I hope it's not just bars and restaurants. I mean, those are good, but I would like to see honest-to-goodness retail shops go in there. Maybe a 7-11, a dry cleaner, to support the neighborhood, but also maybe some apparel shops.
I agree, but it's tough to predict or mandate. Look at how long it took to get any kind of grocery downtown. I don't know why people seem perfectly willing to throw money at opening a restaurant (one of the most likely to fail entrepreneurial ventures), but unlikely to try out other small businesses. The area could actually use a few restaurants, but I agree that other retail would be better. Here's a list of things I wouldn't mind seeing:
- Convenience store
- Bank
- Dry Cleaner
- Salon
- Bakery
- Financial Services
- Specialty Services (wedding planning, interior design, tailor, etc.)
- Home Decor
- Retail Clothing
- Specialty Retail (stationary, florist, shoe store, gallery, etc.)
I'm sure I'm missing a few.