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General Ohio University Discussion/Alumni Events Topic
Topic: Lostro
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greencat
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Posted: 1/10/2025 12:45 PM
Wow. The battles over this building on other social media platforms are intense.

Parking is one point of contention. Where to park the trucks while the inside is being renovated. etc etc etc ...ad nauseum...

I saw a suggestion on one social media platform that went against the whole anti-chain philosophy of staying true to Athens. They suggested a franchised (not chain) like Mellow Mushroom with it's hippie-dippy decor which would provide an actual somewhat nice sit-down pizza place uptown. People were excited that Canes was originally going there but...is that not a chain??

I also heard part of the retail non-residential downstairs or 2nd floor would be sort of a multi-unit walk through thing like you might see in a place like Yellow Springs. Import House closed in Athens but remains in Yellow Springs. Would a place like that stand a better chance in a smaller space with less rent here?

Guys, the floor is yours....
Deciduous Forest Cat
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Posted: 1/10/2025 1:12 PM
Are you referring to the old woolworth's bldg?

I always thought a nice indoor activity center would have made a killing there. bowling, indoor mini-golf, arcade. just things to do while damaging your liver.
greencat
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Posted: 1/10/2025 2:38 PM
Ohio69
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Posted: 1/10/2025 4:56 PM
Battles?
Can somebody hit a pull up jumper for me?.....
Alan Swank
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Posted: 1/11/2025 9:33 AM
Ohio69 wrote:expand_more
Battles?
I believe what he's referring to is access to the businesses on the south side of Union Street and pedestrian accessibility in general.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 1/11/2025 11:05 AM
I thought the Masons sold it to a group that was putting in a hotel there. Is that not still the plan?
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greencat
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Posted: 1/11/2025 11:32 AM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
I thought the Masons sold it to a group that was putting in a hotel there. Is that not still the plan?
I heard that at one time as well but now there is something about one and two bedroom "residences" in the works instead... (on floors 3 & 4) with maybe a place or two to eat on the first floor and that retail thing on the second floor. **

There was also chatter about people having to park at the fairgrounds and ride a shuttle to it. But it's all a ways off if the inside has to be gutted and asbestos removed.

**NO MORE VAPE STORES PLEASE
Alan Swank
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Posted: 1/11/2025 12:02 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
I thought the Masons sold it to a group that was putting in a hotel there. Is that not still the plan?
I heard that at one time as well but now there is something about one and two bedroom "residences" in the works instead... (on floors 3 & 4) with maybe a place or two to eat on the first floor and that retail thing on the second floor. **

There was also chatter about people having to park at the fairgrounds and ride a shuttle to it. But it's all a ways off if the inside has to be gutted and asbestos removed.

**NO MORE VAPE STORES PLEASE
I called the number on the sign back in December. The residences/hotel label appears to be an ever moving target. I inquired about renting rooms like you'd do in a hotel and they said they weren't quite ready to start taking reservations. I also asked about renting for a night or two and they said yes, you would be able to do that. A local business owner also called but she got a different answer. All of this uncertainty and the blocked off sidewalk is fueling al kinds of different stories/scenarios.
JSF
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Posted: 1/12/2025 1:41 AM
I never thought legalization would be a death knell for Import House.
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Alan Swank
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Posted: 1/12/2025 2:51 PM
JSF wrote:expand_more
I never thought legalization would be a death knell for Import House.
You'll have to explain that one?
Ohio69
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Posted: 1/15/2025 3:45 PM
The Import House folks said in their closure announcement they were losing rights from shoe manufacturers to sell shoes or something like that and that was basically the final nail. I assume being able to buy a vape just about anywhere and not needing any of the smoking equipment they sold didn't help either.

Athens is losing its charm uptown. Just 1-2 "shops" left to meander through. Whatever goes in to that old bookstore building is fine with me as long as its not sitting empty....
Can somebody hit a pull up jumper for me?.....
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 1/16/2025 9:28 AM
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
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BillyTheCat
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Posted: 1/16/2025 10:16 PM
Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
Without a drive thru, not sure what fast food restaurant would survive there.
greencat
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Posted: 1/17/2025 1:11 AM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
Without a drive thru, not sure what fast food restaurant would survive there.
Around a month ago somebody on one of the big social media sites claimed Canes withdrew plans for Lostro and will instead end up on E. State but didn't back this up with any hard confirmations. Canes near U of Cincinnati supposedly doesn't have a drive thru though.

