Boardman Street Woes

[Towntalk]

For your information there is a single group that determines what will come downtown and that is the downtown business association by whatever name it goes by, and it is their job to promote new businesses coming into their area. This group is independent of the Regional Chamber of Commerce.
My big gripe is now as it's always been that there are some blame fools that think an area's success is based on the number of restauranst are located in that area ... ie downtown. AND LIKE IT OR NOT, I STAND BY MY VIEWS ON THIS MATTER ... ALL OPINIONS TO THE CONTRARY NOT WITHSTANDING.
Some people think that we should take all our meals at the local restaurants every single day of the year. Buy your groceries at the local farmers market, and they go into a deep swoon over the fact that they purchased a couple of cookies, or apples from these markets.
I've voiced my opinion as to the direction that the downtown should be going and will not waste my breath repeating that opinion here, BUT I STAND BY MY VIEWS.

[Rick Rowlands]

Some of you talk as if there was some single entity deciding what businesses are established downtown and where, and if you could only convince that "man behind the curtain" of what is needed then all will be well.  In reality, each business downtown is a separate endeavor, started by people who think they can make a profit.  Some make it, others do not.  It may seem wasteful to basically be "throwing things up against the wall to see what sticks", but it is the best way to go. 

[Towntalk]

This is the very thing that I've been preaching lo these many years, but they have alas fallen on deft ears by the people that have the misguided opinion that it's just fine that restaurants by the dozens are what downtown Youngstown needs, and as, one by one we see them come and go, it still doesn't sink in that there come a point where you reach saturation, and their response without exception is to blame the public for not spending all their time eating out, running from one restaurant to the next, gorging down food like a Tasmanian Devil. We want to see more people to live downtown, yet we expect them to have to drive out to Liberty or Boardman to do their shopping. This is absolutely stupid on their part.
The first sign of insanity is doing the same failed thing over and over again hoping for a good outcome. This is precisely what has been happening so far as downtown Youngstown is concerned.
Downtown Youngstown is becoming a technology hub. It has many things to it's credit that we can build upon, and these things are drawing world wide attention. And with a number of our downtown buildings being converted to up market apartment buildings, the city must plan to service these people with services that will keep money in town and not in Boardman or Liberty. A full service grocery store, a drug store, a ladies boutique, a beauty/barber shop, a shoe store to name a few.
As for YSU, God knows that the University is filling the housing needs of  it's out of town students just fine, and with it's enrollment in decline, there is little need to use valuable space in the downtown area for more student housing, and any opinion to the contrary is flat out wrong. No, it's both blind and down right stupid.

[Peggy Gurney]

IMO, there are too many of the same kind of businesses downtown vying for the public's dollars.


However, that is not the case with Los Gallos downtown. Their problem was poor management, and even poorer cooking.
Every single time I've been there, with the last time being a group of ladies and I getting together for drinks and appetizers, the food took a long time getting to the table, and it was cold when it finally reached us.  All 10 of us had to send back our plates to be warmed or chose something else. My tacos were just plain nasty.
I have been to 2 other Los Gallos locations and they were great.


The restaurant really was in a great location. Look how long Cafe Cimmento successfully ran their business there.  However, it is difficult for any business to thrive on these back streets such as Boardmand and Front street, because the hub of everything happening in downtown is W. Federal.  This is going to be the case until the downtown district is officially expanded.

[YoungstownBiker]

Unfortunate such a well-established business couldn't survive downtown. The other side of downtown, overall, isn't doing so hot aside from a few places. I think either Club Blue or Taphouse will be next to close.

[jay]

Although being the closest restaurant to the Convocation Centre, I find it interesting that this restaurant and its predecessor have now closed.

If you still would like to eat Mexican food, try
Casa Ramirez Mexican Restaurant
1578 Mahoning Avenue
West Side of Youngstown

[Towntalk]

Historically, Boardman Street; and Front Street as well as Commerce Street had little or no retail businesses. Most of the businesses on Boardman and Front streets were wholesale, saloons, and a smattering of fleebag hotels. East Commerce street also was mainly a wholesale area, while West Commerce had rear entrences to businesses on West Federal Street ... Dollar Bank, Stambaugh Thompson, Strouss, McKelvey's, a smattering of Hotels, warehouses, and the Erie train station.
90% of the retail businesses were along Federal Street and the side streets west of the square.

[Towntalk]

What is wrong with Boardman Street that it can't retain businesses there? A Mexican Restaurant is closing and another is auctioning off all it's goods.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/oct/17/downtown-youngstown-eatery-closing-galle/