In Memoriam: Ames Business/Restaurants

Is Smoking G's BBQ still on campus? They use to have a food cart/truck my junior and senior year. Always hit the spot for a quick bite between classes. It was over by the Farmhouse, Horticulture, and Troxel area. Had a class in Kildee and would stop and get a sandwich on my way to Gerdin for the rest of my day.
 
That is also my concern. They say that we should be able to park in the west lots - that are already half taken up by employees and service cars, and parking is already rough to find as it is. I have to go to City Hall once a month or more (during non pandemic times) for a city commission/board that I'm on, and it's a game of intricate timing to get a spot.
They are building a new parking lot on 6th street. Net loss of 1 spot I think when combined with the new on-street parking in front of city hall.
 
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It's not 0% but close

Who bought all the land/property? They spent $5-10 million to acquire all of it. I certainly hope they don't leave it empty for 15 years and then it just turns in to a couple box/retail type stores. Ames needs some more developments like what is being proposed.
 
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I think a lot of the changes Ames is wanting to make is trying to fill the void in appeal they had for the young professionals/postgrad crowd.

I lived in Ames a few years after college, and it did get better with places like Torrent and Alluvial, growth of the research park, etc. But DSM is still the place to be once you hit 25 or so.

Ames still has its college town charm, but I don’t blame them for wanting to close that gap.

I really enjoy Ames' non-college offerings these days. We've been going down for the football home opener the last few years, and while we mike make a swing through Campustown for some Es Tas tacos, or Inferno Wings at WAS, we usually don't stick around long and end up going out downtown.

We always hit Alluvial on our way into town Friday night, and stay at the Days Inn on Duff. From there you put together a little agenda of walking to Cellar 626, Cornbred to eat, and then hit Torrent, Della Viti, Whiskey River, and maybe Deano's and Sportsman's before turning in for the night and hitting Tip Top before the trek to Jack Trice.

Pretty good time.
 
Who bought all the land/property? They spent $5-10 million to acquire all of it. I certainly hope they don't leave it empty for 15 years and then it just turns in to a couple box/retail type stores. Ames needs some more developments like what is being proposed.

I'll have to check. But Ames is filled with no growth folks
 
I really enjoy Ames' non-college offerings these days. We've been going down for the football home opener the last few years, and while we mike make a swing through Campustown for some Es Tas tacos, or Inferno Wings at WAS, we usually don't stick around long and end up going out downtown.

We always hit Alluvial on our way into town Friday night, and stay at the Days Inn on Duff. From there you put together a little agenda of walking to Cellar 626, Cornbred to eat, and then hit Torrent, Della Viti, Whiskey River, and maybe Deano's and Sportsman's before turning in for the night and hitting Tip Top before the trek to Jack Trice.

Pretty good time.

And on top of all that Uber and Lyft are in town
 
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I really enjoy Ames' non-college offerings these days. We've been going down for the football home opener the last few years, and while we mike make a swing through Campustown for some Es Tas tacos, or Inferno Wings at WAS, we usually don't stick around long and end up going out downtown.

We always hit Alluvial on our way into town Friday night, and stay at the Days Inn on Duff. From there you put together a little agenda of walking to Cellar 626, Cornbred to eat, and then hit Torrent, Della Viti, Whiskey River, and maybe Deano's and Sportsman's before turning in for the night and hitting Tip Top before the trek to Jack Trice.

Pretty good time.
Shhhh, don't talk about Cellar 626. Gotta keep that place a secret
 
I really enjoy Ames' non-college offerings these days. We've been going down for the football home opener the last few years, and while we mike make a swing through Campustown for some Es Tas tacos, or Inferno Wings at WAS, we usually don't stick around long and end up going out downtown.

We always hit Alluvial on our way into town Friday night, and stay at the Days Inn on Duff. From there you put together a little agenda of walking to Cellar 626, Cornbred to eat, and then hit Torrent, Della Viti, Whiskey River, and maybe Deano's and Sportsman's before turning in for the night and hitting Tip Top before the trek to Jack Trice.

Pretty good time.

If it is 3 pm or later game. We will hit Torrent and call in pizza from Great Plains when they open.
 
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They are building a new parking lot on 6th street. Net loss of 1 spot I think when combined with the new on-street parking in front of city hall.

Are they going to do that in the places where the yellow rental house and the little ACPC play house were?
 
And on top of all that Uber and Lyft are in town

Yup. They can get pretty tough on a busy game week, which has definitely cut down on our trips to Campustown.

The walking is kind of refreshing, and from that Days Inn on Duff, and you can comfortably walk to all those places, plus down to the tailgate and back afterwards on Saturday.
 
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I'll have to check. But Ames is filled with no growth folks

Its not really growth, its redevelopment in the core of the city. That is what they all **** their pants about back when a mall being built was a big deal. I love Ames and its my home town, but I stayed there far too long hoping to see this kind of development. If they really want to become a place that can keep younger people around longer, this and Jamie's ISC project have to happen.
 
Its not really growth, its redevelopment in the core of the city. That is what they all **** their pants about back when a mall being built was a big deal. I love Ames and its my home town, but I stayed there far too long hoping to see this kind of development. If they really want to become a place that can keep younger people around longer, this and Jamie's ISC project have to happen.

That seems to be exactly what's happened lately. Ames has grown a ton, and it seems to be the young professional class driving it. I don't think there are a lot of kids graduating ISU and putting down life roots in Ames, but you don't see a lot of that anywhere.

When I left Ames, I was ready to get the hell out. In 2-3 years, the non-college areas started seeming very appealing to me, and they still are. It's definitely taking it's time, but when you go away for a year or two at a time, and then come back in, the changes seem pretty drastic.