Fresno's Most Wanted

Businesses that aren't in Fresno, but should be.

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Let's Just Fill Some Empty Buildings

With all of the vacant business here in out little county, I think a Dave and Busters would be great addition.

Chains aren't so bad as far as restaurants, as long as they get the food right. Lucille's Smokehouse, Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles and
ESPN Zone would be great additions to Fresno.

As far as shopping I would have love to see Nordstroms, Crate and Barrel, DSW shoes or H&M take up residence at the old Gottschalks location at Riverpark. Did we really need another Macy's?

Famous Guest's picture

I would be content with a

I would be content with a Fry's, WeirdStuff, an outlet of RAFT (resource area for teachers), and an IKEA. If we had those four things, I wouldn't have to drive over to the bay area and my family would have an additional reason to travel down this way....

Famous Guest's picture

fresno needs...

Buffalo Wild Wings
Old Chicago
Golden Coral

Any place w/ deep fried cheese curds
A sports bar w/ a pool table, dart board and foosball table.

Aunt Lou

Famous Guest's picture

i really need a job....

hi,i really need a job and yes im only 1o years old but my mom is sick and i need some extra cash to help out with my sisters baby so please contact me at yahoo.com my email adress is skinnyminy123@yahoo.com

thank you sincerely,
cierra Gonzalez

p.s. please
contact me in the
next week...please and thank you

Famous Guest's picture

How about a house of blues ?

How about a house of blues ?

Famous Guest's picture

Movies & Shops

Downtown really needs to be the location of a new AMC theater because the other theaters in Fresno are up north and it could save a trip to residents in or near the downtown area. And, look everyone pretty much knows Fashion Fair is the most popular and best location for big chain retail how about bringing that to downtown; Fulton Mall won't cut it and I think it should be a location to resturants, apartments, retail, hotel & office bussinesses. While a bigger newer mall should be built and it will be a lot similar to Fashion Fair.

Famous Guest's picture

No outside chains...

or malls, yuck. Just what Fresno needs is more hot black asphalt parking lots? NO NO NO! Let us locals get some loans for businesses to put into all these places that have boarded up retail sites!

Show us the local money to get local artists and craftspeople out there selling their burgers, pizza's, clothes, boats, woodwork, etc... keep our money here in our community and maybe the community will return the favor by shopping at our stores?

Viva Cafe Corazon, etc.!!!

Famous Guest's picture

My provincialistic thinking...

Damn do I feel like a schmuck for forgetting Corazón! Their coffee really is good. And their sandwiches hit the spot too. I guess I was only thinking about my own neighborhood, the Tower. So like, yeah, who needs Starbucks or Peet's when you have Revue, Javawava and Corazón!!!

El_Alacran's picture

How about

a downtown farmer's market with live music, a beer garden and splash area for kids?

Props to Roeding Park for their splash area.

Diablo

Legal Alien's picture

Not just better, but superior.

We roast our coffee on site and bake our goods fresh daily. I personally research the coffee plantations and set a very high standard for our coffee product, both whole bean and served hot. I can make the claim because I'm not serving someone else's product, we sell what we work hard at making the best of.

We're making every effort to give downtown and Fresno a sense of pride in itself. Many have found and love our place. Find Café Corazón, find the superior product.

Locally owned, locally interactive and locally minded.

70% of money spent at a mass chain leaves the city it resides in, you can flip that when it comes to a locally owned place of business, 70% of your money spent at a locally owned and run business stays local.

We need to get the word out more.

Diablo

Leo Rios Owner/Roaster
5594853494
1145 Fulton Mall, 4 doors south of the Guarantee building

Legal Alien's picture

Try Revue or Javawava

You don't need Peet's if you're itching to do something other than Starbucks. It doesn't have to be a chain. Revue's coffee is great and they're a block away from Starbucks in the Tower. Javawava is just on Echo across from Fresno High.

This whole thread is really strange as far as I'm concerned...I'm not so sure why big chain restaurants are seen as some kind of great savior when unique local businesses often do better. That said, among "Mexicanesque" chains, I wouldn't mind seeing La Salsa set up shop here. I'm the only person on earth who likes Chuy's, and they shut their Fresno location down.

El_Alacran's picture

Why does everyone think that

Why does everyone think that getting some chain store downtome will solve all of it's problems?

Stormwysper's picture

IKEA

I think that they would attract people/business downtown. And they have great swedish meatballs...

