Cosentino's Grocery downtown

[scooterj]

Keep in mind too that some of these corporations that offer up in-house cafeterias also give their employees only half an hour for lunch.   If you don't have the benefit of a full hour, you're pretty much limited to what's in your building or on the surrounding block.

[PumpkinStalker]

You are different. You have no idea how many people use this as an excuse to not explore other options and remain ignorant about downtown in general. It encourages people to keep their heads in the sand.

True, I have no doubt that there are purely convenience motivated people out there, as well as like scooter said, those that are limited by their employers.  At that point, it's an issue with employers to either make the schedule such taht the employee works a longer day or has a shorter lunch.  Most likely, people would chose the shorter lunch is my guess.

Last week I went to Lulu's, Cosentino's, and Burrito Bros for lunch, ate once from home, and the other time used our cafeteria.  The Lulu's outing was with 6 other coworkers including our boss.  And it was another coworker's idea.  Our floor has mainly 20 somethings, so we're all very connected to what's going on downtown, and know all the great spots.  On other floors I'm sure the percentage of cafeteria diners is much higher. 

[WSPanic]

I'm sorry that I've touched a nerve on this issue. Do you work for a large food service provider?

Nope. No nerve touched. I eat out all of the time, love new options and do all I can to encourage others to explore downtown. I would never be a person to eat in the same cafateria or food court every day. I love eating and don't much care for being in the office - lunch is huge for me.

But, for some people, lunch is not an event. Being able to run downstairs and grab a quick sandwich, salad or whatever is a huge benefit to a lot of people. No time is taken and the work day is not interrupted (benefit to the employer as well).

I was just bemoaning the mentality that, in order to support downtown, you must be opposed to this corporate type of fare. It has its time and place and is a great benefit to many employees. To disparage them all is short-sighted and assumes everyone in the world should think just like you - or else they are wrong.

[staubio]

Nope. No nerve touched. I eat out all of the time, love new options and do all I can to encourage others to explore downtown. I would never be a person to eat in the same cafateria or food court every day. I love eating and don't much care for being in the office - lunch is huge for me.

But, for some people, lunch is not an event. Being able to run downstairs and grab a quick sandwich, salad or whatever is a huge benefit to a lot of people. No time is taken and the work day is not interrupted (benefit to the employer as well).

I was just bemoaning the mentality that, in order to support downtown, you must be opposed to this corporate type of fare. It has its time and place and is a great benefit to many employees. To disparage them all is short-sighted and assumes everyone in the world should think just like you - or else they are wrong.

Fair enough. I certainly understand the convenience and that different people have different needs. I'm not really attacking anyone's mentality or assuming I know best. I'm simply looking at the effect that places like these can have and how they can act as a detriment to achieving a diverse and integrated downtown. I don't think we're all that far apart on this issue.

Anyway, how about that grocery store!

[WSPanic]

Fair enough. I certainly understand the convenience and that different people have different needs. I'm not really attacking anyone's mentality or assuming I know best. I'm simply looking at the effect that places like these can have and how they can act as a detriment to achieving a diverse and integrated downtown. I don't think we're all that far apart on this issue.

I don't think so either. I agree - if every building had one of these and no one went outside - that would indeed suck. There's always a happy medium. If we had a grocery store with deli/salad bar earlier - perhaps none of these places would have needed to put their own place in.

Anyway, how about that grocery store!

I'm waiting to pass judgement until I see how the "white's only" sign next to the garage check-out lines looks in person.

[KC-wildcat]

I'm sorry, why is this issue still being debated?  P&L and the emergence of various other street level restuarants is, in fact, killing the "food courts."  People who are claiming that the availability of more dining options has no bearing on the popularity of food courts are delusional.  I've worked DT for a while now, and as such, I've been in the food courts at CCS, H&RB, and Transamerica (shich no longer exists). 

Before DT renaissance = packed.  After DT renaissance = not packed.   

It's that simple.  People are taking advantage of the opportunity to explore different restuarants.  5 years ago, the opportunity wasn't there. 

This is a good thing, right? 

[kcdcchef]

is there anything at all left in transamerica? i have not been in there in a couple of years. man, if so, that building suffered the hardest fall of all dt high rises.

when i fiirst moved dt, transamerica, nameless as just the town pavilion at the time, had a kaybee toys, a hallmark, a gnc, a walden bookstore, chinese fast food place, burger fast food place, mexican fast food place, sub sandwich fast food place, fried chicken place, pretzel place, and city scene restaurant on the ground floor, which, was a pretty damn good restaurant. that is a shame they lost all that. but in fairness, they were losing most of their stuff way before the p&l.

city center square, to me, is the one that held on the longest. and "back in the day", city center square's food court was the shit too. applebees, subway, mcd, baskin robbins, fried chicken, chinese, shoe shine place, one hour photomat, damn, dt circa 1992 had so much going in the lobbies and basements of those buildings right across the street from one another, wow.

[KC-wildcat]

when i fiirst moved dt, transamerica, nameless as just the town pavilion at the time, had a kaybee toys, a hallmark, a gnc, a walden bookstore, chinese fast food place, burger fast food place, mexican fast food place, sub sandwich fast food place, fried chicken place, pretzel place, and city scene restaurant on the ground floor, which, was a pretty damn good restaurant. that is a shame they lost all that. but in fairness, they were losing most of their stuff way before the p&l.

