, organic businesses that survived a tumultuous streetscape project. The two have found new homes (Berkeley Cafe and Mission Valley, respectively). Hopefully the West Raleigh community is set to embrace a much-needed hotel that, frankly, will be an exciting upgrade to Hillsborough Street both functionally and architecturally. The preliminary plans show the hotel containing 135 rooms in a single 7-story building. There will be about 6,500 square...

]]> About 10 years ago the City of Raleigh began the process of restoring Hillsborough Street near NCSU. The street, once a revered college strip of business, restaurants and bars, had fallen into economic malaise as Centennial Campus and the residences of students migrated south of campus. About $13 million later, the street finds itself cleaned up, however the economic climate has been slow to follow.

That all changed with the announcement of an Aloft Hotel , set to replace Sadlacks and the strip that includes SchoolKids’ Records, two thriving, organic businesses that survived a tumultuous streetscape project. The two have found new homes (Berkeley Cafe and Mission Valley, respectively). Hopefully the West Raleigh community is set to embrace a much-needed hotel that, frankly, will be an exciting upgrade to Hillsborough Street both functionally and architecturally.

The preliminary plans show the hotel containing 135 rooms in a single 7-story building. There will be about 6,500 square feet (2 parcels) of street-level retail space that are better-suited to the pedestrian experience than the current buildings. Most likely the second level will contain Aloft’s branded WXYZ hotel bar with a balcony. Behind and under the hotel there will be 99 parking spaces and a tiny pool.

The exterior of the building will be a superb addition to the street. The Hillsborough St. side will appear like two separate buildings, likely to stay consistent with the pattern of buildings on the street that are “1-store” wide. According to the Site Plan (pdf) (which gives more detail than the rendering posted by TBC), the left half will be brick and feature columns of windows sets of varying widths. The center stepback section will highlight the building’s entrance with a building-tall sculpture. The right side, though, will be covered with insulated light gray metal panels and feature color cathode lighting at some of the window trims. The design will be the most sleekly modern commercial building in Raleigh, which is appropriate given the hotel’s proximity to the NCSU School of Design.

Raleigh has a Hillsborough Street problem and it has a Starwood Hotels problem. Since the Phase One renovation of Hillsborough Street completed, the street has had trouble gaining the economic footing for which planners hoped. The Aloft project joins the apartment project down at Morgan as well as the coming IHOP project as the first wave of a coming massive overhaul of the street, and it can’t come soon enough.

Starwood Hotels , one of the world’s largest, has an inexplicably paltry presence in one of the fastest growing areas in the country. There is an Aloft and Sheraton Chapel Hill and a couple of Four Points and the Sheraton Imperial in RTP. However the only other Starwood property in Raleigh is the Sheraton downtown (former Radisson); BIG problem. Though we continue to wait for a Westin property, we will certainly celebrate the arrival of the Aloft, only the second new hotel inside the beltline in 30 years. We need it, and we need it fast.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/21/wine-authorities-opening-raleigh-location/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/10/21/wine-authorities-opening-raleigh-location/#comments Mon, 21 Oct 2013 19:00:00 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=7015 Durham wine shop Wine Authorities will open their Raleigh location at Person Street Plaza (Person/Franklin Streets). The store focuses on “drinkers of everyday wine”, with price points below $50. In fact, the majority of the selection is under $15. From the press release: Wine Authorities has also won customers with the Enomatic – an Italian wine dispensing machine – ideal for sampling and tasting wines before purchasing. (1 ounce tastings range from 80¢ to $5) The Durham store was the first in the Triangle area to offer 12 wines for tasting throughout the day with the automated wine dispensers; the new Raleigh store will serve 24 different wines daily and boasts a larger lounge area. Wine Authorities will also serve local craft beers on tap, including Trophy Brewing, Crank Arm and the highly allocated Ponysaurus, once it’s available. The store is planning a Mid-November...

]]> Durham wine shop Wine Authorities will open their Raleigh location at Person Street Plaza (Person/Franklin Streets). The store focuses on “drinkers of everyday wine”, with price points below $50. In fact, the majority of the selection is under $15.

From the press release:

Wine Authorities has also won customers with the Enomatic – an Italian wine dispensing machine – ideal for sampling and tasting wines before purchasing. (1 ounce tastings range from 80¢ to $5) The Durham store was the first in the Triangle area to offer 12 wines for tasting throughout the day with the automated wine dispensers; the new Raleigh store will serve 24 different wines daily and boasts a larger lounge area. Wine Authorities will also serve local craft beers on tap, including Trophy Brewing, Crank Arm and the highly allocated Ponysaurus, once it’s available.

The store is planning a Mid-November opening.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/06/19/harris-teeter-not-publix-coming-to-creedmoor/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/06/19/harris-teeter-not-publix-coming-to-creedmoor/#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:44:49 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=6886 One of the sites speculated to be the landing place for a Publix store will, in fact, be a Harris Teeter. Plans for The Point at Creedmoor (pdf) have been submitted to the City, and will be reviewed at tomorrow's Appearance Commission meeting. On Page 6 of the Creedmoor Shops document show elevations with signage for Harris Teeter, specifically. The center will sit in an acute triangular-shaped piece of land on the SE corner of Creedmoor and Millbrook Roads. Long ago the site contained a small gas station and store with a single car porte cochere. Ever since the widening of Millbrook Road, however, the plot has sat undeveloped. Joining the 50,000 sq ft Harris Teeter across the parking lot will be 6,000 square feet of retail space with its back to the intersection. It is an arrangement similar to that at Whole Foods in North Raleigh. Not only am I disappointed that the store will not be Publix, I am disappointed that this development will be another soulless development...

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One of the sites speculated to be the landing place for a Publix store will, in fact, be a Harris Teeter. Plans for The Point at Creedmoor (pdf) have been submitted to the City, and will be reviewed at tomorrow’s Appearance Commission meeting. On Page 6 of the Creedmoor Shops document show elevations with signage for Harris Teeter, specifically.

The center will sit in an acute triangular-shaped piece of land on the SE corner of Creedmoor and Millbrook Roads. Long ago the site contained a small gas station and store with a single car porte cochere. Ever since the widening of Millbrook Road, however, the plot has sat undeveloped. Joining the 50,000 sq ft Harris Teeter across the parking lot will be 6,000 square feet of retail space with its back to the intersection. It is an arrangement similar to that at Whole Foods in North Raleigh.

Not only am I disappointed that the store will not be Publix, I am disappointed that this development will be another soulless development crammed into a major intersection corner. Given the renderings, the development won’t carry any sense of character to differentiate itself from any other one of these we can find in any other instance of American suburbia. With arteries lined with forgettable developments, there is no reason to believe that Creedmoor won’t eventually follow down the path of other corridors in Raleigh that used to be nice.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/21/saving-big-on-propane-its-a-gas-gas-gas/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/21/saving-big-on-propane-its-a-gas-gas-gas/#comments Sun, 21 Apr 2013 22:24:53 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/21/saving-big-on-propane-its-a-gas-gas-gas/ It’s grilling season, and Triangle residents are doing a little spring cleaning and getting their equipment ready. For most, having a good portable propane tank is key. There are several options to consider, however, regarding how one supplies the gas. The most convenient method for keeping stocked with propane is a tank exchange program. The customer takes their tank to a home improvement or grocery store, and takes home a different, filled tank. If there are any problems with the tank itself, the tank exchange vendor will pull the tank from circulation. The tank refills at Home Depot run in the $22 neighborhood, but the customer doesn’t have to purchase a tank, pay a membership fee, or pay a tank deposit fee. Another option is refilling an existing tank. Places like U-Haul on Capital Blvd (just beyond Peace Street) and Costco can fill a tank, as long as it is in working condition and hasn’t expired. Tank refills are $10.50 at Costco, and are in the $15 neighborhood at...