Famous Guest's picture

wat I say

is that everyone on hear yap about wat we need oh D&B, Hard Rock Cafe we want HOB, Pizza By The Slice well guess wat chances are only one of these needy places will only get built in fresno...your full of shit if you think a cheap ass city will build this shit in Fresno alone downtown if the city was the next NYC no doubt we already have all these famous commercial based locations,but were not hello this is Fresno you know worst air..downtown..drop out rate..crime..city period N-O is anyone going to locate their businesses in the worst city ever...LOL!!!I think the best city hall can have locate in downtown is McDonalds haha or Ross...So I know your gonna leave retarded ass comments to my post, but it's the truth and remember I'm no city hall I'm just another resident Rustin up in lame ass Fresno USA

Famous Guest's picture

Ate at a Ruby Tuesdays in

Ate at a Ruby Tuesdays in Honolulu because it looked so good on the commericals and I will have to say this...... Very,very disappointed.....I will agree on Fry's

Vol559's picture

I'd second the Ruby Tuesday

I'd second the Ruby Tuesday suggestion. I'd also like a Fuddrucker's (hamburgers) and a Panera Bread. Hanford got a Panera recently, so I suspect this will happen soon. The ones in Michigan were really good, but the ones in California have been lacking in execution.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf would be my coffee chain of choice. Don't know if 2 chains duking it out in Fresno would help the local coffee businesses or hurt 'em long term, though. We've got a Cinnabon at Sierra Vista, so that's cool.

After all that, if we got a Fry's Electronics, I don't know if I'd have to leave Fresno ever again. Or at least, slightly less than I do now.

Adarga's picture

yes it's great, but nearly

yes rainbow ballroom is great, but nearly impossible to get a $8 beer without spilling half of the 8 ounces.

Im down for a crakcer barrel and a pizza slice place.

Mister J's picture

Coffee House

What Fresno needs is a Petes Coffee.Starbucks needs some real competition and besides make alot better cup of joe....

Vol559's picture

Rainbow

You ever try working with Leo Valdivia? Try it sometime and you'll see why there are not more shows at the Rainbow. Great place if management were different.

Alonso1's picture

amsterdam drum and bass/hiphop dj looking for serious gigs

I'm in Fresno with my vinyl,looking for some real gigs...hardcore drum and bass, and intelligent,positive hiphop....any tips??????

Famous Guest's picture

For a small to middle range

For a small to middle range music venue, Cabo Wabo will do just fine when that's done. If that's still a definite go - last I heard it was.

johne's picture

Nah nah you can't put Bucca

Nah nah you can't put Bucca in the Tower. Bucca needs room. Lots of it.

Put it at Granite Park. That way it ain't in the River Park area, and it ain't far from Tower, and it'll help build central Frez.

...and I can stumble home on foot from the joint if you put it there.

johne's picture

the Hard Rock Cafe Fresno

the Hard Rock Cafe Fresno Idea is spreading, they could always just call it Hard Rock Cafe Yosemite.

Famous Guest's picture

american apparel

but it will never happen.

miss_cynic's picture

DB & HRC

A Dave & Buster's along with a Hard Rock Cafe in Downtown would be nice. Also a new lot with retail and a movie theatre/ mall.

Famous Guest's picture

Bucca di Beppo!!!

I totally second that! In the tower. We need more Italian food in the Tower.

La Chola aka JoeJoe's picture

Is D&B's considered a sports bar???

My whole point was to have something different, but fun enough to go to. And tha passed two times I went to Dave and Buster's I didn't see ANY kids... U go in tha daytime??? I was thinkin' more of their night hours to give Fresno a bit more of a nightlife.

But u may have a point on tha pricing...(although I've never played pool in there).

~Rell www.myspace.com/559rell www.myspace.com/trellthareallamane (music production)

559rell's picture

Dave & Busters ARE YOU KIDDING!!!

D&B is sooooo overrated!!! Really!! I wouldn't even call it a Sports Bar. I would call it an arcade with beer!! It is WAY over priced, $15 per hour for pool tables, and caters towards "Little Billy's Birthday Party"! This would only be a great addition to Fresno if you wanted to hang out with 10 year olds.

MY VOTE: ESPN ZONE!!!

Now that is a real Sports Bar!! Great Food & over 150 HD TVs! You can't beat it. Check out the one in Downtown Disney (Anaheim) or NYNY Casino in Vegas! The only place for March Madness ACTION! This place puts D&B to shame!!!

Danielle

DanielleCabral's picture

DnB

Ha, I was sure this would be about Drum 'n Bass.

These days, every city could use a good Drum 'n Bass night!

phast's picture

How about an eccentric genius local singer-songwriter!

Or maybe we already have one ...



phast's picture

Too Much is Needed!

Bucca di beppo for SURE!
Hard rock Cafe would be awesome
House of blues needed
an aquarium
more cultural food restaurants
A real amusment park...yeah right
pro bass shop
more shops like valentinos, retro rags
vegan restaurant (unless theres one that I don't know of)
I just moved here from Vegas so if any of these things do exist...please let me know...these are things I miss!!
oh yeah and a Dicks last resort....its the restaurant where the staff is supposed to be rude to the customers...I would love to work there!

Knikki_J

knikki_j's picture

D & B

Dave & Busters, no doubt!

snugglefoofie's picture

Dave and Buster's,

Dave and Buster's,

That "Pizza By Tha Slice" late night type place,

and a QUIET late-night lounge that plays neo soul, REAL R&B, and reluctantly said...some smooth jazz.

