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What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: bledbetter ()
Date: June 28, 2010 12:04PM

There used to be a bunch of restaurants along North Street -- Foster's Grille, an ice cream shop, Metro Diner, etc -- but now they're all closed. What's up with that, ffxu!?!

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: City Folk ()
Date: August 28, 2010 07:43PM

Ask the City of Fairfax why their Town Center failed.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: ka ()
Date: October 01, 2010 06:11AM

Did you ever actually go to Metro Diner? That place sucked.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: T2T ()
Date: October 04, 2010 08:52AM

I thought I heard where Foster's Grille had an issue with mis-management and apparently, lots of revenue turned up missing. I'm not sure how Fosters operates (are they a franchise?).

There are other locations in Manassas, Haymarket, Vienna and Warrenton. All serve great burgers. Better than you can get at Ruby Tuesdays at least.

That whole design of the "revised" Fairfax City downtown stinks. Parking is a nightmare. People don't want to be inconvenienced by having to drive 3 blocks to park. That's probably half the reason for some of the failures.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/2010 08:53AM by T2T.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: MEofNOVA ()
Date: November 09, 2010 09:29AM

What are you talking about?? There's a huge parking deck RIGHT there! You just have to read the giant PARKING signs to find it (one entrance on University and the other on Chain Bridge). Not sure about Fosters or why they closed so fast. Piccomolo (?) I was bummed about because it was so yummy. And I totally agree about the Metro diner place. It was terrible. Everything else seems to be doing well there and I think that area is going to really be a great place for an "evening out" once it gets a little more established.

I recommend Asian Bistro and The Wine House across the street anyway (closer to the parking deck)!

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: Mopar777 ()
Date: November 10, 2010 12:01PM

It sucks. I was really addicted to the gelato place, too. But every time we went in there, it was usually just us. :-( Too delicious to exist in Fairfax I guess.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: Living just for the City ()
Date: November 10, 2010 11:47PM

Soon to be Medical complex - city sold our ass out because they couldn't "revive the village" or whatever.
Just add ANOTHER 20 minutes on any 1 mile errand for us city folk. Longer if you need gas or food.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: FurfaxTownie ()
Date: February 28, 2011 02:05PM

There is nothing to do there except eat. No venues or attractions for anything fun and the bars are boring.

The City should talk to GMU about building a new Patriot Center or moving the performing arts stage to where the Court House Plaza. Then people could have a nice dinner or drink before whatever even then walk over

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: Rick ()
Date: May 29, 2011 01:24PM

The Silver Diner concept place was pre-made food, heated in a turbochef (subway toaster oven). It was all fancy-themed food that no one in fairfax city took to, especially the people in fairfax city at 2am. The Austin Grill burrito place was good, but had very little visibility from WB north st and none from EB. I feel bad for all the franchisees that were lured there by the prospect of tons of housing only to see the developer drag their feet on building it while the economy improved. Its comical how bad the developer screwed that up, and as unfortunate as it sounds maybe a Kaiser Permanente or Inova outpatient place would keep the occupancy rate at 100 percent. They already have a terrible parking garage straight out of a kaiser building..

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: Grace ()
Date: August 09, 2011 09:48AM

They need a movie theater. That would fix everything. Just like all of the town centers in Montgomery County.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: Kamp Washingtonian ()
Date: August 19, 2011 08:01AM

They were trying to get a small movie theater with dining to combine the Silver Diner spot and the place above it. But the movie theater company bailed. Now The Green Turtle is moving in upstairs...

http://www.oldtownplazafairfax.com/tenant_view.asp?maltenid=459

I agree a movie theater would help. Or SOMETHING that attracts people.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: JT ()
Date: September 01, 2011 01:14PM

maybe a bar/movie theatre like the drafthouse in Arlington.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: jgrubbs ()
Date: September 08, 2011 03:37PM

Aside from the folks living in the City of Fairfax, are they expecting to attract other consumers? People not living in the City of Fairfax avoid it. It's congested and the streets are narrow so it's a PIA to drive through. Unless you live there, you don't know where the parking lots are. It's too much trouble.

I was driving through on Sunday and saw the Farmer's Market set up. I thought it would be nice to stop and pick up some produce, but the hassle of it all made me just drive on by. Other Farmer's Markets are just easier to get in and out of.

I'm sure it's fine if you live there, but I don't think Fairfax City attracts visitors.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: marvymarv ()
Date: November 30, 2011 09:07AM

I bet I am stuck in some god aweful commute. According to K anyway. LOL.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: HamptonsCap ()
Date: December 08, 2011 12:49AM

The Green Turtle is opening early 2012 at the old site of Metro Diner. One can only assume it will attract Mason students and young professionals. Usually they have good happy hour specials. I doubt BWU at Courthouse Plaza will offer any competition - I've heard that place has steadily been going downhill.

HC

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: Kamp Washingtonian ()
Date: December 22, 2011 08:22AM

HamptonsCap Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I doubt BWU at Courthouse Plaza will offer any
> competition - I've heard that place has steadily
> been going downhill.

Was it ever any good??

Hopefully they close, along with everything else in that shopping center and they turn it into something worth going to.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: HamptonsCap ()
Date: December 28, 2011 04:44PM

No it wasn't - uunless your friends are the bartenders. Then it was ok or atleast a cheap tab. Place is a hole overall. I hope Turtle really revamps that area. But there needs to be some social attraction to grab & retain visitors. Something like a State Theatre venue could work well. But I seriously doubt the powers that be in the city will really push for such place.

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Re: What Happened to North Street?
Posted by: boomer ()
Date: June 02, 2012 01:20AM

It looked better the way it used to be. Now it is too clumped together with nothing to really attract anyone.

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