]]> It’s grilling season, and Triangle residents are doing a little spring cleaning and getting their equipment ready. For most, having a good portable propane tank is key. There are several options to consider, however, regarding how one supplies the gas.

The most convenient method for keeping stocked with propane is a tank exchange program. The customer takes their tank to a home improvement or grocery store, and takes home a different, filled tank. If there are any problems with the tank itself, the tank exchange vendor will pull the tank from circulation. The tank refills at Home Depot run in the $22 neighborhood, but the customer doesn’t have to purchase a tank, pay a membership fee, or pay a tank deposit fee.

Another option is refilling an existing tank. Places like U-Haul on Capital Blvd (just beyond Peace Street) and Costco can fill a tank, as long as it is in working condition and hasn’t expired. Tank refills are $10.50 at Costco, and are in the $15 neighborhood at U-Haul. This is a considerably less expensive option thank trading, but there are risks and difficulties.

In order to get propane at Costco, you park near the tire center, and take your tank to the propane island for inspection. (There is a call button if the attendant is not present). Once the tank passes inspection, you go into the store, wait in a cashier line, and tell the cashier that you are buying a 20 pound propane refill. After paying, you present your receipt outside at the propane station, and take your tank home.

Tanks can only be filled if they pass inspection, however. The valve must appear to be in working condition, and the tank should not appear rusty. The handle of the tank has a date imprinted, and this date must not be more than 12 years ago. Any tank that fails the inspection is denied and the customer must find another solution.

That risk doesn’t seem so great, however, when one considers the long term costs. Comparing a season of using an exchange program vs. Costco’s refill program, the Costco program is staggeringly cheaper. I use roughly 3.5 Blue Rhino tanks per year, which ends up costing around $77. Even though the tank is a 20 lb tank, Blue Rhino and RapidXchange only put 15 lb worth of material in the tank. Therefore I have used 53 pounds per year at a cost of $77, or $1.47/lb.

Costco’s refill delivers 20 lb of propane at a price of $10.50, or  $0.53/lb. This would cost me $27.83, resulting in an annual savings of about $50. That’s almost enough to buy two brand new unfilled tanks ($27.50 each) inside Costco. Each tank has its own gas gauge and has a 12-year lifespan. Over that 12-year lifespan, a tank exchange program would likely cost me $924 while a pair of Costco tanks with refills would likely cost $389.

The Costco system of selling propane is a hassle, for sure. However the long term costs are so much less, they are worth considering versus a tank exchange program.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/18/hm-coming-to-triangle-town-center/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/18/hm-coming-to-triangle-town-center/#comments Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:04:21 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/04/18/hm-coming-to-triangle-town-center/ Amanda Jones Hoyle at TBJ is reporting that Triangle Town Center has added H&M to its store listing, tagged as “coming soon”. She said that no officials have confirmed this. Take that,...

]]> Amanda Jones Hoyle at TBJ is reporting that Triangle Town Center has added H&M to its store listing , tagged as “coming soon”. She said that no officials have confirmed this. Take that, Durham!

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/28/tbj-presents-new-north-hills-renderings/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/28/tbj-presents-new-north-hills-renderings/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:24:05 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/28/tbj-presents-new-north-hills-renderings/ Today TBJ posted a slideshow of upcoming North Hills projects that is worth a look. The photos show renderings for a 19-story building that will go between Sparians and Six Forks Road, the 6-story Midtown Green apartments, an amphitheater, a free-standing Chuey’s, and details of the upcoming Allister apartment complex on Ramblewood Drive. Tucked away, however, in the slide show are images of some other unannounced projects, too: The high-rise condos planned for the space next to the Brothers Cleaners drive-thru are still present. The two high-rise buildings that were once denied by the Raleigh City Council still appear in the plan. The buildings would sit in the vast surface parking lot between Six Forks Road and Coquette, and Lassiter Mill. The plan shows the removal of the Exxon station at the corner. First Citizens’ low-rise crescent shaped office building adjacent to their odd circular building at Lassiter Mill and Six Forks is also present. At North Hills East,...

]]> Today TBJ posted a slideshow of upcoming North Hills projects that is worth a look. The photos show renderings for a 19-story building that will go between Sparians and Six Forks Road, the 6-story Midtown Green apartments, an amphitheater, a free-standing Chuey’s, and details of the upcoming Allister apartment complex on Ramblewood Drive.

Tucked away, however, in the slide show are images of some other unannounced projects, too:

• The high-rise condos planned for the space next to the Brothers Cleaners drive-thru are still present.
• The two high-rise buildings that were once denied by the Raleigh City Council still appear in the plan. The buildings would sit in the vast surface parking lot between Six Forks Road and Coquette, and Lassiter Mill. The plan shows the removal of the Exxon station at the corner.
• First Citizens’ low-rise crescent shaped office building adjacent to their odd circular building at Lassiter Mill and Six Forks is also present.
• At North Hills East, a low-rise building is present between Sparians and the Camelot/Dartmouth intersection.
• A very tall cluster of buildings is depicted between Piola and I-440, where Aldert Root School temporarily sat a few years ago. Originally this area was to hold a retirement development, but with an amphitheater going in at that end of the development, I certainly hope the plans have changed.
• Most interesting, though, is the pair of high-rises, taller than the Renaissance Hotel, that would replace the JCPenney parking deck. The current deck has seen better days, for sure. Currituck Road is not depicted in the view, however this pair would best logically fit between the Currituck extension and the existing JCP.
• The Ramblewood developments appear, as backward as they are, to be in place as being constructed now. (Why in the world are the single-family homes up at Ramblewood at the main traffic outlet while the high-density condo buildings are stuck in the back adjacent to Drewry Hills houses? )
• The (recently razed) BB&T and former Bank of America buildings across Six Forks from the fire station are still present, indicating some error in this master plan.

The plan looks good from the birds eye view, though the complex is going to have to have a lot more parking than it currently has. When that parking is built, hopefully it will make more sense than the CapTrust tower’s parking; the creepiest parking garage in Raleigh.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/25/varsity-mens-wear-closing/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/25/varsity-mens-wear-closing/#comments Fri, 25 Jan 2013 19:15:13 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/?p=6631 As predicted, the sloppy, Casual Friday trend continues to take its toll on nice menswear stores. The Varsity, a fixture in the Hillsborough Street, Crabtree, and (most recently) North Hills menswear scenes is "retiring". The store joins the likes of the Stagg Shop, Wrenn-Pharr (& the Club Shop), Chokey's, and much of the Nowell's group as Old Raleigh memories. There is a sale going on until inventory is...

]]> As predicted, the sloppy, Casual Friday trend continues to take its toll on nice menswear stores. The Varsity, a fixture in the Hillsborough Street, Crabtree, and (most recently) North Hills menswear scenes is “retiring”. The store joins the likes of the Stagg Shop, Wrenn-Pharr (& the Club Shop), Chokey’s, and much of the Nowell’s group as Old Raleigh memories. There is a sale going on until inventory is cleared.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/10/bass-pro-shops-coming-to-cary/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/10/bass-pro-shops-coming-to-cary/#comments Thu, 10 Jan 2013 22:49:01 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/10/bass-pro-shops-coming-to-cary/ TBJ posted today that Bass Pro Shops will open their first Triangle location in about a year. The outdoor sports superstore will be located “in the Harrison Square Shopping Center” (across Harrison Ave. from SAS.) This location has me scratching my head, as all existing structures there are occupied. I’ve seen no indication that the Harrison Avenue Carolina Pottery store is in trouble, at last check. Most likely the Bass Pro Shops will be in a new facility, just to the right of the shopping center, behind Wendy’s, and in plain view from I-40 (if the TBJ article is accurate). WRAL posted this same story minutes ago, but has a map pointing to a location 2 blocks south on Harrison Avenue. Given Bass’ site selection pattern, they are certain to pick a location that is visible from the interstate, however.. The move shouldn’t be a big surprise, though, as the opening of Gander Mountain in Morrisville has been a huge success. IKEA, are you listening? hmph hmmph? map it Note:...

