Modernize Fulton Mall And The People Will Come.
This may sound like beating a "dead horse" but my opinion about the Fulton Mall is that its ambience needs to be desperately redesigned or rennovated. When I go to visit this place, the first thing I notice is it's dreary appearance which makes it even more dingier than it looks. It lacks color, lighting, and most of all, a modern architechtural design. Gee folks, "appearance/impression" goes hand in hand. If we want to attract quality merchants/customers/visitors you've got to give the people the feeling like they got to visit a special, modern, attractive, clean, safe, and entertaining place. We need to create an appearance that would appeal to the "lust of the eyes", and "pride of life" senses of the public and prospective merchants/businesses.
Heck, maybe the problem with Fulton Mall is the lack of vision, and commitment from the leaderships of this city. This city can only reap what it sows. And folks, this is just my opinion....
...wellllll
Not sure about this part of the country, but back east there were a few of the heavy 'themed,' restaurants (such as hard-rock) that were kind of flagging.
---now there are different trends that have come and gone in some areas that have yet to hit here,
--or might last here longer,,, but I do recall -years ago, hearing that Hard Rock, (at least,) was going off peak.
(I've been in them, they're decorated with cool stuff, but I don't recall it being 'Multi-Use' --whereas House of Blues had a music venue built in that was actually promoted as such.)
-House of Blues was also kind of reporting hit and miss, though it seemed to have higher peaks and lower lows.
(I think it had a lot to do with what the local crowd was really into, --such as places like 'RaceRock' and such at areas that were strong into motorsports, --Historic Music towns would do better with House of Blues, HardRock, or BBKings.)
Something that might still be viable, (which I don't know if they are so big out here,) would be something a more exotic trend (such as Rainforest Cafe, Dave and Busters, or Jeckyll and Hydes.
-Rainforest Cafe,,, --sort of like elephant bar but much much more into a whole rainforest theme, lots of running water, very forest floor-like, huge butterflies, a snake here and there,,, animated (as in moving, not as in cartoon) --but more fun and 'exotic,' fel than creepy.
---sort of a cross between everybody's dream of Hawaii and King Kong.. (very family friendly,,, pretty cool actually.)
-Dave and Busters,,, --um,,, okay, picture Chuck-E-Cheese for people who are mid-to late 20's to 30's and up... kind of like a big funville for folks who are cleared to drink... It's a huge place of cool stuff to do with friends. Sort of had a bit of a 'boardwalk arcade' feel.
Jeckyll and Hydes,,, --two in NY. (one mid town, one down) (2)slightly different venues, one more jungle, the other more Sherlock Holmes Goth Library...
-picture eating in an old movie that was about savages, jungles, lost explorers, spears, old books, creepy Butlers, and the like... oil lamps, animated shrunken heads that all at once will break out into song, -haunted tables that start to vibrate or move around a bit, ---and having to feel around a library until you find the right book to pull, ---so you can use the loo...
(they have guides/waitpersons there to pull the book for you, if you're dancing around really having to go...)
A little on the dark side (both in terms of lighting and creepy,) but the food was really good, -and it was an atmosphere that you'd go to a couple of times, --then drag your friends and family to because it was cool.
These are also in High Tourist areas (even outside of NY, they are in malls and such that have a TON of cross traffic,)
The most viable idea may be like a Dave and Busters, as you can come back and hang out there frequently, and not feel like 'been there-done that.'
I hate to say it, though, whatever it is, it is going to have to be more wanting to attract a 'club,' crowd, that is more into the gritty... At least until the area around the Mall illuminates and has more of a 'safe,' feel to it.
(that means significant, but smaller numbers than, say, plunking something down into an area like Riverpark...)
--If there was a good club that pulled in the sort of acts that 'House of Blues,' hosts, (or BBKings) tend to put in their circuit, I'd make it a point to go.
---I also like what I read about govt. subsidising (sp?) on another thread for downtown venues.
1917
I just walked the Mall at noon this week and I enjoy the old architectural look, I'd hate to see a cheap modern look to the place.
It's really not that dirty, I mean all the fountains are clean and don't have lots of trash flooding in them.
The only thing that bugs me about the mall is it feels like I'm walking in Mexico or downtown L.A. with all the Spanish culture that hear and see from most all of the shops and stands, even though the Mall's speakers plays music in English, It gives you a mix.
People will not come for a Modernize mall but it seems that people come for National Franchises... like a Cheesecake Factory or places like that... this is why Fresno needs a Hard Rock Cafe located right on the Mall or in the new area they want to build south of the Mall, I think it would be great if they remove some old eye sore building a keep the repairable ones and made the Mall go all the way to it's dead end at Highway 41 or at least to Venture. I can see a Hard Rock Cafe located on Fulton and Venture, when the city takes out that area near Yoshi Now and redevelops it. remember Hard Rock Cafe is not just a restaurant but also a Music memorabilia Museum. But then maybe Bakersfield would get one before Fresno would, you know Sacramento has one.
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