New restaurant in front of Ames Target?

[Frak]

Next time your wife wants to go to DSM for Italian, skip Olive Garden and go directly to the South Side. Thank me later.

She's not going to DSM for Italian, she's going for Olive Garden. She likes the breadsticks and salad (which I can't argue with). I don't really care for the entrees, but they're edible. I'd rather go to a Biaggi's if I were looking for Italian. Even Macaroni Grill is a step up from OG. What I wouldn't be able to do is head to the "south side" to some small local place. Sorry to say, but the south side is a little sketchy and run down. I don't mind hitting up a place like that, but the wife would rather go to someplace a little cleaner, safer, upscale and closer to shopping. If we go to all the trouble to get a sitter for a night out, the restaurant can't be questionable.

 

[Frak]

I heard, cant remember where, that Buffalo Wild Wings was coming to Ames soon. No proof it would be infront of target, but that wouldnt be a terrible location for it.

I always thought that a BWW would do pretty well either where Ruttles was or the former benson motors. Both of those are prime spots.

 

[IcSyU]

Take a hint from Iowa City on this one and keep the chains out as much as possible.

Ames NEEDS to get some other things in if it wants to be a real town and not lose everything to Ankeny and Des Moines. Ames loses my money because I drive to Ankeny if I want BWW, or Ankeny if I need to go to Kohls, or Des Moines if I need to go to Scheels. I do like Great Plains, Jeff's, etc. but people in town from other places don't know about local eats except for maybe Hickory Park. Ames has been anti-growth for long enough. Maybe now would be the time to actually do something proactive. If BWW wants to come in, let 'em in. If the Home Depot wants in, let 'em in. No reason to steer away potential money.

 

[CyBroncos]

If we're going to get a chain restaurant I would prefer a steak joint like Texas Roadhouse, Outback, etc. As stated, Olive Garden is not good Italian whereas the steak joints usually provide a decent steak and sides.

A Texas Roadhouse was going to be built in front of the Hilton Garden Inn out by Perfect Games but from what I heard they thought the land price was too high and backed out

 

[Broodwich]

great, just what Ames needs. A bunch of more chain restaurants and stores so they can be just like every other urban sprawlville in this country. Take a hint from Iowa City on this one and keep the chains out as much as possible. They don't have any problem with people going to Coralville and Ames shouldn't worry about people going to Ankeny. There are VERY few college towns left. Want to know what sprawl and chains can do to a town? Compare Fort Collins, CO now and 20 years ago. Or Bozeman, MT.

Ames is the home a of a Big 12 University. Some long-overdue growth does not lead to the inevitability of a sprawl problem. This is not an zero-sum situation. While Ft. Collins is another college town, Ames is NOTHING like Ft. Collins in terms of employment opportunities, industry, retail sales, or population.

Ames would benefit for the time being to be more like Ft. Collins and less like Waverly.

 

[SCNCY]

You can have chain restaurants in your city and still have a lot of locally owned restaurants. Where i'm from in St. Charles Illinois, there is every major chain restaurant you can think of at least 15 minuets away from me. However, this does not prevent the locally owned restaurants from thriving. Ames has a potential setup similar to St. Charles and Geneva. Ames has a downtown/cultural district where locally owned restaurants can thrive and Duff Ave. where the chains and retail can go.

 

[wxman1]

I love Olive Garden but then again I'm not terribly picky. I would love to see either them or BWW come into town, it needs it.

 

[bigcyfan82]

People on here ******** about the possibility of Ames expanding and having a chain restaurant come in need to STFU!!! The ******** about expanding is what hinders city councils because they don't want to be viewed as the bad guy.

Any business that comes to Ames and can positively affect the community is a good thing. Please stop ******** about Ames trying to expand and at least somewhat keep up with Ankeny/DM.

 

[Al_4_State]

She's not going to DSM for Italian, she's going for Olive Garden. She likes the breadsticks and salad (which I can't argue with). I don't really care for the entrees, but they're edible. I'd rather go to a Biaggi's if I were looking for Italian. Even Macaroni Grill is a step up from OG. What I wouldn't be able to do is head to the "south side" to some small local place. Sorry to say, but the south side is a little sketchy and run down. I don't mind hitting up a place like that, but the wife would rather go to someplace a little cleaner, safer, upscale and closer to shopping. If we go to all the trouble to get a sitter for a night out, the restaurant can't be questionable.

You won't offend me with a South Side rip, but I'd only say you're really missing out on some fantastic Italian food, and great family run restaurants that stick true to the old country.

IMO, those places blow any chain out of the water, and I've never once felt remotely unsafe going to these establishments.