WHO WINS? WHO LOSES? McDonalds Closed on Grand and Chippewa

The McDonalds on Chippewa and Grand has closed its doors- permanently.

The owner/operator who declined to be photographed or identified was incredibly frustrated, telling the ACC that he was indeed closing after 20 years of operation. He complained that the building needed to be rebuilt, and that he needed to build a new "double" drive thru on the same level the main restaurant is on (the current drive thru is on a lower piece of ground, and the owner had a "conveyor"system that greatly slowed the delivery of food).

Since the deal couldn't be made to completely rebuild, he does not know where he wants to build next. He does not want the closed up Burger King lot further down Grand, nor the site catacorner to his current location on Grand and Winnebago. He is cutting his losses and bailing completely. He was demonstrative in pointing out what kind of businesses are taking over the area-- across the street there are a couple of no-name markets, a non-descript car detaling place that used to be a licensed Firestone branch, and the omnipresent legalized theivery of Rent a Center.

The ACC just talked to Jennifer Florida about the closing, and she does not currently have plans for the site, but mantains that she wants to go through a "community based planning process", and used Lafayette Square as a model of successful design. She would like to see a store like TJ Maxx or Old Navy, that sells high quality low-price merchandise, but the future is obviously up in the air.

Here is a link to Steve Patterson's issues with the McDonald's (and Florida as well)

http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/archives/cat_mcdonalds_on_grand.php

Here is Florida's web site, informing the public of the imminent closing of the McDonalds, and outlining where Pyramid is going to shift the tax credits (among other things)

http://jenniferflorida.wordpress.com/2006/10/27/update-on-grand-and-chippewa-development/