B'game continues to have two vibrant downtowns. Broadway and the Avenue retail spaces aren't "full", but both districts appear healthy to me. In another sign of how attractive the Ave is, San Mateo's B Street Books is moving to the west end of the Ave into the space of the former piano store. I have wondered how a shop like Joe and the Juice could survive in a pretty big space on coffee sales, but I think B Street is quite capable of bringing bookselling back to the Ave.
They had a sixteen-year run in San Mateo, on B Street of course, so there is a built-in customer base that will like the Ave as much as B Street -- or more. I hope I'm right and welcome to B'game. Now the B in B Street Books can stand for B'game.
This should brighten up the duller end of the avenue. The phone company building is an unfortunate necessity I guess.
Posted by: Handle Bard | April 17, 2025 at 03:46 PM