The most popular post ever on this site, in terms of comments, was January’s What do you miss in Erie, a post about things that aren’t here any more. There are a ton of great ideas, thoughts and remembrances on that post. Today, I want to spin it a little differently.
What would you like to see in Erie?
Maybe it’s a new business, or a chain store, or a type of restaurant. Let me get things started.
Here are a few food ideas: I’d love to have a Chipotle in town. I am completely obsessed with their roasted corn salsa. Seriously, I have a problem. I’d love a Wagamama, where I had a great noodle bowl last summer in Cardiff. I’d love a real Japanese restaurant, where I could get quality yakitori or some tonkatsu. I ate at a yakitori place in Tokyo that was amazing. It’d be even cooler if these places were locally owned.
Since not even Cleveland has one, I suppose its too much to ask for an IKEA…bummer.
An Apple store would be nice. Jenny and I were in on Sunday playing with iPads. Do want.
It’d be great if we could get a indie record store like Dig Dios back. Yes, this would be very tough in the iTunes era, but there’s still a market there if you expanded to obscure/foreign DVDs, vinyl, and so on. Look at Eide’s in Pittsburgh.
The small technology incubator we have is good, but if really want to keep people here we need a much bigger effort and nice tax incentives for start-ups to be grown in Erie, create jobs here and stay here. I want the next Tumblr, Gowalla, Foursquare and so on to be here. To do that, we need a big push and government support for more of these types of efforts.
What would you like to see in Erie? It could be anything.
Mike,
I am totally with you on Chipotle. I can’t get enough of that place. I was at a conference in Denver last summer and I ate there everyday for a week. Our accounting department loved it.
I am big fan of one of kind/non-chain places, so Whippy Dip & Sara’s are two favorites.
IMAX theater. Or least use the big screens at the Ridge Center for real movies!
Oh, don’t get me started on this one! Having lived in over 40 different cities in my life up to this point, there is always things I love about a place, and things I dearly miss about places I have left. For Erie, I’m not really feeling a lack of any particular chain store, (though I completely agree with the yearning for good Japanese food), however I do think there is much you could do with making family friendly venues, particularly things to do in winter. If I had the dough I’d start up something in one of the many large empty stores Erie seems so fond of collecting, and it would be a mashup of a Bounce-A-Lot, paintball, RC cars, arcade, cafe, safe area with climbing things and so forth for little ones, just a large community rec center where stay at home moms and kids could meet during the day and families hang out in afternoons when they get cabin fever during winter months.
I’m with you on the Chipotle.
And 1000% agree on the Apple Store. We need one in the worst way.
How about Chili’s?
I’d say Five Guys Burgers & Fries, but the wait for that will be over soon.
Where is the 5 Guys going in? There’s one in Meadville – the fries are killer. Not a place you’d want to eat every day, but once every couple of weeks its a good treat.
Chipotle has to happen soon. We are completely surrounded now that Buffalo has their first, Pittsburgh has half a dozen and of course Cleveland is spoiled with 40+. I am sick of driving to Mentor every time I have a craving!
A cupcake bakery. Oh wait, I’m working on that (very very slowly)!
Five Guys is proposed for Peninsula Dr., south of 12th St.
http://www.millcreektownship.com/agenda/plan_comm_agenda.htm
5 Guys? Not familiar with it, but I should have asked for Sonic or better still In & Out!
For what it’s worth, a friend of mine emailed Chipotle a couple months ago to see if they had any plans to come to Erie. They email response was basically a yes…but they couldn’t give out any more information at the time. So I’m pretty sure we’ll be getting a Chipotle soon.
5 Guys? That’s awesome…I don’t know anything about them….but I find it funny that Meadville has one and we don’t. That aforementioned link…does that mean a new Pizza Hut will also be coming to Peninsula Drive with the 5 Guys? Interesting.
I think Erie could use a McAllisters Deli. That place is seriously amazing. Cleveland has a couple, but I go to them when I am down south in Myrtle Beach. I love it there.
We need a Chili’s. Bad.
A Macaroni Grill would be nice, too. I wish we could get Don Pablo’s again. We need a good Mexican place (that’s not El Canelo or Torerro’s…not that there’s anything wrong with those places). A Cheesecake Factory would be wonderful too.
And finally, I do wish for the Apple Store. But I doubt we’ll ever see one of those.
I’m not big on chain dining, but I did visit a 5 Guys while in D.C. and it was pretty good.
skyline chili. been there in cleveland and cincy, and loved it.
There are a couple chains that were here at one time and left. Dunkin Donuts and Denny’s, albeit unhealthy choices, lol.
I love some of the local, non-chain places like the Chef’s Table, Lori’s etc.
I’d like to see some of the restaurants that everyone is mentioning be placed in downtown Erie. The center city needs a boost and for every dining/shopping/entertainment establishment placed on the fringe of the city, that is one less chance to redevelop downtown. Now, I very much enjoy the suburbs; I live there. But a good city and region needs a solid core.
A bowling alley/movie theatre/ice sktaing/entertainment complex downtown would be ideal. How about west of the Blasco Library in that empty area? We need things on the Bayfront if the Convention Center is really going to take off and draw people to Erie for conventions. Who wants to schedule a convention to a city with scant options for entertainment?
An aquarium on the GAF site.
Seeing how Wal-Mart has taken a stranglehold on the market in the Erie area with all its new stores, how about a similar type mega-store that can compete with Wal-Mart and keep its prices in check: Meijer.
If I were to pick one chain establishment, I’d go with Boston Market. Then place it in the Boston Store…
What I want is simply this: well constructed roads.
I’ve lived in identical climates in the US and Europe and nowhere but Erie have the roads been a joke.
What’s the point of driving to some new eatery if your car gets brutalized on the way there?
I’ve got lots of ideas. I’m keeping them to myself! Muahahaha!
Hey, anyone want to loan me like $2m?
An aquarium.
How about some jobs?
CHEESEE CAKE FACTORYYY! or a PF CHANGSSS:D!!!! maybe a teen dance club that is permanent not just renting some place out…..
My friend was right! Chipotle is opening in early fall at the site of the old Bruster’s on Peach Street.
I couldn’t be more excited!!! Hopefully ERIE SUPPORTS THIS AMAZING RESTAURANT!!!!!
I think Erie needs an IHOP and some well paying jobs :)
I would love to see a Trader Joe’s come into Erie. I think we are paying way to much for Organic and Whole Food in this town.
I have been to places like Portland OR and Tucson AZ and they have much larger selections of Organic and Whole Foods there and pay much less then what you pay in Erie.
I think we start off first with Chipotle, then Five Guys, then MAYBE we can talk apple into moving in. After that, a PF CHANGS or some competition for cinemark, maybe dinner and a movie ( the theater chain has a name). While we are at it throw in FIOS cable and internet for the fact Time warner has ZERO competition!Lastly, more independent theaters, hookah bars, more concert halls and “entertainment district type” things erie lacks.
Carls JR. was an excellent meal from the West coast, wish we had one but I’m not holding my breath on that
What about a few healthly options such as Tropical Smoothies Cafe?
I am so happy there is a 5 guys in town finally. What I am waiting for though is a Waffle House. And of course the Apple store.
What is it with young folks and chain food places? Get out and try some real original restaurants, not cookiecutter places with the same unoriginal menus. What has caused this? Lack of imagination? Laziness?
I would love to see a Sonic burger drive in, hardees, Ikea and a costco. looks like we are getting a five guys soon near tinseltown!