----------------------------------------------------

UPDATE: https://athensindependent.com/local-business-town-hall /
Last Edited: 1/17/2025 7:10:48 AM by greencat
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 1/17/2025 8:56 AM
Ohio State's on High St does not have a drive thru either. All these suburban Ohio kids would be all over it just like they are Chipotle uptown, I think it would do just fine.
Andrew Ruck
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Deciduous Forest Cat
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Posted: 1/17/2025 9:45 AM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
Without a drive thru, not sure what fast food restaurant would survive there.
nothing on court street has a drive thru. why would this be any different?
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 1/17/2025 3:30 PM
Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:expand_more
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
Without a drive thru, not sure what fast food restaurant would survive there.
nothing on court street has a drive thru. why would this be any different?
My point is, BK and Taco Bell left because no drive through. Both also saw their profits quadruple. So, why would it matter? Athens does not have the uptown foot traffic of High Street in Columbus. Most the Athens eateries run greatly reduced hours in the summer when students are not in town. BK actually left Court Street for E State and had 4 years left on their lease and paid it to be empty, while owner made record profits paying on a lease and mortgage of new business. And to my point, what fast food joint is on Court? Remember, Wendy’s, BK, Taco Bell have all left Court Street for other locations. That does say something.
Last Edited: 1/17/2025 3:32:19 PM by BillyTheCat
Alan Swank
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Posted: 1/20/2025 2:24 PM
Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:expand_more
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
Without a drive thru, not sure what fast food restaurant would survive there.
nothing on court street has a drive thru. why would this be any different?
Drive-thru is the corporate model for all traditional fast food places - McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, on and on. Heck, Chipotle just went in on East State Street and it has a drive thru. As Billy said in another post, Athens is pretty empty from the first Sunday in May through the middle of August.
Bobcat Love
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Posted: 1/20/2025 2:49 PM
Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
Without a drive thru, not sure what fast food restaurant would survive there.
nothing on court street has a drive thru. why would this be any different?
Drive-thru is the corporate model for all traditional fast food places - McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, on and on. Heck, Chipotle just went in on East State Street and it has a drive thru. As Billy said in another post, Athens is pretty empty from the first Sunday in May through the middle of August.
Glad to see the discussions on commercial real estate / urban planning in Athens are just as misguided and inaccurate as the football and basketball discussions.
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 1/20/2025 4:11 PM
Bobcat Love wrote:expand_more
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
Without a drive thru, not sure what fast food restaurant would survive there.
nothing on court street has a drive thru. why would this be any different?
Drive-thru is the corporate model for all traditional fast food places - McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, on and on. Heck, Chipotle just went in on East State Street and it has a drive thru. As Billy said in another post, Athens is pretty empty from the first Sunday in May through the middle of August.
Glad to see the discussions on commercial real estate / urban planning in Athens are just as misguided and inaccurate as the football and basketball discussions.
Restaurants have more sales through drive thrus than they do inside sales. I’d link market research for you, but it’s too easy to find. That building we are speaking of has ZERO parking. Yes drive through are important
Alan Swank
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Posted: 1/20/2025 7:14 PM
Bobcat Love wrote:expand_more
The size of the plans definitely seem lofty with no parking being added. There was mention of something like 20 stores...I really don't see how that is possible by size or with parking, or how they would get a sustainable amount of business in today's age of online retail.

My guess is it scales back to just a 1 or 2 restaurants (Cane's would KILL there with the students) and a couple stores on the ground level and apartments above. You know, like the rest of Court Street. The parking concerns if it becomes are true hotel are legit. I don't think their average customer is going to want to park a half mile away at the garage and haul their luggage over there, and it isn't big enough to justify a full scale shuttle service.
Without a drive thru, not sure what fast food restaurant would survive there.
nothing on court street has a drive thru. why would this be any different?
Drive-thru is the corporate model for all traditional fast food places - McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, on and on. Heck, Chipotle just went in on East State Street and it has a drive thru. As Billy said in another post, Athens is pretty empty from the first Sunday in May through the middle of August.
Glad to see the discussions on commercial real estate / urban planning in Athens are just as misguided and inaccurate as the football and basketball discussions.
Tell us more about what's misguided about this discussion.
greencat
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Posted: 1/31/2025 8:47 PM
Tainted smeg-water being discharged from gutting of the building....

https://packaged-media.redd.it/qgxw3nu3sdge1/pb/m2-res_12...
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 2/1/2025 5:29 PM
greencat wrote:expand_more
Tainted smeg-water being discharged from gutting of the building....

https://packaged-media.redd.it/qgxw3nu3sdge1/pb/m2-res_12...
Looks like a great place for a restaurant.
Pete Chouteau
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Posted: 2/8/2025 12:12 PM
Hasn't tainted smeg water been at the forefront on every Court Street renovation?

It's a shame they're throwing it away, Guy Riefler and John Sabraw wouldn't have to go all the way to Sunday Creek to make their pigments!
SBH
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Posted: 2/9/2025 5:43 PM
I think they sold smeg-water at that Super Ball pinball place in 1979-80.
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