]]> TBJ posted today that Bass Pro Shops will open their first Triangle location in about a year. The outdoor sports superstore will be located “in the Harrison Square Shopping Center” (across Harrison Ave. from SAS.)

This location has me scratching my head, as all existing structures there are occupied. I’ve seen no indication that the Harrison Avenue Carolina Pottery store is in trouble, at last check. Most likely the Bass Pro Shops will be in a new facility, just to the right of the shopping center, behind Wendy’s, and in plain view from I-40 (if the TBJ article is accurate). WRAL posted this same story minutes ago, but has a map pointing to a location 2 blocks south on Harrison Avenue. Given Bass’ site selection pattern, they are certain to pick a location that is visible from the interstate, however..

The move shouldn’t be a big surprise, though, as the opening of Gander Mountain in Morrisville has been a huge success. IKEA, are you listening? hmph hmmph?

map it

Note: According to WRAL, the Carolina Pottery is closing, and Bass Pro Shops will replace the Pottery and former Sam’s Club.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/2013-predictions/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/2013-predictions/#comments Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:58:33 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2013/01/01/2013-predictions/ Happy New Year, everyone! 2012 was an fascinating year, with the Olympics, the Election, and a little bit of economic traction, the year turned out to be more interesting than expected. With the close of the year, it’s time to pull out the old crystal acorn and make a few quick predictions (30 to be exact) for the upcoming year. (Don’t take these to the bank, though! If this thing were any good, I’d be in Vegas with it.) Publix will begin construction on their first Triangle store…in Cary in the Davis/54 area. Publix will pick Creedmoor/Millbrook for their first Raleigh store location. The new owners of Falls Village will make a strong play for Publix, offering to raze half of their center to accommodate a large grocery store. Raleigh will begin discussions to tear down Memorial Auditorium – with the dominant bookings of the DPAC, Raleigh people are increasingly irked by having to go to Durham for so many good events. Leaders in Raleigh will talk about removing...

]]> Happy New Year, everyone! 2012 was an fascinating year, with the Olympics, the Election, and a little bit of economic traction, the year turned out to be more interesting than expected. With the close of the year, it’s time to pull out the old crystal acorn and make a few quick predictions (30 to be exact) for the upcoming year. (Don’t take these to the bank, though! If this thing were any good, I’d be in Vegas with it.)

• Publix will begin construction on their first Triangle store…in Cary in the Davis/54 area.
• Publix will pick Creedmoor/Millbrook for their first Raleigh store location. The new owners of Falls Village will make a strong play for Publix, offering to raze half of their center to accommodate a large grocery store.
• Raleigh will begin discussions to tear down Memorial Auditorium – with the dominant bookings of the DPAC, Raleigh people are increasingly irked by having to go to Durham for so many good events. Leaders in Raleigh will talk about removing the center section of the performing arts complex and replacing it with a stacked, 3-tier facility to compete with the DPAC.
• Violence will be an increasing problem in Glenwood South, and patrons will start seeking another focus for nightlife, most likely in…the Hillsborough Street area, which will be the next wave of downtown revitalization.
• Orvis will close in Triangle Town Center and seek space in a part of the Triangle where their patrons actually live. Perhaps Kidd’s Hill behind Crabtree?
• Development of both Kidd’s Kill properties will finally begin, but the Soleil Center/Westin land will remain an empty lot.
• A new mall will be announced for the I-40/42/70/540 area between Clayton and Fuquay. It will focus on serving the Johnston County market.
• Best Buy will close at least one Triangle location. My bet is the newest store, Brier Creek.
• Between Liles, The Varsity, and Nowells, Raleigh will only support two, and one will close.
• As brick & mortar retail continues to struggle, Crabtree will add another restaurant in its mall proper
• While Washington policy will grow much more liberal than we’ve seen in the previous 4 years (increasingly hostile fiscal policies toward the wealthy, increased spending on social programs, and a stark increase in liberal social policies and transit expenditures), North Carolina policy will become more conservative, but not by much. In the next four years issues like Gay Marriage, Legalization of Pot, and Gun Control will stay put in this state, unless there is federal mandate…
• …The Supreme Court will rule that Gay Marriage must be recognized by all states, and Federal Legislation implementing more stringent gun control will override North Carolina’s stance.
• North Carolina will get an increased amount of funding for transit (regional “high” speed and local light rail), but the State of North Carolina will decrease expenditures in these areas, and no real progress will occur in the next four years, especially with light rail.
• Raleigh will continue its oppressive assault on drivers in neighborhoods by reducing the speed limit on Glen Eden to 25 mph. They will also erect more of those contrived islands meant to annoy and slow drivers.
• UNC and NCSU will field bubble teams in football, once again, that will get absolutely no national attention.
• If the NHL season is cancelled, Backyard Bistro will close.
• T-Mobile will be bought by one of the other carriers, most likely AT&T, reducing the number of carrier networks to three in the Triangle.
• Free Wifi will be everywhere by the end of the year. In the malls, the restaurants, and in grocery stores. Most importantly, I predict that free wifi for every fan in the building will be implemented in the PNC Arena. (yay!)
• The number of restaurants with tablet menus will grow quickly. In fact, only cheap or snobby restaurants will be without a tablet presence by the end of 2013.
• Buca di Beppo will announce their first Raleigh/Cary location
• PDQ will announce two more locations. One in the Southpoint area and one in Cary.
• One of downtown Raleigh’s Indian restaurants will close. Will it be Blue Mango or Mantra that survives?
• BJ’s Brewhouse will announce their first North Carolina locations – on in Charlotte, one in Cary.
• The next big culinary ethnicity, after Mexican starts to fade, will be South American. Restaurants like Machupicchu and Guasaca will have excellent years, but will see more competition, too, especially in the casual dining space.
• Guacamole variations will be the next trend within the Mexican food space
• The IHOP on Hillsborough Street will close, but will be replaced in 2014 by a mixed use apartment building that will have street level retail, including a new IHOP. (This is a planned project. The prediction is that execution will begin this year)
• The Triangle will be selected as the site for filming a nationally prominent movie.
• No significant changes to Raleigh’s skyline will be introduced in 2013.
• A MakerBot-like 3D printing business will open in Raleigh, allowing people to create functional and artistic plastic items just-in-time.
• Here’s the big one: 2013 will be the Year of Durham, and the crowning moment will be an announcement by Google that their second Google Fiber city will be…Durham.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/12/06/publix-eyeing-triangle-sites/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/12/06/publix-eyeing-triangle-sites/#comments Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:08:09 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/12/06/publix-eyeing-triangle-sites/ It appears that some may have missed TBJ’s announcement last week concerning Publix. It appears the excellent supermarket chain is eying sites in the Triangle. The Lakeland, FL-based chain has nearly 1,100 stores spread throughout Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The expansion would mean direct competition for Charlotte-based Harris Teeter, which has stores Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, DC, Maryland, and Delaware. If Publix wants a slam-dunk site in Raleigh, they should go into the former Hannaford and Lowes grocery store spot between Costco and Trader Joe’s. (map it) The complexion of that retail neighborhood has considerably improved since the failure of those stores, and the addition of Costco and Trader Joe’s draws people from across the entire eastern half of the Triangle already. The site has convenient I-440 access, and is a location where both Inside The Beltline and Outside The Beltline shoppers feel...

