Goodbye Maxiyumm - Hello new Ethiopian place

[Jonny S]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/desta-ethiopian-cuisine-new-brunswick

Wondering if there are any ties to Makeda? I was shocked Maxiyumm lasted as long as it did. That location is death due to the J&J campus's poor design, sucking all the life out of Albany Street.

 

[Korbermeister]

• that doesn't explain the failed businesses on the church st side or the successful businesses on that block's 4 corners. The newer brick addition to that complex was initially described as a mall and i remember a comic book store that was successful there for time and actually moved into a bigger space in Kilmer Square (where the 9.11 store is) before closing a few years later. (the complex is more of a poor design than the J&J headquarters IMHO since the J&J headquarters design works for its function whereas the Kilmer Square design (the brick addition) never has

 

[Jonny S]

• that doesn't explain the failed businesses on the church st side or the successful businesses on that block's 4 corners. The newer brick addition to that complex was initially described as a mall and i remember a comic book store that was successful there for time and actually moved into a bigger space in Kilmer Square (where the 9.11 store is) before closing a few years later. (the complex is more of a poor design than the J&J headquarters IMHO since the J&J headquarters design works for its function whereas the Kilmer Square design (the brick addition) never has

I'd imagine the rents on the Church St. side are really bad. Having two parking decks on Church even before you get to Ferren (don't see how the Albany deck is remotely defensible for being as small as it is) is a big impediment to downtown as well.

 

[Korbermeister]

I'd imagine the rents on the Church St. side are really bad. Having two parking decks on Church even before you get to Ferren (don't see how the Albany deck is remotely defensible for being as small as it is) is a big impediment to downtown as well.

In hindsight the church st deck isn't great design but it was built at a time when there was 0 interest in bringing new retail to George st, let alone one of its side streets;street level storefronts in the deck were hardly seen as useful in a town that already had too many that were empty. New Brunswick needed new parking for the newly opened Kilmer square offices and retail patrons therein and it alleviated overflow from Ferren Deck. I remember the deck being lightly used when it first opened for at least a year.
Kilmer Sqaure's retail problem is its design; the center brick addition (I'd leave OMR if possible) should be torn down and replaced