Help save a Louisville landmark

http://www.louisville.com/content/are-t ... s-numbered

[Robin Garr]

http://www.louisville.com/content/are-twig-and-leaf%E2%80%99s-days-numbered

Here's the story. Anybody who cares to attend the meeting on Tuesday at noon, crowds do tend to be influential on decisions like that:

Are Twig and Leaf’s days numbered?
by Eve Bohakel Lee for Louisville.com
Wed, 03/17/2010

A Cleveland-based property development firm is acting on behalf of CVS to investigate purchasing a strip of property along Bardstown Rd. near Douglass Loop for a new store. The current buildings include the Twig and Leaf, the landmark diner that has stood at the corner of Bardstown and Douglass since 1941. Also in the strip are the properties formerly occupied by Dragon Garden and Club Grotto, up to 121 Main Place Hair Studio and Dundee Candy Shop.

“CVS told this company, The Zaremba Group, to look for a corner in the Highlands,” says Terra Long, legislative assistant to Councilman Tom Owen (8th District). “They asked for a very, very preliminary meeting to see what kind of hoops they’d have to go through with the Bardstown Road Overlay District.” Kroger owns the property at 2410 Bardstown Rd., on which the nearest CVS stands, but wants to reclaim the space once the drugstore’s lease expires.

As part of the investigation, Long says citizens are invited to a meeting for a preliminary review of the proposal. “They’re expecting a lot of people—that corner is one of the hot points in the Highlands,” with Deer Park, Highland-Douglass and Belknap all coming to a point at that corner.

“I personally think it’s the worst thing that could possibly happen to the neighborhood,” says Maria Moore, who owns Dundee Candy Shop. “I don’t like it. It would be a shame to lose businesses that have been in the neighborhood for so many years. I can’t imagine that corner without the Twig.”

Despite the potential outcry over the loss or relocation of local businesses, a drugstore of CVS’ scale promises to be a logistical nightmare. “Trafficwise, it’s a state road and they want an entrance off of Bardstown Rd. I don’t even know if they can even get a curb cut,” Long says.

The meeting will be held on Tues., March 23 at noon at 444 S. Fifth St., in the capacious first floor conference room.

Damn....you know we need another drug store, what's the big deal?

Like we need yet ANOTHER drugstore on yet ANOTHER corner...

This reminds me of the line from Demolition Man--"All restaurants are Taco Bell."

All buildings will soon be drugstores.

I don't really understand the justification for the incessant building of drugstores around town in light of the economy. They plopped a Walgreens in Fern Creek recently, and it's ALWAYS virtually empty.

Well, sounds like it isn't really another drug store. They're really just moving half a mile from their Kroger location, so probably a better location (not so close to Kroger's pharmacy or Walgreens on Trevillian).

I wish the docs would just stock some generic antibiotics for kiddo's ear infections and I could be pharmacy-free.

I'm curious what percentage of CVS sales are alcohol.

Also, That corner seems too small and cozy for a CVS. I doubt it'll work there.

I'm curious what percentage of CVS sales are alcohol.

I didn't think the drugstores here sold alcohol anymore????

I'm curious what percentage of CVS sales are alcohol.

I didn't think the drugstores here sold alcohol anymore????

most Rite Aids and CVS's carry a full stock of beer, wine and liquor...
though, I don't think I've seen a Walgreen's sell anything of the sort.

You know, I may not patronize the Twig and Leaf as much as some, but I really like the way that corner has looked since I have lived in this city and I would hate to see it razed by the Capitalist Juggernaut for the sole purpose of erecting (or relocating) yet another needless drugstore. Call me what you will, but if anything goes into that T&L spot it should be another small, indie store of some kind. Massive, gaudy construction already clutters too much of the Highlands as it is.

Were I in town, I would be at that meeting. I may send a proxy.

I'm curious what percentage of CVS sales are alcohol.

I didn't think the drugstores here sold alcohol anymore????

most Rite Aids and CVS's carry a full stock of beer, wine and liquor...
though, I don't think I've seen a Walgreen's sell anything of the sort.

Recent change for Walgreen's - as AM said, just wine and beer, no hard liquors.

I can remember when I was around 12 or 13 reading some sort of youth-aged book about some kids out on an adventure. One of the locations in the book (although not mentioned by name) was a cafe where the kids met a mysterious stranger. The illustration in the book was clearly the Twig & Leaf. I thought that was so very cool. I had breakfast in there last week. Nothing special but it was a perfectly prepared, bacon & eggs breakfast with good coffee served in that kind of funky atmosphere that is typical of diners. (You know, the kind that makes you feel like you're sitting in a Hopper painting?) I loved it and was glad I had stopped in.
Oh yeah, and of all the pharmacies in the world I find CVSs the most generic and bland.

Love Twig and Leaf. It was the training restaurant for my young kids. They learned how to eat out there. It would really suck to see a big new building on that corner.

You know, I may not patronize the Twig and Leaf as much as some, but I really like the way that corner has looked since I have lived in this city and I would hate to see it razed by the Capitalist Juggernaut for the sole purpose of erecting (or relocating) yet another needless drugstore. Call me what you will, but if anything goes into that T&L spot it should be another small, indie store of some kind. Massive, gaudy construction already clutters too much of the Highlands as it is.

My thoughts exactly, that is my neck of the woods . I visit every shop in the Douglas Loop bi-weekly if not twice a month - Cafe Lou Lou, Fat Jimmy's, Farrahs Cleaners, Hortons Hardware, Dundee Tavern, Graeters Ice Cream, of course Twig n Leaf to name a few

What that area REALLY needs is another bank. I think it's one of the few corners in the city without at least six banks on the same corner.

Slightly off topic, but as many of you will only eat at local restaurants, make sure you do the same with your pharmacy. Tons of independent pharmacies in town that would love to help you out.

I would like to see someone revamp the Twig into a diner with a creative, super awesome menu. But yeah, a CVS? Really? This along with the downtown bridge project shows the lack of ingenuity from our civic leaders. What are they going to tear down the whole block???