]]> It appears that some may have missed TBJ’s announcement last week concerning Publix . It appears the excellent supermarket chain is eying sites in the Triangle.

The Lakeland, FL-based chain has nearly 1,100 stores spread throughout Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The expansion would mean direct competition for Charlotte-based Harris Teeter, which has stores Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, DC, Maryland, and Delaware.

If Publix wants a slam-dunk site in Raleigh, they should go into the former Hannaford and Lowes grocery store spot between Costco and Trader Joe’s. ( map it ) The complexion of that retail neighborhood has considerably improved since the failure of those stores, and the addition of Costco and Trader Joe’s draws people from across the entire eastern half of the Triangle already. The site has convenient I-440 access, and is a location where both Inside The Beltline and Outside The Beltline shoppers feel comfortable. The site is currently leased by a workout gym, but who are we kidding? Right?

An alternative might be the newly razed lot between the old grocery store site and Trader Joe’s. My limited understanding of this former ITT industrial property is that it has had brownfield contamination issues. Depending on the progress of the cleanup, this site could be, and should be developed into a multi-use retail/residential development that ties in to Holly Park to the north, the future light rail corridor to the east, and the Costco area to the south. It is an excellent opportunity looking 10 years forward.

As far as other areas of older north and west Raleigh go, unless an existing grocery store’s current lease is not renewed, it is hard to imagine another site for Publix that could be gracefully executed, to be honest. Perhaps Kids Hill behind Crabtree? Perhaps a corner on Blue Ridge Road? These don’t have nearly the visibility and ease of access. Old Raleigh has very few non-industrial commercial corridors. Therefore the Wake Forest/Six Forks area is absolutely the best option for capturing old Raleigh. There are other lots in that area, such as the Southern States Nissan property, but considerable terraforming will need to be accomplished to deal with the flooding that property periodically experiences.

To be honest, though, Publix could go into any safe area and do well in Raleigh. The sooner the better!

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/10/24/sur-la-table-opening-tomorrow/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/10/24/sur-la-table-opening-tomorrow/#comments Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:24:06 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/10/24/sur-la-table-opening-tomorrow/ The nation’s next Sur La Table store may land at Streets at Southpoint Mall tomorrow morning. The store, which carries a full line of cooking equipment, is aiming for “go” when the mall opens. I visited the Sur La Table store in SoHo a couple of weeks ago and while the store is similar to Williams Sonoma, the inventory is a bit more of a full complement cooking supply store and not quite as high-end than Williams Sonoma. It’s a store this market badly needs, especially the Raleigh market. A few things to note in the store: the selection of thermometers, knives, and the demo of the induction cooking surface. Also of note is the store’s Grand Opening Sale which gives customers a $10 gift certificate for each $50 spent thru the store’s closing on Sunday evening. The store also runs cooking classes, such as Sunday’s $47 Essential Knife Skills class, which has gotten rave reviews online. (ask them if they demo the CIA method of peeling a pepper!) The store is located in...

]]> The nation’s next Sur La Table store may land at Streets at Southpoint Mall tomorrow morning. The store, which carries a full line of cooking equipment, is aiming for “go” when the mall opens.

I visited the Sur La Table store in SoHo a couple of weeks ago and while the store is similar to Williams Sonoma, the inventory is a bit more of a full complement cooking supply store and not quite as high-end than Williams Sonoma. It’s a store this market badly needs, especially the Raleigh market.

A few things to note in the store: the selection of thermometers, knives, and the demo of the induction cooking surface. Also of note is the store’s Grand Opening Sale which gives customers a $10 gift certificate for each $50 spent thru the store’s closing on Sunday evening. The store also runs cooking classes, such as Sunday’s $47 Essential Knife Skills cla ss, which has gotten rave reviews online. (ask them if they demo the CIA method of peeling a pepper!)

The store is located in The Streets at Southpoint’s outdoor section.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/09/16/morrisville-town-and-country-hardware-being-replaced-with-walmart-express/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/09/16/morrisville-town-and-country-hardware-being-replaced-with-walmart-express/#comments Mon, 17 Sep 2012 02:13:33 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/09/16/morrisville-town-and-country-hardware-being-replaced-with-walmart-express/ A reader named Mike recently alerted me to an interesting retail story going on in Morrisville. It seems that the Town and Country Hardware (“formerly Ace”) at Davis and Morrisville Carpenter is closing on October 31. According to employees, the store’s lease was not renewed and the replacement will be a Wal-Mart Express. This is interesting on several levels. According to a News & Observer article in July, Wal-Mart has been rolling out 15,000 square foot stores in small towns to compete with large drug stores and Family Dollar stores. Morrisville, however, is suburbia, and there is a full-sized Wal-Mart store very close by at I-540 and 54. Secondly, this is apparently a dagger to the local Ace Hardware system and consumers’ ability to maintain equipment. A year ago I my lawn mower needed repair, so I took it to the Ace Hardware on Kildaire Road late on a Saturday afternoon. It took the store a month to return the lawn mower because that store is not an actual service...

]]> A reader named Mike recently alerted me to an interesting retail story going on in Morrisville. It seems that the Town and Country Hardware (“formerly Ace”) at Davis and Morrisville Carpenter is closing on October 31. According to employees, the store’s lease was not renewed and the replacement will be a Wal-Mart Express.

This is interesting on several levels. According to a News & Observer article in July, Wal-Mart has been rolling out 15,000 square foot stores in small towns to compete with large drug stores and Family Dollar stores. Morrisville, however, is suburbia, and there is a full-sized Wal-Mart store very close by at I-540 and 54.

Secondly, this is apparently a dagger to the local Ace Hardware system and consumers’ ability to maintain equipment. A year ago I my lawn mower needed repair, so I took it to the Ace Hardware on Kildaire Road late on a Saturday afternoon. It took the store a month to return the lawn mower because that store is not an actual service site. Rather, they sent all lawn mowers over to “the Davis Drive store” (presumably the one at hand). I’m not sure where Cary’s Ace is sending lawn mowers now, but if they are sending them to North Ridge, it will be 2 months to get one repaired.

It is extremely sad to see stores like this (that offer services to our appliances) drying up. It’s one thing to worry about the amount of garbage we could be composting, but it’s another thing to make servicing expensive items like TVs and lawn mowers so difficult that it is easier and/or cheaper to simply discard the item than to go through the service hassle.

map it

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/08/24/nowell%e2%80%99s-furniture-closing/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/08/24/nowell%e2%80%99s-furniture-closing/#comments Fri, 24 Aug 2012 16:59:31 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/08/24/nowell%e2%80%99s-furniture-closing/ Very sad news today from the Nowell family. Jerry Nowell was my Philosophy teacher at UNC, and was talented enough to clarify Immanuel Kant. " August 23,2012 (Cary,NC) -- After 107 years in business,Nowell’s Contemporary Furniture will close its doors by the end of this year. Owner Jerry Nowell,who was diagnosed with Multiple Myaloma in 2010,announced the closing recently. “I'm now unable to work,” Jerry said. “At first,we thought my wife would run the store. And she has since March of this year. But we did some soul searching and realized that we wanted to spend some time together. Retail is a seven-days-a-week business. That’s one of the reasons why we finally decided it was time to put this thing to bed.” William McKee Nowell,Jerry’s grandfather,began the store 1905 by selling furniture out of the back of a horse-drawn cart. His merchandise was so popular that he moved it into a storefront in the now-historic Prairie Building in downtown Raleigh....

]]> Very sad news today from the Nowell family. Jerry Nowell was my Philosophy teacher at UNC, and was talented enough to clarify Immanuel Kant.

