By: Diane Benjamin
Why are they excited about moving to Lexington?
No idea, but their customers should be:
Driving an easy 15 minutes north will save you 2%!
Rent and property taxes are likely cheaper in Lexington meaning merchandise could be cheaper.
Is the exodus beginning?
.
Add to this list, Busey Bank which is exiting their building by the end of the year. Maryann’s Diner has been out for a long time and no new occupant. Bill’s lock and Key left consolidating it’s Bloomington and Normal operations in one new location. Their old location will be the craft beer joint.
The Koos created kingdom is crumbling. Koos will be voted out but residents will be paying for his failures for decades. $216M still has to be paid regardless if Koos or Reece are left on their thrones.
They could be leaving because Trail East destruction will be starting soon. The parking lot behind their building will be gone. They know their customers won’t park in a parking garage a block away. I expect other non-student based businesses are making similar plans.
I’ve said it a hundred times, and I’ll say it again… It’s a college town. Embrace it. Bars, coffee shops, and pizza/college-student-type restaurants. That’s what will succeed.
So you would drive 15 miles at 55 cents a mile to save $2 on $100?
Lol
Sent from my iPhone
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I’d drive anywhere to avoid Uptown! Parking is a joke
Yes I will. no place to park. nothing but stores for 20 yr olds…not for the seniors in this town.
Locating where sales tax is lower makes them more competitive for online and shipped sales. People will easily choose a different website if it costs them less. The brick and mortar shopping mentality is outdated.
They are in a competitive market. As the market for Cannabis matures here, the market forces retailers to do whatever they can to remain competitive. Our mobility makes it easy to go wherever for the lowest prices.
So the Koos Central Planning Commission for their new Soviet Vision, custom makes a market place area with 100 million dollars in borrowed money, thinking that they can somehow do better than the free market in moving the downtown forward?
Obviously not….
Lexington? Lol, why not keep going and just get the heck out of ILLannoy altogether?
Bottom line DO NOT shop uptown! Even their food tax at restaurants is excessive! THey want tax, let the egotistical, megalomaniacs that RUN the town PAY for their little “Utopia” then we’ll see how much their “dreams” are just embraced by the masses.
YES, I’d go to Lexington or elsewhere to shop, ANYWHERE but uptown!
I said farewell when they became uptown, too uppity for me….
I own a business in uptown normal one that has been in existence for 98 years mayor koos and company have eliminated 70% of on street parking over the years.. The comments being made confirm what I have been hearing from my former customers they refuse to do any business in uptown Normal. I am struggling every day to keep my business afloat thank God for ISU students they do bring me business. I felt the this downturn in business even before the covid virus hit. It is past due to clean house in normal politics I hope the voters in normal make this happen in the next local election.
“If you build it they will come.” says the progressives of backwardness. “If you build it not many can come unless good roads and parking are available to handle the hoped for masses.” says the deplorable that is smarter than a 5th grader.
BOBBYWERK3 ALL I can say is, as a TOWNIE , I sure do miss the OLD days of DOWNTOWN normal, when the GAllery was playing GREAT music ( thanks cup) And the celler was made for “cellar dwellers” and ole MOther Murphy had it going on, not to mention the Pub, which had JUST became news in playboy…THe White Horse was a GREAT place, and that’s NOT to mention places like Kappa Frank aZAPPA or the Stagger Inn Nevermind the Stateside manor or Hester Fest! normal has lost it’s charm, its history and it’s dedication to the people who TRULLY grew up here. As for mr KOOS. GFYS! YOU RUINED IT!
I’m not sure it was the local tax per se, though it’s certainly a symptom of the underlying problem. I suspect it’s the micromanaging of Uptown by the Town of Normal…bad parking, subsidized rents for certain tenants (and not others), street closures for festivals/events, and acting as a gatekeeper approving/denying new tenants.
Are you aware that Busey Bank is closing its Uptown Normal branch on Oct. 23? This means that the block of College Avenue that had Merry Ann’s Cafe and Busey bank will be totally absent of any business? The following is my opinion. I believe that the Town’s opposing saving the art wall has doomed the Trail East project. As the Town’s legal battle to oppose the will of the taxpayers to save the wall wore on, the pandemic sank the project. I don’t think the developer can get a loan with the vacant and non-rent paying properties in Uptown. Non-rent paying include Wild Country, Ohm Fit, Brady & Davis office, and ISU Art Gallery. Vacant – in addition to the two properties noted above, are the properties on each side of Windy City Wieners, the first floor of the building on the circle that has the Town’s Inspection and Engineering Departments on floor 2, and the tiny building east of Domino’s pizza on Beaufort. I count 11 properties. I recommend that Normal hires a retail economic development expert at between $100,000 and $200,000. Spending more taxpayer money always solves all problems. LOL.
I’m pretty sure Ohm Fit pays rent, not enough to cover the property taxes though that I don’t think Normal is paying on that building,
Ohm fit pays $160/mo I’m rent. All utilities, maintenance and property tax included