TransAmerica has been hit, but it's recovering.  Obviously, Transamerica, the largets tenant, moved out.  However, Bank Midwest moved in from CCS.  I believe the BW logo will soon replace to TA logo atop the building.  BW has a bank branch on the first floor, with offices above.  Really attractive.  The area that used to be the food court was fitted as office space.  The lobby of the Pavilion has really improved, IMO.  On the first floor of BW, commercial spaces have been filled by Planet Sub, Scooter's Coffee, Pizza Hut/KFC, Kinkos, and a smoothie place nextdoor to planet sub.  All of these places have street level entrances as well (except for PH/KFC).  The only vacant spaces are P. Ott's and the Mango Room.  P. Ott's appears to be in the process of being renovated.  Mango Room also won't be vacant too long.  IMO, it's one of the most attractive vacant commercial spots in the entire CBD. 

[kcdcchef]

TransAmerica has been hit, but it's recovering.  Obviously, Transamerica, the largets tenant, moved out.  However, Bank Midwest moved in from CCS.  I believe the BW logo will soon replace to TA logo atop the building.  BW has a bank branch on the first floor, with offices above.  Really attractive.  The area that used to be the food court was fitted as office space.  The lobby of the Pavilion has really improved, IMO.  On the first floor of BW, commercial spaces have been filled by Planet Sub, Scooter's Coffee, Pizza Hut/KFC, Kinkos, and a smoothie place nextdoor to planet sub.  All of these places have street level entrances as well (except for PH/KFC).  The only vacant spaces are P. Ott's and the Mango Room.  P. Ott's appears to be in the process of being renovated.  Mango Room also won't be vacant too long.  IMO, it's one of the most attractive vacant commercial spots in the entire CBD. 

i guess i am just kinda bummed that the whole food court is gone. i liked the concept of having the food court there in addition to the street level. i know that most on here hate food courts, i just think they are neat for large downtowns to have them in addition to all of the other options. and when i lived downtown in the early 1990's, it was awesome to go hang out in the food courts and shop on days off.

[geeman68]

I think I agree with a previous poster that the Mango Room spot would be great for s street level McDonald's. 

[moderne]

Hate to keep this off topic, but is the skywalk across 12th connecting through the Chambers now open?  If so how did the alterations to the TP affect this connection?

[ignatius]

Took a guy at work from Brooklyn today for eats.  He was having a hardon, with the intent to eat there daily.  He was into the gelato.

Picked up goods for making Thai larb tonite, all for $20 to serve 4 people.  They even had lemon grass.  I felt a bit guilty not getting the goods down in the City Market asian markets, where I normally go.

[DaveKCMO]

i guess seeing someone get an erection about gelato proves that this is indeed a very special supermarket.

[scooterj]

Hate to keep this off topic, but is the skywalk across 12th connecting through the Chambers now open?  If so how did the alterations to the TP affect this connection?

Unless there's a pathway I haven't found, you now have to go down the escalator, walk to the other end of the building on the ground floor, and go back up the other escalator.

Generally we don't use the skywalk because it takes longer and is boring, but if it's rainy or icy my co-workers and I will use the skywalks to get to Cosentino's, Chipotle, Flying Saucer, and Zoo Bar without getting quite as wet.      (I work in the Commerce Bank building.)

[Slappy the Wang]

I hope Cosentino's causes the River Market produce vendors to raise the bar on their offerings (or should I say, left overs from places like Cosentino's?).  How about mixing in some FRESH fruit and veggies once in a while?

[KCPowercat]

Shop the centers of city market, the surrounding areas are the leftovers. Still very useful but not for longterm storage.

[IraGlacialis]

Took a guy at work from Brooklyn today for eats.  He was having a hardon, with the intent to eat there daily.  He was into the gelato.

i guess seeing someone get an erection about gelato proves that this is indeed a very special supermarket.

 
Curse my visualizing mind.

[AllThingsKC]

Does anyone use the upstairs sitting area?  Seems like every time I go there, no one is using the upstairs dining area.  I know there's a dining area downstairs too.  But, but sitting areas have TVs, condiments, etc.  So, I would think that the upstairs area would be used too.

[aknowledgeableperson]

i guess i am just kinda bummed that the whole food court is gone. i liked the concept of having the food court there in addition to the street level. i know that most on here hate food courts, i just think they are neat for large downtowns to have them in addition to all of the other options. and when i lived downtown in the early 1990's, it was awesome to go hang out in the food courts and shop on days off.

Guess many here did not see the food court when the (then known as AT&T) Town Pavillon was opened.  There were two levels to the eating area with about 10 to 12 eating outlets.  You had Big Al's for hamburgers, a taco place, Chinese, Italian, Greek, a cold sandwich, a hot sandwich, fried chicken, and a few other choices.  I would go to lunch there after 1:00 just to avoid the crowd, sometimes even then you might have to wait for a table.  The retail spaces on the first two levels were busy most of the time.  It was a hub of activity.

It all started to go downhill when AT&T started its original cutback, I think in the early 90's.

[midtown]

The wife and I just made our initial trip.  Awesome place.  We had dinner from the deli and it was great, got some gelato, and picked up a couple other desserts from the cake area.  Great beer selection.  Awesome all around.  Love pretty much everything about the store.