Restaurants Form Downtown Dining Alliance; 5 New Dining Establishments to Open

HARRISONBURG —Taste of Downtown, the biannual restaurant showcase, is here again.  From August 18th through the 20th, downtown restaurants will create and offer multi-course meals that show off their culinary creativity; from Ethiopian spreads to Greek samplers to all-American cuisine.  These menus offer a wide choice of budget-friendly dining options in every setting from fine dining to burger-bar.

“Originally we had nine participating restaurants, and in one year, the event has grown to twelve restaurants” says promotions manager, Alexis Morehouse.  “With four new restaurants ready to open in the coming months, we expect to see Taste of Downtown become a significant regional event over the next few years”.

Encouraged by the success of Taste of Downtown, restaurant owners of downtown Harrisonburg united to form the Downtown Dining Alliance.  This group, led by Dave Miller of Dave’s Downtown Taverna, Jeremiah Jenkins of Clementine and Sean Pugh of the Joshua Wilton House, plans to address common concerns and work together on advertising initiatives to support the dining industry within the historic downtown district.  “We are encouraged that the restaurant owners work collaboratively to promote downtown as a dining destination” stated Eddie Bumbaugh, executive director of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, “This effort goes beyond common competitive thinking, and allows independent restaurant owners to benefit by working together”.

Menus and event details for Taste of Downtown can be found at www.downtownharrsionburg.org.

Taste of Downtown is here again. From August 18 through 20, downtown restaurants will offer multi-course meals that show off their culinary creativity, from Ethiopian spreads to Greek samplers to all-American cuisine. These menus offer a wide choice of budget-friendly dining options in every setting from fine dining to burger-bar.

“Originally we had nine participating restaurants, and in one year, the event has grown to twelve restaurants” says promotions manager Alexis Morehouse.  “With five new restaurants ready to open in the coming months [Beyond, Pennybacker's, Union Station, Local Grill and Chop House and Carribean restaurant Arepera Las Chamas] we expect to see Taste of Downtown become a significant regional event over the next few years.”

New Window Art for One Court Square

Dear Eddie: I notice several new posters on buildings around downtown and new art on the One Court Square building. Can you tell me more about these projects and how they came about?

Blue and gold signs indicate businesses opening soon

From time to time Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance receives suggestions from downtown business people or the general public that can lead to positive changes. Barton Mercer, co-owner of Madison Interiors, commented that occasionally visitors to downtown see vacant buildings and assume there are no plans for occupancy. This led to HDR producing five attractive blue and gold signs announcing the plans for five new businesses to fill existing downtown space. Look for signs in the windows of Union Station, Pennybackers, Beyond, Polished*, and Digital Phenom, with additional signs for new businesses expected to be added soon.

Jack Brown’s Opens on Main Street

From the Daily News-Record

Bon Appetit: Downtown Sees Dining Boom Posted 2009-04-06

First Of Five Restaurants Scheduled For ‘09 Opens

By Andrew Jenner

Aaron Ludwig, co-owner of the new restaurant Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint in Harrisonburg, pours a beer for a customer Saturday. Photo by Thomas J. Turney HARRISONBURG – Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint led the charge. Its opening this past weekend, just in time to catch the crowds at the MACRoCk music festival, made it the first of five new restaurants scheduled to open downtown sometime in 2009. “This is something that my business partner and I have always wanted to do,” said Aaron Ludwig, a co-owner of Jack Brown’s. “We definitely think there’s a niche here.” The new restaurant’s menu lives up to its name, and also includes fries and some specialty hot dogs, he said. Ludwig, who also owns Function 4 Sports, said he and a childhood friend, Mike Sabin, created the Jack Brown’s concept in 1985. Now, 25 years later, the pair decided to dust off the idea. They tapped their wide experience in different restaurants and bars for inspiration, and decided the time and location was right. “We figured if we like this place, everyone else will too. There’s a lot of cool, unique stuff in there,” said Ludwig, whose beer can collection is part of the small restaurant’s décor. Summer Starts The next scheduled downtown restaurant opening will be Union Station in the old Wetsel Seed building on West Market Street. General Manager Cassandra Baker said she plans to open the restaurant, which will serve traditional and original dishes, by the end of July. Within a month after that, two more openings – Beyond and Pennybackers – are planned. Beyond will be located  in the old Spanky’s building on West Water Street and is currently scheduled for an August opening, said owner Prasert Saesow. The restaurant will serve Asian and other international cuisine. Tammy Brown, owner of Pennybackers, is also planning on an August opening for her new eatery on East Water Street. Named after an original owner of the building, Pennybackers will serve soups, salads, sandwiches and other entrees on weekends. The final restaurant planned for downtown is a Caribbean eatery on South Mason Street. It will open within the next few months, said Rene Chavez, whose wife will be the primary operator. Add to that several other eateries that have opened downtown in the last year or so – Franklin’s Wine Bar & Café & Wine Bar at East Market and Mason streets, and Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine on North Main Street – and you have the makings of an honest-to-goodness trend. Downtown Draws ‘”The downtown area is increasingly being viewed as a dining destination,” said Eddie Bumbaugh, the executive director of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. Bumbaugh called the 22 food establishments (a figure that includes places like Kline’s Dairy Bar and Shank’s Bakery) now in operation downtown “a significant number” that will soon be significantly larger. He said that one of the biggest benefits of a busy downtown restaurant scene is its power to attract people – and their dollars – to the area. More people downtown means a friendlier climate for a diverse group of retailers, said Bumbaugh, who considers a busy retail economy a final link to creating a livable, vibrant downtown. With the number of downtown dining options growing, Bumbaugh expects new retailers to soon follow in the restauranteurs’ footsteps. ‘Clustering’ “Having that many more restaurants downtown is a very good thing because it makes downtown a dining destination for Harrisonburg,” said Betty Hoge, an assistant professor of business administration at Bridgewater College. “Clustering” of similar businesses is a good thing for the restaurant industry, Hoge said. When lots of restaurants open in the same general area, said, their synergetic draw tends to be good for each individual establishment. Risky Business Still, the proliferation of restaurants isn’t necessarily unqualified good news for a revitalizing downtown, Hoge said, as restaurants can have a higher failure rate than other businesses. Estimates on this figure vary considerably, but industry officials say about 10 to 15 percent of American restaurants fail each year – the majority of which have been open less than three years. A spokesman for the Virginia Department of Business Assistance said his agency estimates that about one-third of new restaurants in the state fail within their first two years. ‘Right Step’ For Area Hoge characterized the proliferation of restaurants downtown as generally good for the workforce. She said they create a variety of jobs, from well-paid management jobs to service jobs that, once tips are accounted for, can provide a decent income. She also said restaurants create good job opportunities for people looking for part-time work or supplemental income. Owners at several of the new downtown restaurants said they’re glad to be part of a crowd. “I think that this is just the right step for downtown … It’s exciting,” said Baker, the Union Station manager. Ludwig, the owner of Jack Brown’s, said he appreciates the camaraderie he’s found between restaurant owners downtown. “It’s a good feeling to be a part of,” he said. “They always say, ‘The more the merrier down here.’”