" August 23,2012 (Cary,NC) — After 107 years in business,Nowell’s Contemporary Furniture will close its doors by the end of this year.

Owner Jerry Nowell,who was diagnosed with Multiple Myaloma in 2010,announced the closing recently.

“I’m now unable to work,” Jerry said. “At first,we thought my wife [Kit] would run the store. And she has since March of this year. But we did some soul searching and realized that we wanted to spend some time together. Retail is a seven-days-a-week business. That’s one of the reasons why we finally decided it was time to put this thing to bed.”

William McKee Nowell,Jerry’s grandfather,began the store 1905 by selling furniture out of the back of a horse-drawn cart. His merchandise was so popular that he moved it into a storefront in the now-historic Prairie Building in downtown Raleigh. Jerry’s mother and father inherited the store and moved it to its current location in Cary in 1957.

Since then,there have been a lot of “firsts” in store’s history. In 1968,Nowell’s was the first furniture store in the Triangle region to challenge the “blue laws.” The blue laws were enacted to enforce religious standards,particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship, restricting Sunday shopping. Nowell’s Contemporary Furniture helped start a movement to remove those laws in North Carolina.

“We were also among the first in the area –possibly the first — to have a diverse sales team,” Jerry noted. “We were also the first all-contemporary furniture store in North Carolina.”

Jerry Nowell holds a PhD in Political Theory. He was teaching at UNC-Greensboro in 2001 when his older brother,who had been running the store since their father’s retirement,suddenly decided to retire himself. That presented the Nowell family with a choice: either close up shop right then or Jerry would have to come home and take over management.

“I set a goal to get to the 100-year mark,which we did in 2005,” Jerry said.

And they kept going,racking up Readers Poll wins for the “best place to shop for contemporary furniture in the Triangle” year after year from Spectator magazine,the Independent Weekly,and Metro Magazine. In 2010,Business Leader magazine named Nowell’s Contemporary Furniture one of the top 100 small businesses in the state.

Since Jerry took over management,the store has also been a good corporate citizen. “We’ve raised and donated roughly $30,000 over the past 11 years to organizations such as Interact,cancer research,and Camp Kanata,” Jerry said. “We’ve also sponsored a little league team.”

Nowell’s Contemporary Furniture has also been one of Triangle Modernist Houses’ (TMH) primary sponsors. TMH is a non-profit organization dedicated to archiving,preserving and promoting modernist residential design from the 1950s to today. Among other support,Nowell’s has been the naming sponsor for TMH’s annual Nowell’s Architecture Movie Series,and Jerry Nowell has served on the TMH advisory board.

Jerry has also served on the Cary Players’ Board of directors,allowed the community theater troupe to store props in Nowell’s warehouse and to use the store’s truck to load shows in an out,and the store has been a consistent advertiser in the Players’ programs.

After Jerry was diagnosed with cancer in 2010,he kept working as long as he could. But his treatments eventually made it impossible for him to keep up with the seven-day-a-week schedule.

Kit Nowell took over for a while. But according to Jerry,there was more to their decision to close than his health and the store’s demanding schedule.

“We’ve also found the business moving in a direction that we don’t really like,” he admitted. “We’ve always offered good values,but we’ve never sacrificed quality or service for price. People are getting more and more price conscious now, to the point that we either must lower the level of quality or the level of service,and we don’t want to do that. We knew that if it reached the point where we could no longer be proud of what we do it would be time to retire. And that’s where we are.”

From now until the end of the year,Nowell’s is holding an “Everything Must Go” sale. For more information on the sale,go to www.nowellsfurniture.com.

For more information on Nowell’s Contemporary Furniture,visit www.nowellsfurniture.colm/about

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/15/tax-free-weekend-coming-soon/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/15/tax-free-weekend-coming-soon/#comments Sun, 15 Jul 2012 23:59:24 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/07/15/tax-free-weekend-coming-soon/ The State of North Carolina will once again offer a sales tax holiday on certain items this year. The Tax-Free weekend will take place from August 3-August 5, and will exempt sales takes from the following items: Clothing with a sales price of one hundred dollars ($100.00) or less per item. Sport or recreational equipment with a sales price of fifty dollars ($50.00) or less per item.  Computers, including tablet computers and netbooks, with a sales price of three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) or less per item. Computer supplies with a sales price of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or less per item. School supplies with a sales price of one hundred dollars ($100.00) or less per item. For more details on items exempted, consult the State’s exemption guide (.pdf)...

]]> The State of North Carolina will once again offer a sales tax holiday on certain items this year. The Tax-Free weekend will take place from August 3-August 5, and will exempt sales takes from the following items:

• Clothing with a sales price of one hundred dollars ($100.00) or less per item.
• Sport or recreational equipment with a sales price of fifty dollars ($50.00) or less per item.
• Computers, including tablet computers and netbooks, with a sales price of three thousand
  five hundred dollars ($3,500) or less per item.
• Computer supplies with a sales price of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or less per item.
• School supplies with a sales price of one hundred dollars ($100.00) or less per item.

For more details on items exempted, consult the State’s exemption guide (.pdf)

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/01/04/2012-the-endangered-list/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/01/04/2012-the-endangered-list/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:43:43 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2012/01/04/2012-the-endangered-list/ Now that we are done looking in the rearview mirror, it’s time to focus on the year ahead. Each year new ideas and businesses bloom while other find themselves caught in inescapable traps. Some fall prey to bad locations, others to market redundancy, poor product, or poor service. Others are just obsolete. In 2012 there will be some surprising big box store closings. There has been a concerted effort in previous years to buy local and shun the big boxes. However in 2012, larger market forces instead of grassroots organizations will probably be what shuts the doors for some of these outlets. Here is a look ahead at the list of retail and restaurant businesses that have an aura of danger according to this one man’s senses (in no particular order, and no wishes associated): Best Buy Kmart Salsarita’s Taco Bell Dillard’s A.C. Moore Jibarra or Cantina South OfficeMax and Office Depot Cinelli’s (North Hills) QShack (North Hills) Fresh...

]]> Now that we are done looking in the rearview mirror, it’s time to focus on the year ahead. Each year new ideas and businesses bloom while other find themselves caught in inescapable traps. Some fall prey to bad locations, others to market redundancy, poor product, or poor service. Others are just obsolete.

In 2012 there will be some surprising big box store closings. There has been a concerted effort in previous years to buy local and shun the big boxes. However in 2012, larger market forces instead of grassroots organizations will probably be what shuts the doors for some of these outlets.

Here is a look ahead at the list of retail and restaurant businesses that have an aura of danger according to this one man’s senses (in no particular order, and no wishes associated):

• Best Buy
• Kmart
• Salsarita’s
• Taco Bell
• Dillard’s
• A.C. Moore
• Jibarra or Cantina South
• OfficeMax and Office Depot
• Cinelli’s (North Hills)
• QShack (North Hills)
• Fresh Market (Cameron Village)
• Charlotte’s (North Hills)
• Fiesta Mexicana
• Applebee’s (A few locations)
• Nowell’s
• Sam Ash or Guitar Center
• McCormick and Schmick’s
• Barnes & Noble (not all locations)
• The news staff at NBC17

Any thoughts or additions?

