Visions for Vacancies: Plush Gelato
What do you want to see in the former shop at Park Street and Maple Avenue?
Though Plush Gelato will apparently sell its frozen sweets at local Smart Markets this year, their storefront at Park Street and Maple Avenue is gone.
On its Facebook page, the business — which opened in fall 2010 — cited high rent as main motivation for shutting its doors.
Plush Gelato was the creation of Dinh Luong and her husband Henry. While there are a number of places to get Gelato and other frozen treats around town — including Sweet City Desserts and Nielsen's Frozen Custard — fans would flock to the store in summer months for its fresh ingredients and unique flavors, randing from Tiramasu to Basil Mint.
The business expects to start selling at Smart Markets this year, it said on its Facebook page.
Now that the storefront is vacant, though, there's room for a new business to move in.
The location is not without its challenges. Patch readers have detailed the shop's lack of parking, which Plush shared with Michel Rene for Hair, among other businesses. The issue deters customers from even bothering to stop in the stores on the corner, readers said.
Others said the building itself is an eyesore.
What would you like to see in the space? What do you think the community wants, or needs? What kind of business could flourish in the spot?
About Visions for Vacancies: Patch users weigh in on what they would like to see in vacant lots and storefronts throughout their community.
Grace Pool
9:04 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
Anything, so long as the steps are replaced with a more accessible entrance.
Laura B.
9:30 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
It's a problem location. It lacks parking and it's not ideal for foot traffic either.
Here in Vienna we have most types of businesses already. Certainly let's not encourage any more banks, mattress stores, or upscale groceries. We do lack a bookstore, but I wouldn't put one there.
John Smith1
10:07 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
Agree with L Bligh's observations. Anything other than a bank or a drug paraphernalia outlet (which some may recall having been in that location many years ago).
Erica R. Hendry
10:57 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
One reader said on our Facebook page this weekend "I see nothing surviving at that location. Zero parking."
What kind of businesses can get by without a lot of parking? Thoughts?
Cambria
3:58 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
What kind of businesses can get by without a lot of parking? Well, just look at the Starbucks/Chipotle/Noodles & Co. Right across the street from Micheal Rene. That parking lot is a nightmare and how the powers that be approved so many stores with clearly inadequate parking spaces is vexing.
Wien
8:48 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
They benefit greatly from overflow parking in the Walgreens lot. Sadly the Rene building doesn't have that option, unless you sneak in the garage behind.
Isabella Lawen
4:00 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
TRADER JOES!!!!!
Wilma
11:39 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Get real! You are joking right? How would anyone be able to shop without a parking lot? There is no answer to this. I can't think of anything you could put there - that would survive. I don't know how the other businesses have made it this long. The rent for small businesses in Vienna is rapidly pushing everything "interesting" out of town. If you are not a big "chain" - you can't make it. It's only a matter of time, for many of the little shops and stores along Maple Avenue. Can nothing be done about this? Doesn't the town of Vienna make enough money in taxes (Every little house in town is disappearing for big monster houses - who pay lots and lots of taxes to the town) to keep commercial rent down? The town was ruined once - in the 50's - with everything old and with character destroyed. Can't something be done to retain what little character is now left?
Laura B.
8:38 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
I don't see how the Town government can decree what rents the private property owners can charge, any more than they can say "No more banks or mattress stores." We are not a totalitarian state. Rents are presumably high because Vienna is a desirable location. (That corner building we're discussing here, however, is not a desirable location, at least, not for retail.)
The parking situation for Starbucks/Chipotle/Noodles & Co is a different matter -- clearly a mistake I don't think the Town will repeat.
Viennian
6:02 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
I always wanted to try the gelato there but never went because there was no parking. At the same time, the vacuum store and nail salon upstairs have been there for years so I'm not sure what should be there next but whatever it is, it will have to be good enough for people to overlook the parking issues.