Seven Downtown Projects to Be Excited About in 2009

2009 is going to be a hallmark year for downtown Harrisonburg. In no particular order, here is are some reasons why you will be excited to “Experience Downtown” this year:

1. The Urban Exchange. Scheduled for completion in August, this mixed-use development on East Market Street will boast two levels of underground parking, 12,000 square feet of retail space and four levels of condominiums (both for sale and for lease).
2. SHHH! A top-secret new construction project will bring big improvements somewhere in the Central Business District. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that an announcement can be made within the next month or so.
3. More Renovations of Historic Buildings. New construction is exciting, but our history is truly the heart and soul of downtown Harrisonburg. Three ongoing renovation projects are scheduled to be completed this year:
   1. The Liskey Building. It’s hard to miss the major construction going on in this building on South Main Street, across from Dave’s Downtown Taverna. When finished, the building will have about five apartment units and two restaurants: Jack Browns Burger & Beer Joint facing Main Street, and Pennybackers, a family-friendly sandwich shop facing Water Street.
   2. The Wetsel Building. Look for Union Station to open in summer 2009, serving vintage food and local recipes in an historic atmosphere inspired by the 74-year-old building.
   3. The Old Spanky’s Building. We’ll need to find a new way of describing this building when it undergoes its makeover into an Asian fusion restaurant, spearheaded by the geniuses at Taste of Thai.
4. Keeping the International Headquarters of Rosetta Stone Downtown. This “stone” is a jewel in the center of our downtown. We’re hopeful that negotiations between the City of Harrisonburg and the language software company will allow the company to keep their headquarters downtown. In the current economic climate, the prospect of being able to create an additional 100 jobs for local residents is extremely encouraging.
5. A Downtown Grocery Store. We are optimistic that the Friendly City Food Coop will gain enough members in 2009 to be able to sign a lease. Many of HDR’s staff and members have already purchased shares to bring this cooperative grocery store downtown. Have you?
6. Return of the Tour of Virginia. Here’s hoping that 2009 is the year that Tour of Virginia comes back to town. Assuming that a title sponsor can be secured, this year’s semi-professional bicycle race will take place exclusively in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Here are the proposed highlights:
   1. April 24: A time trial at James Madison University.
   2. April 25: The traditional criterion race circling downtown, with other possible events such as live music or a 5K race.
   3. April 26: Races from the Downtown Harrisonburg Farmers’ Market to Reddish Knob, with entries for professional riders and for the community (how cool would THAT be?)
7. You. Today, we are seeing more foot traffic than ever, with more people like you discovering downtown Harrisonburg as THE destination to eat, work, live and play. We know that everyone will be more selective about where they spend their money in 2009, and we appreciate it even more when you choose to support the variety of local businesses downtown has to offer. Thank you.

New Restaurants for the New Year (January 2008)

Dear Eddie: I hear we’re getting several new restaurants downtown. How soon can we expect them to open?

EB: We are delighted to have three confirmed restaurants opening in 2008. Most likely the first to open will be Clementine in early February, located on South Main Street in the former Main Street Bar & Grill. The restaurant will offer everything from salads and sandwiches to gourmet dinner entrees. The chic, cosmopolitan atmostphere will be a great venue for live entertainment, with meeting space on the lower level. Expected to open shortly after Clementine is Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine. Located in the renovated Walton Hotel building on North Main Street, the restaurant will have a lower level lounge with live music. Finally, renovations should begin soon for Pennybackers on East Water Street (the former location of Laughing Dog). The restaurant hopes to open in Summer 2008, complete with rooftop dining. Those who miss the old Spanky’s will enjoy Pennybacker’s menu with a broad selection of sandwiches in a family-friendly atmosphere. (Update: Clementine and Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine are now open for business. Delays have pushed back renovations on Pennybackers, but check back soon for the latest news.)