1/5/12 – Here are some more for the list:

• Radio Shack
• Pronto Pasta
• Bear Rock (Lake Boone)

1/16/12 – I completely forgot to add this one, but the last time I was in there the store was about 70% empty:

• Blockbuster Video – Townridge Square

I don’t mean to pick on these merchants, but if I had a gift certificate or significant savings coupon for any of these, I would probably go ahead and use them sooner than later.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/11/30/jollys-closing-after-130-years/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/11/30/jollys-closing-after-130-years/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:40:12 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/11/30/jollys-closing-after-130-years/ Today WRAL reported that one of Raleigh’s oldest retail business will shut its doors. Jolly’s Jewelers opened its doors in 1881, but Frank Jolly Ragsdale is retiring, according to the report, and the business will close. I have mixed emotions here. I was always a big fan of Ragsdale’s brother-in-law, the late Jerry Young, and followed him from Jolly’s in North Hills Mall to his own store in Cameron Village. He sold that store to Rocky Mount’s Clyde Bailey, and it still remains an excellent store. In the face of Cameron Village’s shift toward more chain retailers, Ragsdale moved Jolly’s to a showcase location in the new North Hills as one of the center’s first tenants. The location was highly visible and made a great statement about both the quality of shopping in North Hills and the center’s dedication to local retailers. However the interior of the store always felt awkward and cold, and I only entered one time. Emotions aside, it is easy to believe that the...

]]> Today WRAL reported that one of Raleigh’s oldest retail business will shut its doors. Jolly’s Jewelers opened its doors in 1881, but Frank Jolly Ragsdale is retiring, according to the report, and the business will close.

I have mixed emotions here. I was always a big fan of Ragsdale’s brother-in-law, the late Jerry Young, and followed him from Jolly’s in North Hills Mall to his own store in Cameron Village. He sold that store to Rocky Mount’s Clyde Bailey, and it still remains an excellent store. In the face of Cameron Village’s shift toward more chain retailers, Ragsdale moved Jolly’s to a showcase location in the new North Hills as one of the center’s first tenants. The location was highly visible and made a great statement about both the quality of shopping in North Hills and the center’s dedication to local retailers. However the interior of the store always felt awkward and cold, and I only entered one time.

Emotions aside, it is easy to believe that the jewelry business is terrible now. The price of gold ( chart ) has skyrocketed more than 700% in the last ten years. Couple that with a poor economy and you get a one-two punch that is sending many local dealers out of business.

Some also ponder the viability of brick & mortar retail in a shopping center like North Hills which is notorious for high ( really high) rents. We recently saw Tyler House’s closing, and one has to wonder if the dam isn’t finally breaking on the backs of many other high-end retailers.

What comes next for the space in North Hills? Another Italian restaurant? Just kidding. I always thought that corner would have been perfect location for a two-story Barnes & Noble as nice as Triangle Town Center’s. Alas B&N’s mistaken evaluation of the market (even before Amazon starting slicing them to pieces) concluded that the pitiful Crabtree store is enough for this part of Raleigh. Ironically a private book store just opened next door to Jolly’s, but I wouldn’t bet on their ability to expand into Jolly’s space.

Most likely another jeweler will take the space. Until that time, Jolly’s will begin their store clearance sale tomorrow.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/10/16/lululemon-coming-to-north-hills/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/10/16/lululemon-coming-to-north-hills/#comments Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:30:43 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/10/16/lululemon-coming-to-north-hills/ Recently Total Wine completed their move into the left half of the former Harris Teeter store in The Lassiter. The right half is about to become the next location for Lululemon. The Vancouver-based chain offers athletic apparel for yoga, running, and dancing, as well as in-store events for yoga, self-defense, and more. No opening date is set yet, but the store is currently training employees, so it won’t be...

]]> Recently Total Wine completed their move into the left half of the former Harris Teeter store in The Lassiter. The right half is about to become the next location for Lululemon . The Vancouver-based chain offers athletic apparel for yoga, running, and dancing, as well as in-store events for yoga, self-defense, and more. No opening date is set yet, but the store is currently training employees, so it won’t be long.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/10/12/raleigh-clothing-icon-closing/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/10/12/raleigh-clothing-icon-closing/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 02:51:47 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/10/12/raleigh-clothing-icon-closing/ After 45 great years, a local retailer of nice women’s clothing is shutting its doors. Tyler House, one of North Hills Mall’s original tenants, is closing their doors. No word on whether this is a business failure, a casualty of the economy, or the simple choice to walk away by the owner. Tyler House was one of the crown jewels of North Hills Mall. Owned by the Tyler family who lived only a handful of blocks away, Tyler House had a personal touch and was one of the area’s favorite clothing stores. Its success led to the opening of a store in Chapel Hill’s University Mall in the mid-70s. However around 1980 North Hills began losing its luster as Crabtree slowly attracted more local businesses. Seeing the success of the Nowell’s Hooper’s store, for example, the Tylers broke down and took the Crabtree plunge with a store that always felt bland and impersonal. Some time in the mid 80’s or so, the Chapel Hill store closed. I can’t remember the details, but around the time...

]]> After 45 great years, a local retailer of nice women’s clothing is shutting its doors. Tyler House, one of North Hills Mall’s original tenants, is closing their doors. No word on whether this is a business failure, a casualty of the economy, or the simple choice to walk away by the owner.

Tyler House was one of the crown jewels of North Hills Mall. Owned by the Tyler family who lived only a handful of blocks away, Tyler House had a personal touch and was one of the area’s favorite clothing stores. Its success led to the opening of a store in Chapel Hill’s University Mall in the mid-70s. However around 1980 North Hills began losing its luster as Crabtree slowly attracted more local businesses. Seeing the success of the Nowell’s Hooper’s store, for example, the Tylers broke down and took the Crabtree plunge with a store that always felt bland and impersonal. Some time in the mid 80’s or so, the Chapel Hill store closed.

I can’t remember the details, but around the time of the Crabtree store’s closure and a bit before North Hills Mall’s failure, the Tylers moved to Cameron Village with a single store that served them well until their retirement.

One of the first signs of life in the New North Hills, was the opening of a Tyler House store in The Lassiter, in the space that so long held a hair salon. The store endured multiple construction obstacles, with the facelift of the North Hills Plaza (The Lassiter) and the construction of The Alexan.

Raleigh is losing a piece of its history with the closing of Tyler House. It is difficult to run a small, reasonably priced store as national chains have figured out better how to deliver consistent styles at a lower price. The trend also presses heavily on shopping center owners seeking ways to differentiate themselves from any other shopping center in Anywheresville. As the economy continues its tumble, Tyler House will likely be just one of several pieces of Raleigh’s DNA that is lost.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/09/11/north-hills-getting-bookery/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/09/11/north-hills-getting-bookery/#comments Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:17:26 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/09/11/north-hills-getting-bookery/ Emerald Isle Books, a privately owned, small bookstore at the beach is relocating to Raleigh’s North Hills. The North Hills Bookery plans to open in the first week of November. From the EIB website: We carry a wide variety of books including the current bestsellers. From mysteries to romance we have all the popular authors. Note: The NH Bookery will occupy the space that Wolf Camera once filled, to the right of...

]]> Emerald Isle Books , a privately owned, small bookstore at the beach is relocating to Raleigh’s North Hills. The North Hills Bookery plans to open in the first week of November. From the EIB website:

We carry a wide variety of books including the current bestsellers. From mysteries to romance we have all the popular authors.

Note: The NH Bookery will occupy the space that Wolf Camera once filled, to the right of Jolly’s.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/07/26/nc-tax-free-weekend-coming-next-week/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/07/26/nc-tax-free-weekend-coming-next-week/#comments Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:06:20 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/07/26/nc-tax-free-weekend-coming-next-week/ Beginning at 12:01 am on Friday, August 5, there will be no sales tax on many items through Sunday night. Items such as clothing, footwear, and school supplies of $100 or less per item; school instructional materials of $300 or less per item; sports and recreation equipment of $50 or less per item, computers of $3,500 or less per item; and computer supplies of $250 or less per item will be exempt. Clothing accessories, jewelry, cosmetics, protective equipment, wallets, furniture, items used in a trade or business, and rentals are not covered by the exemption and will be subject to the applicable tax. Here is more info from the NC Dept of Revenue: List of Items Exempt During the Sales Tax Holiday (.pdf) List of Frequently Asked Questions Sales and Use Tax Technical Bulletin  Section 34-24 - August Sales Tax Holiday (.pdf)...

