Comments on: Is Center City Over?

By: Natalie

Natalie — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:51:46 +0000

I wonder how the longer number of restaurant opening compares with the number of closings. I feel like a lot of restaurants have opened over the past few years and been successful so they are still open and there are not restaurants being open in their spaces. I think comparing the income of the restaurants as well as the overall number of restaurants vs. number of closings is more telling than the number of new restaurants. a new restaurant open for less than a year is less impressive that restaurants creating a following and continuing to make money long term. I also wonder how many open properties there are for new restaurants to open at in center city.

also, i agree that there are plenty of openings in other neighborhoods so the restaurant boom is still happening, just a little more, north, south and west of center city.

By: Debbs

Debbs — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:46:48 +0000

Maybe it’s just me, but if I have to add $25+ to park to go to a restaurant in CC, I go someplace where I can park for free. There are wonderful restaurants all over the map, including the strip in Collingswood, and yes, Passyunk and S. Broad Street that are great meals at a fair price.

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:48:52 +0000

Har, are you talking about George’s Stop N Dine on 52nd? Because it’s been like that for years and no way is it opening up again in November.

By: SWCC Resident

SWCC Resident — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:15:33 +0000

@Barryg – A very small group of G-Ho/SWCC residents, decided they didn’t want a restaurant on their corner (1 corner, 20th & Kater). This does not speak for the entire South of South Street area, nor the majority of residents living in this neighborhood.

Based on the state that the building is currently in (at 20th & Kater – purchased by an opposing neighbor), this small majority does not have the best interests of the neighborhood, their neighbors, or city in mind.

By: barryg

barryg — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:42:11 +0000

This article is just link bait but it is true that there is a “midtownization” of Center Happening to a degree. Lots of places that are just pretty good with too high prices.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 22:35:10 +0000

The article states that there is an unstable dining economy, but perhaps the reason there are fewer openings is that the Center City dining market has stabilized. Are there numerous empty spots in Center City available for a restaurant to take over? Are the number of closings exceeding the openings (I honestly don’t know)? I’d think if it were really that unstable, the turnover for these spaces would be higher, a natural selection of sorts.

By: Jacques

Jacques — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:31:47 +0000

Perhaps there are not enough New Yorkers, er, New Philadelphians, coming here to save us and tell us what is hip and where to open up restaurants.

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/ex-new-yorkers-start-again-philly/

Or maybe we shouldn’t be paying any attention to anything printed in Philadelphia Ragazine.

By: barryg

barryg — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:20:40 +0000

@Grad Hos, the neighborhood has made it very clear that restaurateurs are not welcomed south of South Street.

By: Grad Hos Resident

Grad Hos Resident — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:00:05 +0000

Graduate Hospital is also considered Southwest Center City, and with the Naval Square development as well as the influx of young professionals to the neighborhood, G-Ho would definitely benefit from some non-gastropub establishments — and chef/owners will appreciate slightly cheaper rents than in Center City proper. Follow the people — we are here and hungry for something new. We want out with the Chinese food-behind-bulletproof-glass, but CVS on the corner of 22nd and South isn’t necessarily what us foodies had hoped for.

By: Nightman

Nightman — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:42:07 +0000

Last I checked Old City and South Street were part of center city. River to river, vine to south were the once established CC borders