astrid Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 The pessimist in me thinks this space will get turned into another tentacle of the A-Town/Don Tito's monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NolaCaine Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 The pessimist in me thinks this space will get turned into another tentacle of the A-Town/Don Tito's monster. Great. Asses and tits coming to ballston? Is it just me or are those names supposed to make me think that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Based on what I know about A-Town, that seems entirely plausible. A-Town is already drawing drunken guys in sports jerseys from other parts of DMV. Having two of those so close to each other could create some sort of gravitational vortex and start sucking them in from even further afield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopsing Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I walked by there today. So sad to see the patio stripped of its furniture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 On 10/5/2015 at 5:21 PM, hopsing said: I walked by there today. So sad to see the patio stripped of its furniture. I was over that way this past weekend. There was a whole lot of construction going on in that very patio and along the side on N. Utah Street. The construction barricades made it impossible to get up to the window to read the posted permits and see what, if anything, might be going on inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 37 minutes ago, dcs said: I was over that way this past weekend. There was a whole lot of construction going on in that very patio and along the side on N. Utah Street. The construction barricades made it impossible to get up to the window to read the posted permits and see what, if anything, might be going on inside. I heard this interesting comment the other day. Someone I know who has been a skilled front of the house person for over two decades was describing where he is currently working, some pluses and minuses. Then we moved to general and systemic pluses and minuses in restaurants, and then we moved to specific places. This person has tons of experience, has worked in many different places, has been a manager, has turned down managerial positions, etc. He has worked in well named restaurants that get many laudatory comments in dr.com and places that escape mention from this forum. In his experience Best Operated restaurant he ever worked in from a management/organizational/ met customer demands/ etc perspective--> Rio Grande/Uncle Julio's When he goes there now or in the last few years he still sees some of the behind the scene elements that made it so well run in his perspective. As a diner/customer there, I'd never see those things. In fact he didn't get into details, so I can't elaborate on his perspective. But just an interesting comment vis a vis the rather striking turn over of the Willow side of that building versus the fact that Rio Grande/Uncle Julio's has lasted on the other side of the courtyard in the same building since the 80's. I found that intriguing. I'm going to go over to Rio Grande, for either a table with others or the bar as a singleton or both and turn on my "front of the house sniffer" to see if I can get a feel for what he found so outstanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 Closed 3 years ago this month. Landlord still searching for a replacement tenant. I guess that Brian Wolken's comment that the landlord "has unrealistic expectations about what the space is worth on a monthly basis" has been borne out through time. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Willow space remains empty now 4 years and running. Given the center of gravity in the neighborhood is shifting towards Ballston Quarter, I'd say this is a condition not likely to change anytime soon. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 2 hours ago, dcs said: Willow space remains empty now 4 years and running. Given the center of gravity in the neighborhood is shifting towards Ballston Quarter, I'd say this is a condition not likely to change anytime soon. I should know this offhand, but Uncle Julio's is still chugging along there, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 17 minutes ago, DonRocks said: I should know this offhand, but Uncle Julio's is still chugging along there, isn't it? I believe the ex Willow space and Uncle Julio's space are virtually identical in size. Uncle Julio's has survived the test of time. The Willow space has gone through a LOT of tenancies in the same time period. The building has to be about 30-35 years old. I used to lease retail/restaurant space and did it over a couple of decades. With doing that one adds the characterization of "real estate expert". I haven't the faintest idea why Uncle Julio's has done so well and Willow and the prior tenants didn't cut it. When Willow closed among comments were that the vacancy in nearby office buildings had a damming effect on lunch and HH business. It had to have impacted Uncle Julio's similarly. Those who figure out how to "meet the market" get gold stars..... oh yeah, background from above: On 9/4/2018 at 1:15 PM, dcs said: Closed 3 years ago this month. Landlord still searching for a replacement tenant. I guess that Brian Wolken's comment that the landlord "has unrealistic expectations about what the space is worth on a monthly basis" has been borne out through time. 3 hours ago, dcs said: Willow space remains empty now 4 years and running. Given the center of gravity in the neighborhood is shifting towards Ballston Quarter, I'd say this is a condition not likely to change anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Radigan Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 I helped open the Bistro Bistro that was there in the late 90's. It was a Schlotski's deli prior. The factors I always contributed to Uncle Julio's success and demise of other restaurants across the way were this. A. Parking. While both restaurants have a sheer lack of street parking, Uncle Julio's had the garage on its side. As well the way traffic flows at night, the majority of dinner business saw Uncle Julio's first and could turn in quickly. Whereas everyone else by the time they noticed the other restaurant, they had already passed it, therefore making it a bitch to turn back around. Drive Fairfax Drive at 5-7 pm at night going towards I-66. You will see what I mean. B. Tex-Mex. For whatever reason people love it and that demographic in that area is primed for it. C. i was really hoping Willow would have been the one to outlast Uncle Julio's but I guess again the demographic just didn't support it because of prices. While Uncle Julio's is not cheap by any standard it gives off this vibe that its just 'chips, salsa and margarita's' so how could that be expensive? My two cents are this- I think if you put in a mix use store for that Willow space you might make it. Something like a Wine/Beer shop with sandwiches in the back, big bar for tasting flights of wine/beer and some limited seating- no more than 50 for L/D- it could work, possibly. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 5 years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captcourt Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 Thankfully we have Tracy O'Grady's magic at Green Pig Bistro. That being said...we live walking distance from the old Willow location, whereas GPB is in the heart of Parking Hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 On 10/2/2020 at 1:09 PM, captcourt said: Thankfully we have Tracy O'Grady's magic at Green Pig Bistro. That being said...we live walking distance from the old Willow location, whereas GPB is in the heart of Parking Hell. Anything go into the old Willow space yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 9 hours ago, ktmoomau said: Anything go into the old Willow space yet? Nope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopsing Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 I've read that landlords can offset paying taxes on revenue with losses from their vacancies. Otherwise, I don't understand why it is taking so long for the place to be rented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captcourt Posted April 29, 2021 Share Posted April 29, 2021 Just reviving this thread yet again by saying: At this point, there are so many vacancies in the area that I find it hard to believe it'll be rented any time soon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now