]]> Beginning at 12:01 am on Friday, August 5, there will be no sales tax on many items through Sunday night. Items such as clothing, footwear, and school supplies of $100 or less per item; school instructional materials of $300 or less per item; sports and recreation equipment of $50 or less per item, computers of $3,500 or less per item; and computer supplies of $250 or less per item will be exempt.

Clothing accessories, jewelry, cosmetics, protective equipment, wallets, furniture, items used in a trade or business, and rentals are not covered by the exemption and will be subject to the applicable tax.

Here is more info from the NC Dept of Revenue:

• List of Items Exempt During the Sales Tax Holiday (.pdf)
• List of Frequently Asked Questions
• Sales and Use Tax Technical Bulletin  Section 34-24 – August Sales Tax Holiday (.pdf)

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/27/tommy-bahama-coming-to-crabtree/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/27/tommy-bahama-coming-to-crabtree/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:20:18 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/27/tommy-bahama-coming-to-crabtree/ TBJ reports today that this fall, a Tommy Bahama store will open in the former Levi’s space in Crabtree. This will be the second of their stores in N.C.. The first is at Southpark Mall in...

]]> TBJ reports today that this fall, a Tommy Bahama store will open in the former Levi’s space in Crabtree. This will be the second of their stores in N.C.. The first is at Southpark Mall in Charlotte.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/16/annas-linens-coming-to-crossroads/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/16/annas-linens-coming-to-crossroads/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:09:55 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/06/16/annas-linens-coming-to-crossroads/ National bedding retailer Anna’s Linens is coming to Crossroads Plaza. It will occupy the space in the center building that was once occupied by several CD and video stores, and Space Savers. It will be the state’s second...

]]> National bedding retailer Anna’s Linens is coming to Crossroads Plaza. It will occupy the space in the center building that was once occupied by several CD and video stores, and Space Savers. It will be the state’s second Anna’s.

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http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/01/26/a-natives-guide-to-visiting-raleigh/ http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/01/26/a-natives-guide-to-visiting-raleigh/#comments Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:16:02 +0000 http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2011/01/26/a-natives-guide-to-visiting-raleigh/ While the NHL has prepared a fantastic week of hockey-related activities for this year’s All-Star Game, it also is a great time to take in some of the local experience that has made the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) one of the best places to live in America. The food, architecture, and entertainment events here are more than enough to handle, certainly in a weekend. We’re a lot cooler than you think. We just don’t talk about it. The Triangle experience is unique, but in a subtle way. We don’t have a expressly tourist district. We don’t have centuries-old ethnic customs. Rather, the Triangle is a great place to raise a family and live a normal life. When the Hartford Whalers moved to Raleigh, the team was adopted at a moderate rate. However the playoff series in 2001 against the New Jersey Devils cemented this team in many Triangle residents’ hearts. The team’s popularity grew in the ensuing years until 2006 when the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup. Ever...

]]> While the NHL has prepared a fantastic week of hockey-related activities for this year’s All-Star Game , it also is a great time to take in some of the local experience that has made the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) one of the best places to live in America . The food, architecture, and entertainment events here are more than enough to handle, certainly in a weekend. We’re a lot cooler than you think. We just don’t talk about it.

The Triangle experience is unique, but in a subtle way. We don’t have a expressly tourist district. We don’t have centuries-old ethnic customs. Rather, the Triangle is a great place to raise a family and live a normal life.

When the Hartford Whalers moved to Raleigh, the team was adopted at a moderate rate. However the playoff series in 2001 against the New Jersey Devils cemented this team in many Triangle residents’ hearts. The team’s popularity grew in the ensuing years until 2006 when the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup. Ever since the Canes have been a universal success, and found their way into the hearts of even the area’s most die-hard college basketball fans.

The tradition of college basketball runs deep here, and the area has become known in the basketball world as “Tobacco Road”. This is an unfortunate moniker, however, as it so inaccurately paints the Triangle lifestyle picture. The Triangle is about education and tech. The only industrial component to our history lies in Durham’s history in producing tobacco products, but those are days long gone.

Because much of Raleigh’s growth has happened in the last 45 years, there is a strong suburban component here that has been attractive to hundreds of thousands of transplants. While there is plenty of Anywheresville stuff, there is more do to and enjoy than most have the time or money to do. Eat a southern hot dog, some barbecue, and a hot doughnut as you ride around and take in the area that so many people decided to call home.

Navigation

In the Triangle the car is king. The area has excellent roadways, though some of the nomenclature confuses some newcomers and visitors. There are a few key points to mastering the roads in the Raleigh area:

map it

• I-440 is an old, bell-shaped highway that joins I-40 at both ends. Wade Avenue is a westward radial out of (just north of) downtown Raleigh that extends past the RBC Center and spills into I-40. Glenwood Avenue is Raleigh’s longest street, and is a radial that extends out of downtown in a northwest direction. Other important radials include St. Mary’s Street/Lassiter Mill Road and Wake Forest Road on the north side, and Hillsborough Street and Western Blvd on the southwest side.
• I-440 and the portions of I-40 between the connections with I-440 have traditionally been called “The Beltline”. Do not be misled, however, into thinking that this is a closed circular highway. Older parts of Raleigh are inside the beltline, or “ITB”. ITB vs. OTB is a big thing with some here.
• I-440’s two directions are “West” and “East”. They literally refer to the section of Raleigh where you will eventually connect back with I-40.
• I-540 is a relatively new, incomplete arc that exists in the northwest and northeast quadrants Raleigh.
• Edwards Mill Road connects the RBC Center at Wade Ave. and Crabtree Valley Mall at Glenwood Ave.
• St. Marys St./Lassiter Mill Road connects downtown to North Hills (at I-440)
• The most reliable parking access to the RBC Center is usually accomplished by taking Hillsborough St. to Youth Center Drive ( map it ), which leads directly into the stadium parking lot. Once inside the stadium lot, bear left and park as close to the football stadium as possible. If you are approaching the RBC Center from the west (From the airport side), DO NOT attempt to use the “recommended” Wade Avenue/Edwards Mill route. This will guarantee being late to your event . (instead, stay on I-40 past the Wade Ave exit and take Hillsborough Street eastbound to Youth Center Drive.) I-40 can be a complete nightmare, so be prepared to navigate the highway 54 alternative.
• Downtown Raleigh has free, counterclockwise circulator bus called the R-Line . It is particularly useful for getting around downtown Raleigh. There is bus service from Downtown and from North Hills via the Caniac Coach.
• The FanFest events will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center. Here are some hints about easily accessing this facility. ( map it )

Driving Tour

If you want to take a driving tour, here are some high points for each region of the Triangle

