blondies would sound nice and who wouldnt want the downtown like berkeley the telegraph is the shit, i just hope that downtown will be a place to hang out...to eat shop and hang out

I was told by an IKEA employee that IKEA will only locate it's retail centers along interstate highways. If that's the case, IKEA will not be a possibility in the downtown Fresno vicinity until 99 goes interstate. Unfortunate too, as the old Gottschalks building on the Fulton would make a lovely spot for an IKEA.

You make a great point RE making the retailer "need" downtown Fresno. I think the best thing downtown Fresno has in its favor is its hub-like nature, what with the areas freeways converging all in one place. Looking at IKEA locations in other cities you will find that because they have the ability to pull from such a huge radius they seem to prefer being in logistically superior locations over those locations that are the most high-income. I think the West Sacramento IKEA store is a good example (though I dont know the stats it doesnt look like a high income area at all). Its the kind of industrial area that IKEA stores often locate in and its right near the confluence of major freeways. The whole point about IKEA being a great anchor is that it has such a draw it practically doesnt matter where its located, except in relation to the nearest existing IKEA store. I think the real problem locating IKEA downtown wouldn't so much be downtown as it would be Fresno itself. The population, while getting larger by the minute, still isn't quite enough even if you look at a 35-mile radius.

It's not about 'We need a ___________". No chain retailer opens up shop because people in city xyz "need" them. We need to make the retailers NEED Fresno. And NEED Downtown Fresno. Why would a major chain store, which has to make sure they get the best value for their stockholders, NEED to open a store in Downtown Fresno, over North Fresno? Unless we're talking about a multi-million dollar government subsidy, it won't happen. And then you have to ask, is that multi-million dollar taxpayer subsidy the "highest and best use" of taxpayer money? Or are there other ways that $3 million or so could be invested downtown, that would generate the kind of revitalization that would actually ATTRACT retailers, not bribe them. (which is basically what the subsidy would be)

You're comparing Downtown Fresno with Destin, Florida!!!???? Please! The Destin development is a high end, suburban "lifestyle" center like River Park, located less than two blocks from the Gulf of Mexico!!! We're talking about some of the most exclusive, desirable real estate out there!!! Oceanfront mansions (look it up on Google Maps)
http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=4300+Legendary+Drive,+Destin,+FL

A quick seach on Zillow.com shows that the homes in the area sell for between $450,000 (a couple blocks inland) and $3.6 million (for a 5,000 square foot beachfront mansion!) This is not a downtown urban revitalization project in an area surrounded by low income households. This is practically a beachfront development!

Good points Mike, Hard Rock Cafe is a big restaurant chain located all over the world. Would you like to see some Hard Rock merchandise at would say "Hard Rock Cafe Fresno, CA" I've looked at their Hard Rock Cafe site last year and I've compared areas one thing they look for in locations is a High Traffic Volume and with 41 and 99 so close to Venture and Fulton Street Fresno has as much traffic Passing near the area (I've checked Caltrans infomation) as... Destin, FL Destin Commons Besides wouldn't Hard Rock Cafe want the authentic (1920's-1970's) retro look that the Fulton has to offer?

I'd like a Frys.

what are the anchor tenants at Fashion Fair? Macy's, JC Penny, gottschalks?

how about Gottschalks downtown... hmm what and idea, I think there even is a building they could use, I saw it last night it was behind the stage where the bands were playing last night at Fulton Thursday.
(end Sarcasm)

an IKEA would be good too.

I'm no retail tycoon but I do know the formula for location decisions goes something like this: number of residents within X miles of target location multiplied by average annual income of said residents = sufficiently high number. Yes, people travel across town to go to Riverpark. But there are also thousands of high income residents living within 5 miles of Nees and Blackstone.

Why would any retail outlet agree to open up shop across town from its target customers? I don't think they would without significant government assistance.

As one who reads my column knows, I'm very vocal about my support for Ikea coming downtown. Through according to what I've read, Ikea isn't too interested. I also love the idea of House of Blues, but like posted above, I don't think that's the solution either. A great piece of the puzzle, yes, but it has the same problem Bass Pro has (well, one of them anyway) -- it's not aimed at a general enough audience.

I don't have a good anchor to suggest. Maybe it's because I made myself fall in love with the idea of Ikea in downtown Fresno. But here's some ideas for downtown Fresno:

1. We need a good pizza by the slice place, in the tradition of Blondies or Fat Slice. We need this bad.

2. We need at least 2, but really like 4, bars downtown that will occassionally have live music. With that, at varying sizes, it could combat NOT having a House of Blues. Fagan's, as lousy as I think the service is, has been doing some really good booking.

3. There's needs to be some big restaurant chain there that people will come to. Sure, I'm all about local businesses, but there's gotta be at least one. We already have most of the big ones. There's a place called the Yardhouse (I think) in Long Beach that I went to that would be perfect. It had a happening bar and everything.

4. Put the damn Urban Outfitters downtown. If we can't get Ikea, this would be something. Plus, I think it would help define downtown Fresno as what it's becoming and what it needs to be -- the hipster capital of Central Calfornia. As a matter of fact, I'm all for downtown Fresno being more like Berkeley. If I get my pizza slice shop and a Amoeba, I'll be in heaven.

Shoot, I guess I should just write a column about this...

Why is it that we want to rely on a retail "knight" in shining armor to ride into town to save downtown? Why not "grow" our own anchor? Is a big out of town retailer really essential to the future survival of downtown? Why wait for that, when there's other things that can be done right now (and some are happening) to improve the situation?

Also. those old enough will recall the Macy's situation in the early 1980's. Macys shows an interest in Fresno. The city said, ok, you have to build on the Fulton Mall. Macys said no thanks, we'll go to Clovis instead! (this when Sierra Vista Mall was in the planning stages). The city relented, and Macys went to Fashion Fair. This is a different situation, but the mentality is the same. "Please help us! - Please!!!"

I dont think HOB or Hard Rock could be considered anchor tenants for a project as big as the South Stadium. Those might be on the level of "mini-anchor", sort of like Cheesecake Factory is at Fashion Fair. We need a major retail tenant. I'm glad Bass Pro is off that list! I think IKEA is much more in the right league, though our population might not be quite high enough to snag them at this time. I know we could definitely support the store if it opened but their business model may require more people from what I have heard.

great comments, the Roller Rink idea is good, if the Derby takes off like it did in the past that should work.

I'm glade the House of Blue idea is getting spread, also a Hard Rock Cafe idea maybe more feasible than HOB, San Fransisco does not have a HOB yet, I think SF would get one before Fresno, but because S.F., Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angelese, La Jolla, & Hollywood all have Hard Rock Cafe's maybe Fresno could get one before Bakersfield or Santa Barbra. You can find information about a Hard Rock corporate & contact on their site there is a link to franchise information ... they only cost around $4 Million the last time I looked.

Yeah!
Enough already about the "destination big box" just because it has the display floor big enough to fit boats. Big deal: put a roof over Dan Gamel's RV and call that a destination store.