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Grandmarc Ground Level Retail

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#1 eshigginbotham

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Posted 09 September 2006 - 12:52 AM

Does anyone know what is going into the 1st floor of the Grandmarc on Berry St. other than Perroti's Pizza?


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#2 ghughes

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Posted 09 September 2006 - 04:56 AM

I've heard Starbucks.

#3 John T Roberts

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Posted 09 September 2006 - 08:09 PM

That's what I have heard also, but I don't have any confirmation on it.

#4 eshigginbotham

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Posted 09 September 2006 - 11:24 PM

QUOTE(John T Roberts @ Sep 9 2006, 09:09 PM) View Post
That's what I have heard also, but I don't have any confirmation on it.




Anything of substance (non-food)?


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#5 eshigginbotham

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Posted 19 September 2006 - 11:21 PM

QUOTE(ghughes @ Sep 9 2006, 05:56 AM) View Post
I've heard Starbucks.




Starbucks should wait and move into the new Barnes & Noble/TCU Bookstore and let GrandMarc have something else.


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#6 rogerdr

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Posted 23 September 2006 - 05:55 AM

Starbucks might have a sweetheart deal with TCU. OTOH, small shops do so notoriously bad on Berry, why expect anything other than food?

#7 Fort Worthology

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Posted 23 September 2006 - 10:23 AM

Can't we just assume, no matter where or in what context, that when a new building goes up somewhere in the universe, there will be a Starbucks in it? smile.gif

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#8 Thurman52

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Posted 29 November 2006 - 08:08 PM

I heard Starbucks turned down the deal..... no parking and not enough foot traffic in the area yet. TCU students drive everywhere. I heard other retailers are balking at the prices of rent too. Demanind high prices for a market that has not shown it's potential yet.

#9 fwfrog

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Posted 08 December 2006 - 11:39 AM

I got confirmation yesterday that Starbucks is not going into the GrandMarc. This was during a TCU-sponsored open house hosted by the GrandMarc's property manager and a TCU Vice Chancellor.

It seems that Starbucks was one of the first businesses that expressed an interest in moving into the GrandMarc. They told us yesterday that Starbucks is actually re-evaluating their business model - and have begun to scale back their locations (and their retailers who "proudly serve Starbucks coffee"). Since Starbucks purchased Seattle's Best, they've decided to re-think their business model. I was told that Starbucks would be the "high-end" store... and Seattle's Best would be a more "affordable" option.

This is contrary to a recent Star-Telegram article that said Starbucks was increasing their locations. Why wait in a long line... just cross the street to the next Starbucks!

A year ago, I was told that Atlanta-based Moe's Southwest Grill (www.moes.com) would be joining the GrandMarc. After contacting Moe's directly, I was told that no franchises were expected in Texas.

It was confirmed yesterday that two tenants have committed to the GrandMarc: Perrotti's and a bank. They are still waiting on permits for construction - which could start as soon as next year. I think the GrandMarc has an idea of other possible tenants, but they don't want to reveal their hand just yet.

They did say that a non-Starbucks "coffee house" (or did they mean "Coffee Haus") was interested in jumping aboard. They also gave me a generic answer that some "college-themed" restaurants and retail could be in the works. Well, duh.

I was told there is also the potential for a nail/hair salon... although the school would like to see some sort of medical/dental facility for their "off-campus" students.

On a related note... I asked about TCU's plans for their bookstore (and why they chose to demolish the old Stage West Theatre). The bookstore will be built along the new sidewalks at the corner of Berry and University. The old theatre (which I was jokingly told "fell down on its own") will be cleared for a "pedestrian walk way" and an outdoor cafe behind the bookstore.

TCU is "not aggressively" trying to purchase the remaining storefronts (the Pub, Jon's Grille, Dirty Laundry, etc.) - but the owner of Dirty Laundry told me otherwise. TCU would like to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment along that strip (with bigger sidewalks, trees, etc.) They are excited about the Berry Street Initiative - and hope to capitalize on this urban/mixed-use development. It's their hope that it will further transform the area surrounding campus - giving it more of a college-town flavor.

