So Empire Properties has gone bankrupt and 2 or 3 of their properties downtown will get shutdown

For those of you who don't know this includes Raleigh Times, Duck and Dumpling, Sitti, Gravy, etc....

Quote :

" "We've been fighting off the effects of the recession as long as we can", Hatem says, "However the underlying issue is our liquidity is dried in heavy property investments that have lost significant value. If we plan to continue to grow Raleigh then we must put concentrated effort into a few remaining options." "

http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive/empire-properties-bankrupt/

4/6/2010 2:45:14 PM

HATERS

GONNA

HATEM

4/6/2010 2:46:02 PM

show me a real link, or BS

If this is true, it's very sad. Hatem has done a tremendous amount of good for the city of raleigh. I have nothing but good things to say about him, based on the design reviews I have been to that he has sat in on.

4/6/2010 2:49:08 PM

^^ that link is talking about the safety center.

4/6/2010 2:51:03 PM

It's obviously bullshit, last I heard they were gonna open a new restaurant.

4/6/2010 2:51:16 PM

4/6/2010 2:51:29 PM

the link automatically loads the newest NR story

4/6/2010 2:52:29 PM

the new restaurant was an April Fools Joke. It was an ice bar and was not serious.

marriage ringtone, opposite of serious.

4/6/2010 2:52:35 PM

April Fool's was last week asshole.

4/6/2010 2:53:36 PM

Naw.

4/6/2010 2:54:29 PM

Quote :

"the new restaurant was an April Fools Joke. It was an ice bar and was not serious. "

The fake New Raleigh article was not what I was basing my statement on.

4/6/2010 2:55:40 PM

keep sitti

4/6/2010 2:57:00 PM

last time i heard a chick-fil-a was opening in cameron village.

An ale house on glenwood.

A Tyler's Taproom in Seaborad

...

4/6/2010 2:57:05 PM

Ale House bought the building opposite Armadillo.

I've heard rumors about Tyler's in Seaborad, though nothing in the past several months.

Opening March 2009!!!!@!

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2008/09/15/story5.html

[Edited on April 6, 2010 at 3:01 PM. Reason : .]

4/6/2010 3:00:35 PM

4/6/2010 3:01:56 PM

^

4/6/2010 3:02:59 PM

Hatem is a good friend of my dad's and I haven't heard anything about this..

(my dad owns a commercial construction/development company that specializes in high end restaurants in downtown Raleigh)

I'll get to the bottom of this haha

4/6/2010 3:07:46 PM

Hope this is not true...

4/6/2010 3:08:28 PM

Quote :

"last time i heard a chick-fil-a was opening in cameron village. An ale house on glenwood. A Tyler's Taproom in Seaborad"

Two out of the three of those are awesome. Hopefully Tyler's will add a bottle shop like the one in Carrboro. I don't think the Chick Fil A is happening for at least a year though.

[Edited on April 6, 2010 at 3:10 PM. Reason : .]

4/6/2010 3:08:37 PM

chic fil a is the shit I can't wait for one to open close to campus (that's not on campus)

4/6/2010 3:13:23 PM

4/6/2010 3:14:09 PM

4/6/2010 3:14:23 PM

I think Raleigh times is safe, for obvious reasons.

If I were an employee I'd watch out if I was at the Duck and Dumpling. That place really doesn't offer much of a flare and that area of downtown is not exactly what it used to be. Ironically the changes Hatem has made is what assisted in this transition.

Next on my list of watch outs would be The Pit. In a down recession people just don't go for overpriced BBQ. Even in good times that should be a big No.

Lastly I highly suspect Gravy will get the axe. There isn't a single item on the Gravy menu that I could not prepare myself and have taste just as good. I know they have redone their menu, so clearly the owner has seen the writing on the wall there. I will say the gelato I had there was amazing.

Maybe Hatem has lost his touch and a lucky streak explains his success?

4/6/2010 3:19:06 PM

There's no way...the pbr consumption at the times alone is enough to keep em afloat

And tyler's at seaboard?! Hellloooooo nurse!

4/6/2010 3:21:45 PM

I was excited about that too, but it isn't even on their website any more.

I often wonder what downtown Raleigh would look like if the bubble never happened and if the bubble had never burst.

4/6/2010 3:23:26 PM

The Pit is doing fine

my mom just tried to make a reservation for graduation lunch, 38 days away, and apparently they're booked solid

4/6/2010 3:53:22 PM

4/6/2010 3:54:29 PM

Quote :

"April Fool's was last week asshole."

4/6/2010 4:07:02 PM