Grand Thinking

I've had lots of thoughts on Grand before.

But it wasn't until a friend posted today about places that had closed on Grand that I really thought about it:

So yes, some early closures (years ago) that hit me hard included Odegard, Hungry Mind, Macafferty's, Paperback Trader, Acropol Inn, and Ciatti's. Some fairly recent ones have included Avalon, Sixth Chamber Used Books, and D'Amico. Places that have closed and re-opened under similar ownership/genres have included the hardware store by Mac that re-opened as a Frattalone's, Bibelot that become Good Things, and Bap and Chicken that became some other kind of chicken place. Sidney's became Salut and then closed. Before Bread and Chocolate became an institution it was Haagen Daz. Kowalski's was Red Owl. I've been told that The Wedding Shoppe has moved its business offices to Eagan, but still maintains its storefronts. Khyber Pass was bequeathed to the kids who opened it as a cocktail bar and it's a big improvement.

When I used to walk home from school, I had my stops. Model Cleaners (now Everest on Grand). Evergreen Plant store, and Begin's Jewish Deli and the drugstore and Doc Witherspoon's on Hamline and Grand. The antique store where Odd Couple is now. The Basket Shop and Coat of Many Colors and all the places by Mac. Even the Uptowner at Grand and Lexington was once a true greasy spoon where we went to breakfast after members of the 6th grade SPA class went to breakfast after we spent the night in the igloo we built every year. Clearly STAR Video and Blockbuster lost their corporate models.

If I had to say the place that hit me the hardest when they closed, it would be the bookshops (especially Sixth Chamber), Avalon, Traditions Furniture, the Old Mexico Shop, and Ciatti's. 

Which is to say Grand goes through — and has always gone through — cycles. Even the venerable Lex was closed for years; it's a wonder it re-opened. The recent closing of Salut and Tavern on Grand, though, have me thinking about a reckoning.

It's not the individual spaces on Grand closing that worry me; it's the sense of place. It's spending an afternoon walking between places and shopping (even if not buying) and having a cup of coffee and running into people you know. Walgreen's may be a pit (and have terrible corporate policies), but I still see people I know there every time I go in (this was a distinct disadvantage almost 17 years ago when we needed to stop in for a discreet pregnancy test).

So it's not about individual store closings. I can accept that turnover. It's about sense of place. It's about the B2C zoning (that my friend Tom Zahn came up with) that converted houses to shops. It's about being part of the neighborhood.

Those places that I listed above as missing most? When I talked to them most of them cited decreasing foot traffic as a key reason for closure. While recent issues may have exacerbated that (I've been told Pottery Barn and Caribou were presented with 20-year lease renewals, which were just...impractical), what Grand needs most is simply more support.

And, you might think, what does it matter? Places like Grand are prosperous and established. Why not support more diverse streets, like Payne/Phalen or even Selby? Can't Grand take care of itself? My answer is no. Just like, if we didn't have the Guthrie many small theaters in the Twin Cities would close, less established shopping area would not exist without Grand. The city should recognize that.

So, here's my question for you. If you're not going to First Grand or Perrier for your liquors, are you at least going to a local place like Solo Vino or Wine Thief? Because you've really got to cut out that Total Wine shot and support local places. Wanna meet at Dunn Brothers for coffee or Bar + Cart for drinks soon? I'm your girl.

You might not be able to stop ocean pollution by using a plastic straw, or global warming by converting to solar. But your dollars can have a huge effect on a local business.

See you on Grand?