I have some ideas on stores for the new shopping center - stores that won't compete or duplicate what HEB will include (coffee shop, greeting cards, flowers, limited banking services, video rentals, and photographic processing).

Also, lets suggest that they provide a FREE wireless network for the entire shopping center and HEB (WI-FI). It's easy and cheap to setup - most local coffee and sandwich shops already have this service - why not do the whole shopping center. It's the kind of village centric thing that keeps people entertained with laptops and PDAs.


My short list includes:
+ Mail Center (w/ post office boxes)
+ Package Store
+ Ice Cream shop

Restaurants :
(Carry out / Pick-up is OK - NO Drive-up)
BBQ (Salt Lick, Art's, County Line, etc.)
Steak (Outback,Steak & Ale,Houston's, etc.)
Breakfast (IHOP,Trudy's,Magnolia Cafe)
KIDS (Hangtown, Pizza)

Others:

Florist ?
Bookstore ?
Hardware ? (local like Breeds or Harolds )
Luby's, Furr's

Unwanted stores:
* (usually require drive-up services)
No Dry Cleaners *
No Branch Banks *
No Video Stores *
No Sandwich/Subway shops *
No Barber Shop/Nail Salon
No Photography *
No Drug Stores *
No Mexican food (got too many of those)


Drive-up services are great, but if we ever allow ANY drive up services, we will never be able to keep out the Fast Food and Junk Food vendors. If you need a drive up Bank or Dry Cleaners, they are easy to find and there are plenty to use in any direction. Lets try to focus on businesses that provide community services and goods for limited area and those that will offer good jobs, too.

I think we have to avoid 24x7 store hours. HEB already is pushing the envelope with 5 am to 1 am ours. (only closed for 4 hours). If you need something at 2 am, it's already hard to find, but it's nothing you can't get at a nearby store outside of a neighborhood.


Please share your own ideas here. Does anyone in the neighborhood have business that they want to start-up that would fit in this new shopping center ?

My 2 cents worth

I agree with a lot of what you said Russ.

My wife suggested a Hallmark Card & Gift shop, mostly for the wide range of Gifts.

Restaurant Ideas:
(Carry out / Pickup is OK - No Drive-up)
?• Zio's
?• Macaroni Grill
?• Outback
?• California Pizza Kitchen
?• Chuy's (I agree we don't need ''another'' Mexican restaurant, but this is my exception)
?• A Successful Independently owned restaurant such as Reale's Pizza & Cafe, Frank & Angie's, Austin Land & Cattle Co. or Katz's would be great.
?• I'd go with a Golden Coral, if we had something in that category.

Other specialty Suggestions:
?• Daycare Center (NEEDED)
?• Mail center/package store
?• Full Service Beauty Salon
?• Movie theater (NOT a?  huge Megaplex)
?• Ben & Jerry's would be cool.

Neighbors, Have ideas you want to suggest to Stratus?

Post your ideas here and email Stratus, they want to hear from you, here's the email address at Stratus:
Lswan@stratusproperties.com

3 Cents & Counting

Personally I am sick of chain restaurants, fast (junk) food.

Hope 'bout something healthy? Like a small natural foods store or better yet, a healthy food restaurant that sells more then just meat & potatoes.
Or how 'bout a smoothie place?
I'll betcha this thought is not going to go over well with this Circle C crowd. I forgot, I'm not living on South Congress but I thought I'd try!

A bookstore would also be nice.

3 Cents & 1 = 4

I forgot....

P.F. CHANGS'S OR A THAI REST.

PLEASE NO MORE BBQ...

DRIVE TO THE SALT LICK DOWN THE ROAD