COMMENT OF THE DAY: HOW TO HELP CANINO’S NET THAT DESTINATION FISH MARKET APPEAL 
“Something that seems to make other markets around the world such successful destinations (Pike Place, Borough Market, Reading Terminal, etc.) is their accessibility within a dense urban core. In each case, the locations are accessible to pedestrians and located near high-traffic public transit locations. They are also near other walkable destinations like stores and restaurants, art galleries and museums; within walking distance from hotels and other destinations. It will be interesting to see how this works out in Houston on Airline Dr., with all of the car traffic and expansive space needed to accommodate parking. I hope Airline and Cavalcade get to be a little more walkable, and buses run there more often.” [Nearnort, commenting on Destination-Ization Plans for Airline Dr. Farmers Market Show New Rooftops, Playground, Multistory Observation Tower, Some Whitewashing] Rendering of plans for Canino Market on Airline Dr.: MLB Capital Partners
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Pike Place market is right on the edge of downtown Seattle. It is 70% tourist attraction, 30% functioning market. Reading Terminal is mostly a place to get breakfast or lunch for tourists and people who work downtown in Philly.
I hate to reference Cleveland, OH, but the proposed renovation of Canino’s could end up closer to the West Side market in Cleveland. It is much more of a functional market and is across the river (yes, that river) from downtown Cleveland in a Height-ish neighborhood called Ohio City. There is plenty of parking and people really do come there to buy meat and produce because it is easy to access by car or bus and has a lot of stuff you cannot get at the grocery story. And yes, there is a brewery across the street.
There’s an assumption that Canino’s wasn’t already a “successful destination” but it is/was. And that in order to be deemed successful, it needs a white person’s touch to get all those white folks (and their dollars). Drive around the area on a weekend and you’ll see that it already is successful, just not in the way that many Katyville folks may think. I doubt the current shoppers at Canino’s will have a need for overpriced artisan kolaches and craft donuts.
What I fail to see in the proposed plans is more customer parking. If this is going to be a “destination venue†then that is a huge failing
Wish they would bring Canino’s to Spring Branch; A fine location would be on Wirt and Long Point. This would help rid us of the shopping center where the Mercado Wal-Mart previously existed – which currently is a burning trash can. A move to Spring Branch would also fit nicely with the managements district efforts to remake Long Point -http://sbmd.org/the-district/comprehensive-plan/
GL: Way to be racist.