Raleigh

• NC Museum of Art – The recipient of the AIA’s best building of 2010 award has to be appreciated from the inside, where much of the NCMA’s fantastic collection is held. Highlighting the impressive collection are 30 Rodin original pieces. ( map it )
• NC Museum of Natural Sciences – The largest museum of its kind in the Southeast features many impressive permanent exhibits, but none matches the Acrocanthosaurus , the most complete specimen of its kind in the world. ( map it )
• NC Governor’s Mansion – The 1891 mansion occupying one full block in downtown Raleigh is one of the largest public executive residences in the U.S. ( map it )
• Raleigh Convention Center – The fairly new convention center will play host to the fanfest, however be sure to take a peek at the ceiling in the grand ballroom on the top floor. ( map it )
• Shimmer Wall – Contained in the Convention Center’s west facade, the Cree Shimmer Wall is especially impressive on a sunny, windy day. ( map it )
• NC State Capitol – Built in 1833 the NC Capitol is largely an historic site with some offices for top governmental positions. The legislative Building is where the House and Senate have done their work since 1963. ( map it )
• There are many bars on Glenwood Ave in downtown, however the bars are a little more laid back in the Fayetteville and Wilmington Street area.
• The Cupcake Shoppe on Glenwood is always fun stop on the R-Line. ( map it )
• Dorton Arena – This 7,610-seat architectural marvel was built in 1952 on the NC State Fairgrounds. It is a hyperbolic paraboloid that was a major influence in the design of Calgary’s Saddledome .  ( map it )
• RBC Center – At the junction of Wade Ave and Edwards Mill Road, near I-40, the 12-year old RBC Center is the shared home for the Carolina Hurricanes and the N.C. State men’s basketball program. The Center shares a large parking lot with N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium, and is home to the NHL’s Largest Tailgating Party. ( map it )
• RDU Terminal 2 – If you arrived at Terminal 1, first of all, I am sorry. Terminal 2 was recently completed and is an impressive, beautiful facility. ( map it )
• Crabtree Valley Mall – High-end shopping mall containing notables such as: H&M, Forever XXI, J. Crew, Lego, Coach, and the nearby The Container Store.  ( map it )
• Triangle Town Center – Saks, Orvis, Z Gallerie. (the 2-story Dick’s Sporting Goods at this location is the store featured in the company’s commercials). Other than those 4, definitely skip it. ( map it )
• Angus Barn – Legendary steak restaurant. It has been named to the Nations Restaurant News Hall of Fame and to their 50 All-American Icons list. Steaks, ribs, blue cheese dressing are excellent. Get some cheese to go when you head back to the airport. ( map it )
• Notable houses exist at: 2745 Lakeview Dr., 1625 Oberlin Rd (Tatton Hall), 1006 Harvey St. (Mt. Vernon replica), 330 Hillsborough St ., 309 N. Blount St.

Closed for refurbishment: NC Governor’s Mansion, IMAX Movie Theater (at Marbles Museum), Crate & Barrel.

Cary

• Cary is a huge bedroom community for RTP, essentially. There are some excellent local sauces available at The Meat House on Kildaire Road. Also worthy of note is the Umstead Hotel and Spa , which will be completely full of NHL visitors. It has received a 5-diamond award for two years running, and their restaurant, Herons, is one of the area’s best.

Chapel Hill

• A Southern Season – If I didn’t live here, A Southern Season would be on my must-stop list while visiting. It is a large specialty food and cooking store that has a large volume of catalog sales. It is a 20 minute drive from the RBC Center. ( map it )
• UNC Basketball Museum , Dean Smith Center – One of the storied college basketball programs in history has an impressive museum next door to the 21,000 area. ( map it ) The rest of the UNC campus is beautiful and worth a quick drive thru, especially Cameron Ave by the Old Well. ( map it )
• Shrimp and (Cheese) Grits at Crooks Corner – Grits are like polenta, and the incredible Shrimp and Grits dish as born at Crooks Corner. Be sure to also get some Hoppin’ John. ( map it )
• The Lantern – This upscale Asian restaurant is head-spinningly good. ( map it )
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield – This floating parallelagram building is notable. ( map it )

Durham

• Duke University, Duke Chapel , Cameron Indoor Stadium – Duke is a small, private university that likes to call itself a southern Ivy Leaguer. It’s consistent Gothic architecture creates a gorgeous setting. However the essence of Duke lies in visits to Duke Chapel ( map it ) and to Cameron Indoor Stadium ( map it ). Duke is also one of college basketball’s legendary programs, and they have an impressive basketball museum adjacent to their intimate arena.
• Durham Athletic Park – The filming site ( map it ) for the movie “Bull Durham” was actually used by the Durham Bulls until 1995 when the team moved to the excellent DBAP .
• Durham Performing Arts Center – A new auditorium where The Lion King is currently running. It is next door to the DBAP. ( map it ).
• Magnolia Grill – Home of one of the nation’s best chefs, Ben Barker. The restaurant is in the Nations Restaurant News Hall of Fame. ( map it )
• RTP’s Burroughs-Wellcome building was featured in Natalie Wood’s final movie, Brainstorm , but unfortunately Glaxo has allowed trees to obscure the view from Durham Freeway. ( map it )
• Streets at Southpoint Mall – Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters. ( map it )

Food

The food that sets this region apart is Eastern North Carolina barbecue, a spicy, vinegar-based preparation of shredded pork. In this area “Barbecue” is only a noun, and is never, NEVER , a verb. The best houses for barbecue are in small towns mostly 1 hour to the east of Raleigh. However there are three good representations of this product at The Pit and Cooper’s BBQ in downtown Raleigh, and The Q-Shack in North Hills. Not to missed along with your bbq is the Brunswick Stew. The Pit is the best of the three, and is likely to be very crowded. It has been featured in all of the magazines and TV shows since it opened a couple of years ago, and is actually the product of one of those Eastern N.C. towns. Pitmaster Ed Mitchell was brought to Raleigh by preservationist Greg Hatem to join his Empire Eats group of restaurants. Please note: Dickey’s BBQ in downtown Raleigh is not Eastern N.C. BBQ. It is a Dallas-based chain that is good in its own right, but should not be included in a brief tour of the area.

The Pit is great, but might not be worth the hassle this weekend. Another great option for BBQ is Smithfield’s Chicken and BBQ. They have stores that are a 10-minute drive from downtown and 5 minutes from RDU in the RTP area. From downtown, get on I-40 East and take Exit 303. Turn left at the light ( map it ). The location near RDU is on Davis Drive at Aviation Pkwy (extended), and I suggest using a map to find it. ( map it ). If you are there for lunch, get a BBQ sandwich with slaw and  a side of Brunswick Stew.

Other foods popular in North Carolina are hot dogs with chili and slaw, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Chick-Fil-A, and Bojangles. Popular places to get the NC hot dog are Snoopy’s ( map it ), The Roast Grill ( map it ), and the Village Deli ( map it ). Krispy Kreme was founded in Winston-Salem in 1937, but opened one of their first expansion stores here in Raleigh ( map it ). Be sure to get one of their doughnuts when the “Hot Doughnuts Now” neon light is on in the window. (Note: the KK outlet in Raleigh’s City Plaza does not sell the hot doughnuts, so in order to get the full experience, visit the old site). Chick-Fil-A was founded near Atlanta, and has been a staple in southeast shopping malls for decades. They are finally entering northern markets such as Chicago, and have found immense popularity. (The downtown Raleigh location for CFA is not the chain’s strongest stores) ( map it ) Bojangles is based in Charlotte, and features a spicy, cajun style of fried chicken that people here love. ( map it )

As far as the best restaurants in the area, The News & Observer’s Food correspondent, Greg Cox, has assembled a can’t miss list of possibilities. I have had particularly good meals at Buku , Mo’s Diner , Bloomsbury Bistro , Jibarra , Humble Pie , Raleigh Times , Market , 518 West , Sitti , Dos Taquitos Centro , Second Empire , Busy Bee , Mez , An , Coquette , Vivace as well as several others in the Raleigh area. Restaurants are likely to be extremely busy this weekend, but don’t despair. Just throw a dart at that list. You’ll be fine. There are plenty of good restaurant seats in the area if you’ll stick with my list and Cox’s list.

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We hope that you enjoy your stay here. The city of Raleigh has long anticipated the arrival of the NHL All-Star game, targeting it as one of the chief reasons for several area projects. It should be a fantastic weekend for the city, the residents, but most importantly the visitors. Y’all have a good time and come back soon!

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