#10 JBB

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Posted 08 December 2006 - 12:26 PM

I bet Perrottis is getting a sweetheart deal to move into the new building. I would think the rent for fancy, new digs would be out of their league.

#11 fwfrog

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Posted 27 December 2006 - 08:02 PM

A new restaurant is opening across the street from the GrandMarc. Where the old Monkee Wrench Tattoo place once resided is a new WhichWich http://www.whichwich...wich/index.html

I'd never heard of this place until going to Dallas last weekend (where I suddenly spotted over half a dozen in various locations).

It should provide a little competition with Pot Belly and Einstein's in the TCU-area sandwich market.

#12 JBB

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Posted 27 December 2006 - 11:54 PM

I'd heard they were going in somewhere in that area. Sounds a lot like Pot Belly with an expanded menu.

#13 hannerhan

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Posted 28 December 2006 - 07:55 AM

QUOTE(fwfrog @ Dec 27 2006, 10:02 PM) View Post

A new restaurant is opening across the street from the GrandMarc. Where the old Monkee Wrench Tattoo place once resided is a new WhichWich http://www.whichwich...wich/index.html

I'd never heard of this place until going to Dallas last weekend (where I suddenly spotted over half a dozen in various locations).



I've been eating at the Ridgmar mall location for a while now, every few weeks. Very good sandwiches, and a good value as well.

#14 vjackson

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Posted 28 December 2006 - 09:08 AM

Whichwich is owned by some guy from Dallas that opened his first shop in DTD a few years ago. The sandwiches are pretty good and the ordering process is pretty interesting. I remember reading a few years ago the owner said he was going to do a wide expansion. Whichwich is a great fit for the TCU area. It should do well. Also, the milkshakes are really good too.

#15 mosteijn

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Posted 29 December 2006 - 12:13 PM

Yeah, WhichWich is a pretty good sandwich joint. I ate at the one on Guadalupe a lot while at UT this summer, and it fits a university setting well. I better change the info on the interactive projects map...I thought WhichWich was going to actually be part of Grandmarc redface.gif . Hm, I wonder IF Grandmarc will be able to get any decent tenants (besides Perotti's and the bank)...

#16 Nancy B

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Posted 24 January 2007 - 12:28 PM

I ate at Wich Which yesterday and enjoyed it. Another choice. Good sandwich. Since I work at TCU new offerings in walking distance are always a nice addition.

Beginning in the fall, sophomores will also be required to live on campus, and I think the foot traffic in the area ought to increase, especially once GrandMarc gets up to capacity. It think it’s only at about 60-75 percent now. And getting the Berry Street construction done will likely help bring more walkers to the area.

If you want to see some very early conceptual drawings of the new bookstore, go to http://www.tcuphysicalplant.com, and scroll to the bottom. New drawings should go up eventually. It’s going to be a huge building, 35,000 sq ft, with text books upstairs and a regular B&N downstairs. There will be a café as well, which I assumed would be a Starbucks, since that’s what it was before, but I’m not positive that is the plan now. The area where the old theater was will be patio and greenspace.

#17 John T Roberts

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Posted 23 June 2015 - 09:47 PM

On June 15th, Salata opened on the ground floor facing Berry Street.  Their adjacent to Sundance Square location has been a big success, so they thought they would try the concept in the TCU area.  Here's a link to the article in Fort Worth Business by Betty Dillard.

 

http://www.fortworth...6625f6d08c.html



#18 beverlyb

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Posted 24 June 2015 - 08:09 PM

Just an FYI - Which Wich, across the street has closed. Since I like it better than Subway, I was sorry to see it go.



#19 Austin55

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Posted 24 June 2015 - 08:13 PM

Which Wich's everywhere are falling apart. 



#20 John T Roberts

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Posted 24 June 2015 - 08:29 PM

It sounds as if the same thing is happening to them that happened to Quizno's.  They also used to have a shop in an adjacent block on Berry Street.



#21 JBB

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Posted 24 June 2015 - 09:04 PM

I've always wondered how Which Wich turns a profit with such an extensive menu. Large menus with so many ingredients that have to stay fresh (many of which are probably wasted on a regular basis) are very costly.





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