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Content from our friends over at Barking Dogs

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Empty spaces piling up on Lower Greenville in Dallas

by Avi Adelman of Barking Dogs

If you've walked along Lower Greenville in the daytime (when it's safer), you could not help but notice lots of empty spaces. It's not an April Fools joke when you're the landlord with thousands of empty square feet collecting dust (or worse).

The latest victims - Speakeasy was locked out in the last few days, for failing to pay rent (the usual reason). After two different owner / operators, things were on shaky ground. Last year, Speakeasy was busted by the TABC from selling liquor - so they gave it away (and got in trouble doing that too).

A recent non-bar closing is the Art Lily (across Oram Street from Whisky Bar), which from the outside looked like an antiques store with a coffee service. BD's not sure what it was, since it was never open when we went by. The space was locked out by the landlord a few weeks ago.

And further down the street, Martin Bros. Custom Bikes evacuated the premises for cheaper rent. Sources tell BD they gave up a few thousand square feet on Lower Greenville for almost five thousand square feet on Industrial Boulevard - at a lower price.

Madison Partners leads the body count of empty spaces - Speakeasy, Side Bar, Kalo (sp?), and Lucky's/Beagle. Right behind them is Andres Properties, with the former Stout still empty despite rumors of a country-western restaurant (yee-haw). Across the street, the tattoo shop moved a few doors up the block into a larger space, leaving behind an empty smaller space.

If the recent past is a guide - and throw in the bad economy for good measure - things will only get worse out here. Three more streets on the east side of Greenville will go Resident Parking Only by the beginning of summer, which is going to make a dent in businesses that still claim neighborhood streets for their patrons. Last year, four new RPO streets contributed (although we can't quantify how much) to the closing of six bars.

You have to wonder how some of these businesses have managed to stay open, if they are only open for business three nights a week, when rents are sky-high and your landlord gets a cut of the alcoholic beverage sales (a.k.a. a tzedakah).

For those who think paying $10 to park at the former Whole Foods property, fear not - there is still plenty of free parking in the residential area north of Belmont Avenue.

Pegasus News content partner - Barking Dogs

Staff
Verified User
Anonymous

Sounds like to me Avi and his tactics, not to mention the economy are the reasons alot of these places have closed down. Congrats Avi, you've chased alot of good businesses out of the neighborhood. Hope you happy with yourself.

Chris Kidd Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Nothing like and old man with a camera taking pictures of people going to the bathroom to run off customers. It disgusts me to thing anyone is happy to see businesses close. I know that parking is a problem, hey Avi, why don't we turn the old Whole Foods into a city run parking garage?

P.S. If we can prove that any of the people that Avi took pictures of going to the bathroom were minors, can't he be charged as a sex offender?

Andrew Anonymous

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Certainly takes a special kind of prick to get his rocks off over neighborhood businesses closing.

Wondering how long it will take before a disgruntled bar owner "didn't see" Avi crossing the street...

Scott Doyle Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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With the new checkpoint which passed the Texas House yesterday, I am glad to have bars within walking distance from my house.

Do the bars need to get better? Yes, but I cannot help and think that Avi's actions are driving away the customers of some of the good bars.

Andrew Anonymous

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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"It's not an April Fools joke when you're the landlord with thousands of empty square feet collecting dust (or worse)."

The only joke here is the douche who consistently does all he can to deter business on lower Greenville...

Travis Bush Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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The economy is down so let's revel in more business closings. Unreal.

xdavidwattsx Anonymous

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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With the new checkpoint which passed the Texas House yesterday...

Citation on this? Last I heard it has simply advanced through Senate and has yet to be considered in the House. Per <a href="http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=SB298">the bill's page</a> on Texas Legislature Online, House status is simply having received it from Senate today...didn't even have it yesterday.

Scott Doyle Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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According to NBC/D Magazine it passed. However, I took a second look Scott and it looks like it might be only through the Senate. Here is the citation from NBC.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Sobr...

Andrew Anonymous

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Poor old Greenville, the Los Lobos from South of the Boarder are now moving out after 25 years and the area needs urban love and observations, do they really need more parking for folks who drive their wheel chairs down there..

How about a nice place or two opening up again...patience, besides, St Patrick's day is over with and no good clover came to the area..ehh..A/T,

..Wish em good on Greeville, it is apart of Dallas..

alexander troup Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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<r>Alas my childhood neighborhood:</r> Take the Arcadia theater burning, taking Nuevo Leon with it, and the unfortunate business climate nationally sprinkled with crimes and a murder report here and there.....Then the death nell of Whole Foods disappearing added to another dash of towed autos (that were parked where business owners said they could legally). All you can do is say Avi Maria and pray that Lower Greenville has any future worth celebrating.

Rawlins Gilliland Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Once a Grand Urban Oasis for me in the 1970's and 80's, it has seen it good days and now...they could be better....all of downtown is comming back to life, and by 2012 the city will look great and yet I fear it will be one big fort...

While places like Greenville,true Gilliland... that part of Dallas we once loved,... is now gone forever, and yet that is how we do realize such...it is gone and gone with the wind...oh well,A/T..FRANKLY MY DEAR,I DONT GIVE A DAMM....RHET..

alexander troup Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Avi is a bitter old goy(yep, he's a gentile gang) who doesnt like his neighbors, plain and simple. I know of quite a few people up and down belmont avenue who want him gone and his tarpaper shack torn down. I wonder if he'll still be in the neighborhood after his Tzedakah from the "association" dries up, seeing that the only money he's pulling down these days.

Chris Kidd Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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I can't figure out the point Avi is trying to make here.

Woody Rosen Verified

7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Anyone else get a flyer from Avi in their mailbox yesterday? Since this flyer (which included a solitation for money) was unstamped, it is a violation of Section 508.3.1.3 of the Domestric Mail Manual. This section states in part:

"No part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle. Any mailable matter not bearing postage and found as described above is subject to the same postage as would be paid if it were carried by mail."

Why should people obey rules (whether they me local, state or federal) if he will not? It reminds me of the guy a few years ago that moved next to Lee Harvey's and started complaining, yet allowed his dog to dump on peoples lawns.