Azalea-New Restaurant?

Does anyone out there know what will be going into the now defunct Azalea?

[Robin Garr]

Does anyone out there know what will be going into the now defunct Azalea?

Molly, there was a rumor (discussed in an Azalea closing topic somewhere down the forum) that either Porcini or a group of investors including some Porcini people and maybe Rick Pitino were taking a close look. Haven't heard any recent follow-up, though.

Last I heard there was talk about Porcini's and Pitino, but only talk. I don't think anyone has an offer to go in there at this point.

Does anyone out there know what will be going into the now defunct Azalea?

Molly, there was a rumor (discussed in an Azalea closing topic somewhere down the forum) that either Porcini or a group of investors including some Porcini people and maybe Rick Pitino were taking a close look. Haven't heard any recent follow-up, though.

I'll buy it!!..........(hope they'll take a credit card.....)

Last I heard Ricky P won out on the bid for the lease, and that it will open again under the name Azalea....Rick's right hand man Tim Coury (sp?) from Porcini will be highly involved.

Ok! I have to set the record straight. I was in Miami the past few days with a few of my chefs, doing a little reserch for the new place. Coach Pitino was doing some recruiting and spending some time at his beautiful home in Miami. I talked to him about the rumor, about him opening a restaurant, and he said " I did hear this , but it's not true, I'm to busy to have a restaurant" I was told that no restaurant was going there, but in fact, that Walgreens had purchased the spot. I'm so surprised that no other restaurant is going there, because it's a prime location. Anyways, this was told to me from Pitino himself. I tell you, rumors, rumors, rumors! Like that song " look at all these rumors around me everyday, I just need some time, to make them go away" Gosh! do I know this.

As of yesterday, no one has purchased the property.

I heard on Wave3 tonight it is going to be a Walgreens...Louisville apparently doesn't have enough, just like we don't have enough Starbucks...(sarcasm intended of course:)

That is too nice of a spot, and building really, to have run over by rampant capitalism! Somebody buy it already! Give us something good to eat!

But I am excited about this research in Miami you speak of....

how the hell is a Walgreen's gonna fit in that space?


demolition?

[Robin Garr]

how the hell is a Walgreen's gonna fit in that space?


demolition?

Walgreen's generally demolishes and rebuilds, doesn't it? Seems like that would stir up a certain amount of community outrage with a somewhat historic building. Maybe Leah can give us some technocratic insight on this.

Walgreen's generally demolishes and rebuilds, doesn't it?

Yeap... putting up a cookie cutter building at every turn.

At least Starbucks has the decency to either use existing buildings or, when building new ones, put up something that isn't identical to every other location.

[Robin Garr]

Yeap... putting up a cookie cutter building at every turn.

And they're mostly that hokey design that looks like a two-story building but really isn't.

This seems almost crazy, though, given that they just opened a new one at Frankfort and Bauer, midway between the two that were already fairly close at Frankfort and Ewing and Frankfort and Fairmeade. This will be the fourth in Crescent Hill/St. Matthews!

Walgreen's business model is to always locate stores in the best possible real estate locations. One of the values of owning the company stock is that it is the owner of some of the most prime commercial real estate in the country. I wonder how those hoity-toity folks in the million dollar homes around there are going to like this?

They actually lease most of their stores - owned fewer than 20% at the end of last year. That still means they own more than a couple thousand, though.

I marvel that their ability to expand without cannibalizing their other stores (or at least the don't admit it).