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Mon
Dec 19
2011

What to Replace James in Bella Vista?

James had a great five-year run at 824 S. 8th St., but owners Jim and Kristina Burke closed up shop at the space this past spring as their lease expired. Though the couple were apparently looking around town for a new space for a minute, Jim signed on to work again for former boss Stephen Starr over the summer and just this month opened Caffe Storico in New York City, according to Gothamist.

So here we are in Philadelphia, short a James Beard finalist chef and still staring at a vacant restaurant space in Bella Vista.

Looking up 8th St.

We like those colors

It’s a block from the Italian Market, but it’s still a non-corner commercial space in a largely residential area. Is it possible for another high-end restaurant to make it in this space? Or any type of restaurant? Heading up 8th St., several other mid-block restaurants have made it work over time, though a few spaces have changed hands in recent years. Could the large residential development project around the corner be a boon for a new tenant in this space? Or is the local dining competition simply too fierce for a new establishment to make it work?

What do you want to see in this space?

Just not a Walgreens, ok?

3
COMMENTS
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Posted in Bella Vista | Tagged , , | 3 Comments
  • http://profiles.google.com/dbgoldfarb David Goldfarb

    High-end won’t work here. If James, with their fantastic food and out-of-sight happy hours, couldn’t do it, nobody could. 

    And I’m not sure how well any of those restaurants are doing along that stretch of 8th: Paloma seems like it’s hardly ever crowded; Mezza Luna couldn’t make it; ditto the excellent Molcajete Mixto or the not-excellent Paxio.  Bibou, obviously, is a special place: it would work virtually anywhere.I assume quite a few of those restaurants with staying power (Ma Ma Yolanda’s, Cucina Forte, etc.) are helped by low rents or owning the building.There are just a lot of restaurants in the area, more than even a few years ago (943, Monsu, etc.).A gastropub might work, even so close to the formidable Royal. Not saying that we really need anymore of those, especially not in that area. But it sill might work.

  • Guest

    Unless we’re going to add more density I wonder how so many of these commercial parcels in neighborhoods are going to survive.

  • GH Guest

    It would be a shame to lose that bar & fireplace entirely – that is such a fantastic space.

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