"Tha Lounge" (could use that title) would have to be an upscale and plush atmosphere with unique mood lighting, open soft seats and large boothes on tha edges. I know there's places like this...but I have never been to one and would be too scared I might walk into a sex club trying to find one.

I know there are some other places i'm interested in but I'm kinda tired right now so please excuse me. :-)

~Rell www.myspace.com/559rell www.myspace.com/trellthareallamane (music production)

559rell's picture

I'd love to see

I'd love to see a House of Blues in downtown. But for some reason City Hall thinks a fishin' store would be better.

Stormwysper's picture

Yes John

Rock Bottom was at the Bulldog Brew spot before (I forget why they didn't make it). I remember they had T-shirts that said "You haven't hit rock bottom till you've hit Rock Bottom in Fresno." So, no, they shouldn't come back here, those cheeky bastards!

http://www.dorktown.net

wiffle's picture

More Microbrew

More microbreweries. Need more. Many more. No chains, no Rock Bottom (their beer sucks). I think Fresno can handle a whole slew of microbreweries. If I had the money...alas i'm poor...I would brew beer and sell it! mostly drink it, but i'd sell it too. My vote: More Microbreweries!

Alonso1's picture

Didn't they already

flop once in Fresno, or am I nuts.

Could swear they were in the Bulldog Brewing slot at Fig Garden for a time.

johne's picture

Rock Bottom

Rock Bottom in downtown would be great.

http://www.rockbottom.com/RockBottomWeb/RBR/Home.aspx

Serra's picture

Local

Pismo Fish & Chips
Kuumba Jazz Society
Santa Cruz Boardwalk
Lou's Pier 47
Bautista's Hole-in-the-Wall
Brandy Ho's

jeffatmovies's picture

White Castle Hamburgers

Nasty Greasy little square hamburgers, (and cheesburgers,) with the grilled onions that just slide down in two chomps... they're cheap, you can snarf them by the sack, (I used to nail 12,) -and with a cold coke and onion rings... heaven...

(--and the meat? freaks out both the vegans AND PETA... you just don't wanna know.. just buy and enjoy...)

Havn't had one since late summer of '05... and that was in Chicago... (still have the jalapeno sticker on the dash of my truck...)

Out of the Void's picture

Oh I would like good ol'

Oh I would like good ol' Nordys to come downtown....but I would be quite alright with Crate and Barrel. And if Uptown Espresso could come over here from SLO, that would be heaven for me.

Speaking of Ruby Tuesday, what about Cracker Barrel? HAHA. I feel like we are missing out on some southern cooking over here.

theValleyisforLovers's picture

Except...

Bucca di Beppo. It's not a very big chain.

johne's picture

Exacatively

Don't want anymore chains. Just buy it up Oz, and handle it.
Diablo

Legal Alien's picture

I've got to go with Mike Oz on this one

Having no events scheduled, as is currently the case with the Rainbow Ballroom, is not exactly the hallmark of a great music venue.

Oz you've had to give some thought to doing some music promoting of your own. Why not?

No more chains- including Ruby Tuesday!

Fresno Lover's picture

Pizza By the Slice

A pizza by the slice place like Pizza My Heart, or Escape from New York, or Blondies would be awesome. But only if if was in walking distance in the tower and open until at least 2:30 AM.

Oh a Ruby Tuesdays...damn those commercials.

Jonathan's picture

yeah, rainbow is a great place....

but the booking and management of the place is not on point.

the reason I suggested a place like House of Blues is because in addition to being a venue, it's also a show promoter. they would bring with fluidity, they would promote, etc.

mike oz's picture

Ditto the Rainbow Comment

Just saw a show there last Friday night and it rocked. I don't know that I've been to a better venue ever. Not to mention, I have not seen one bad show there ever. Every single show I have seen there has been outstanding.
Diablo

Legal Alien's picture

Hard Rock Cafe

near 41 and 99 on Ventura.

Hard Rock Cafe Fresno, Ca
Located right off Highway 41 the route to Yosemite National Park, with over 100,000 cars driving by each day.
Known as the Bread Basket of the World, the All-American City. Located at the South End of the Historic Fulton mall.

If your on your way to Yosemite or just want to see cool memorabilia and rock star portraits that line the walls, then stop in a Hard Rock Cafe Fresno, for some Kick-ass rock n' roll coupled with the world's best drinks and a mouth-watering menu with the freshest local produce that'll leave you begging for more. After all... what's a day without a stop at a Hard Rock Cafe Fresno?

AntiMusick's picture

IKEA

Maybe downtown?

Alan's picture

Pizza Slice Place in Tower

A large slice and a soda for $5. If they could locate one on Olive and it stayed open to 3am, they would make a killing with the late night crowd after bars and foot traffic during the day. See Chico, Davis, or Berkeley for examples.

Since Rasputins is opening, the owner also runs Blondie's Pizza (& Buffalo Exchange)

MWB's picture

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