KCRag Forum

KCMax wrote: Restaurant Row sounds like some strip mall at 151st and Nall.

Actually, it sounds like the other stupid names throughout KC that tends to color a disfavorful picture in one's mind prior to even seeing the place. 

KC's cultural center is built up around Cleaver II Blvd, jeez, what were they thinking when they renamed that.  And Science City.  I guess Restaurant Row fits right end but it's better suited for the approach street to the Legends than it is Midtown KC. 

What about the fact there are a lot of other things on W 39th besides restaurants? Not only a dumb name itself, but completely misleading to would-be tourists. I'd be pissed if I was any one of the dozens of non-restaurants.

KCMax wrote: I guess 39th is officially being re-branded "Restaurant Row." Signs going up and everything.

It's been called restaurant row for 15 years.  The only thing that is new is that the Volker Neighborhood Association partnered with the 39th Street CID to replace the banners, so now they have Volker on one side and 39th on the other.

trailerkid wrote: What about the fact there are a lot of other things on W 39th besides restaurants? Not only a dumb name itself, but completely misleading to would-be tourists.

I love 39th St.  But, come on, what "other things" on W. 39th St. are tourists going to frequent?  KU Med?

KC-wildcat wrote: I love 39th St.  But, come on, what "other things" on W. 39th St. are tourists going to frequent?  KU Med?

What are you saying you wouldn't pay a premium to go get your liqour or your tattoos in a well branded neighborhood? 

KC-wildcat wrote: I love 39th St.  But, come on, what "other things" on W. 39th St. are tourists going to frequent?  KU Med?

Off the top of my head:
Volker Bikes
Boomerang
Chop Tops
Donna's Dress Shop
Retro Vixen
Prospero's
Rock Candy
Zebedee's
Dizzy Dame's
?

39th W used to be restaurant row. It's evolving into something more like an urban, mini version of South Congress in Austin where you go to find hip stores and salons.

There really

trailerkid wrote: Off the top of my head:
Volker Bikes
Boomerang
Chop Tops
Donna's Dress Shop
Retro Vixen
Prospero's
Rock Candy
Zebedee's
Dizzy Dame's
?

39th W used to be restaurant row. It's evolving into something more like an urban, mini version of South Congress in Austin where you go to find hip stores and salons.

There really

I don't disagree on your general point.  But can you really count the places east of SW TFWY, like Boomerang?  Folks are 100x more likely to walk there from westport and associate it with that neighborhood than they are to walk there or associate it from W39th proper.  Gomers and Walgreens are technically on W 39th street too but it would be absurd to suggest they are part of that neighborhood.  Does the W. 39th neighborhood run all the way to Main in your mind?

LenexatoKCMO wrote: I don't disagree on your general point.  But can you really count the places east of SW TFWY, like Boomerang?  Folks are 100x more likely to walk there from westport and associate it with that neighborhood than they are to walk there or associate it from W39th proper.  Gomers and Walgreens are technically on W 39th street too but it would be absurd to suggest they are part of that neighborhood.  Does the W. 39th neighborhood run all the way to Main in your mind?

OK...take off Boomerang + Chops Tops. Does that even matter? Because Boomerang was an original W 39th tenant and is an obvious outgrowth of that retail energy within the larger neighborhood I included it in the discussion. And let's not pretend more than a dozen whites are walking anywhere in Midtown. Parking and then walking...yes.

trailerkid wrote: And let's not pretend more than a dozen whites are walking anywhere in Midtown. Parking and then walking...yes.

Live nearby and walk in and around all these joints on a regular basis and I am about as pasty colored as it gets.  But I guess I must just be one of the dozen. 

LenexatoKCMO wrote: Live nearby and walk in and around all these joints on a regular basis and I am about as pasty colored as it gets.  But I guess I must just be one of the dozen.  

you walk down 39th past SW Trafficway to Broadway & Main (a reasonable distance for anyone that lives in a real city)? Wasn't that the topic of your argument about walking?

trailerkid wrote: And let's not pretend more than a dozen whites are walking anywhere in Midtown.

Have you ever actually been in Midtown, or have you ever only driven through it?  100% serious question.

Does anyone here ever say "i'm heading to Restaurant Row"?

I always say "west 39th" and most everyone understands what i'm saying.

ComandanteCero wrote: Does anyone here ever say "i'm heading to Restaurant Row"?

I always say "west 39th" and most everyone understands what i'm saying.

Yeah...I just say "I'll be on 39th street." There's really only a few other places I have ever been (like in) on 39th, like the Carribean joint, an apartment with basement shows, native american center, and some sort of life affirming scuffle in the crack stop when I lived on warwick. But I mean people get it.

dangerboy wrote: Have you ever actually been in Midtown, or have you ever only driven through it?  100% serious question.

walked it, biked it, bussed it. i don't have a car.

trailerkid wrote: OK...take off Boomerang + Chops Tops. Does that even matter? Because Boomerang was an original W 39th tenant and is an obvious outgrowth of that retail energy within the larger neighborhood I included it in the discussion. And let's not pretend more than a dozen whites are walking anywhere in Midtown. Parking and then walking...yes.

photo by me.

Hard deck my ass. We nailed that son of a bitch. [gives Goose a high five] 

warwickland wrote:

photo by me.

Hard deck my ass. We nailed that son of a bitch. [gives Goose a high five] 

If I was to a show one photo to a person that represents the urban housing stock in KC, this would be it.

trailerkid wrote: you walk down 39th past SW Trafficway to Broadway & Main (a reasonable distance for anyone that lives in a real city)? Wasn't that the topic of your argument about walking?

If I go past boomerang its on the way to westport.  Regardless, no one is going to associate the actual W.39th neighborhood with destinations that are past many blocks of pedestrian hostile bullshit and a vast expressway.  I'd say its pretty debatable whether you would even count Missie B's/Mamas as W39th neighborhood amenities - other side of the tfwy?  forgeddaboutit. 

trailerkid wrote: Off the top of my head:
Volker Bikes
Boomerang
Chop Tops
Donna's Dress Shop
Retro Vixen
Prospero's
Rock Candy
Zebedee's
Dizzy Dame's
?

39th W used to be restaurant row. It's evolving into something more like an urban, mini version of South Congress in Austin where you go to find hip stores and salons.

Again, these aren't tourist destinations.  But, there isn't really a need to mince words here.  The point is that marketing a name like "restuarant row" isn't going to confuse people and drive off any non-food-seeking consumers.  Hell, I didn't even know about the restuarant row marketing scheme and I ate lunch at the Jazz last Thursday. 

LenexatoKCMO wrote: If I go past boomerang its on the way to westport.  Regardless, no one is going to associate the actual W.39th neighborhood with destinations that are past many blocks of pedestrian hostile bullshit and a vast expressway.  I'd say its pretty debatable whether you would even count Missie B's/Mamas as W39th neighborhood amenities - other side of the tfwy?  forgeddaboutit.   

pedestrian hostile bullshit like parking lots for Chipotle, Starbucks, & convenience stores?

Not to change the topic - but I was told last night that d'Bronx is opening a location on Johnson Drive.  This could be old news to everyone else, but I hadn't heard it before.