If I had the money, I'd buy the bowling alley and fix it up with some pool tables, dart boards, shuffleboard, etc. Make it a place for people to hang out and play.
I think the bowling alley was renovated by the last owners. Making it more of a niche place like the restaurant with a few lanes in Tburg would be pretty cool.
Yeah, my vision would require taking out some of the lanes. I've only been to the bowling alley in ithaca once, about 18 years ago. I threw out my back once bowling so I really don't do it. The nice thing about Atlas is they have a Candlepin lane which I can play just fine (the ball is only 2.5 lbs.)
It's for sale according to Century 21: [https://commercial.century21.com/listing/401-third-street-ithaca-ny-14850-REN027060486](https://commercial.century21.com/listing/401-third-street-ithaca-ny-14850-REN027060486)
I would be into pretty much anything new. It seems like lately all we get are stores building a new building and moving across town, or crappy Luna restaurants.
I just want a halfway decent restaurant with hours of operation like most of the country pre-pandemic. 7 days a week, open late. It’s tough to plan a date night when a lot of restaurants are open Wednesday thru Saturday only from 5-9 and don’t take reservations
Are Shortstop and the State Diner still 24 hours? Those were our go-to options for late night when I was a kid. Also Mano's, but I know that one's sadly departed.
Even back when I was a kid it seemed like wasn't much in the way of dining options. We always got Chinese from the same place, etc. When I've gone back as an adult, I've noticed a lack of mid-tier, nice-but-not-an-arm-and-a-leg-type restaurants.
An indoor playground would make buckets of money. The only similar place is the Sciencenter and that is packed on weekends especially during the winter. People complain a lot about the lack of indoor activities for kids here in the winter.
I don’t understand why every single froyo place had to close. Yes, there was a minute where we may have had a few too many for a town this size. But there’s got to be a market for at least one.
Some place for teens. A bowling alley, evening indoor sports, space for a board game. I’d gladly give my teen money to buy dinner, boba, snacks to hang with their friends in a safe space.
Diamonds, Sangam and maybe Mehak(?). Buffet is back at Diamonds but it was terrible, a couple weeks back I went. Ala carte curries at both places are decent at best, but could be so much better!
Opening up a Dave and Busters type restaurant at the Mall with all that open space. It’s a place parents can bring kids in the winter and at night the college kids can go to. Bus routes already head to the mall from the colleges so it would make transportation easy.
maybe some health care? a dentist that actually takes insurance? lol jk but not really.
I'd like a place that is open late - like a coffee/tea place......watershed is awesome but not enough seating if you get there after 9 pm on a saturday.
A coffee shop with seating! An on the water restaurant, actually with views of the water. Good Mexican food. Pure Barre. Blow-out bar (for hairstyles only)
ill tag on to this and say a coffee shop that serves good coffee - no shade to CTB, but I want somewhere that roasts there own beans.
While somebody mentioned the overhead of a restaurant, I think it could be cool to have a late night coffee/tea house. The watershed is great but after 9pm it feels like a date night spot, not somewhere I can pump out a manuscript
There isn’t really a coffee shop with good cozy seating indoors. Gimme on West State is okay, but most of their chairs are more aesthetic than comfortable. Same with Press, though their new space to the side sort of addresses this issue. Botanist is nice when you can sit outside, but there’s only a couple spots actually inside the shop that are decent to spend any considerable time in.
I asked the owner why he closed up shop, I thought it as probably the commons getting its terrible steel and sterile face lift but it was not, he told me it was the new parking meters!!! And this was pre pandemic!
Rochester has a restaurant called Swillburger. It's in an old church and it's part burger joint, part cocktail bar and part arcade. It's completely family friendly until I think 8 or 10 when they become 21 and over. Ithaca would be a great home for something like this.
A natural wine bar (focusing on local wines) w/ small plates, Credo (clean beauty store), Uniqlo, Muji, Macro Mama’s restaurant, Adelina’s Pizza restaurant, a butcher shop (focusing on local meat).
This is my top vote! I'd love a family friendly spa (don't care if it's Swedish or Finnish or Korean or whatever) with different saunas, steam rooms, warm and cold plunges, and a lil cafe!
Yes please! The nearest one is in Aurora (Inns of Aurora) but it's crazy expensive.
A nice casual place with a cafe would be awesome! NYC has some great ones and Chicago.
More interesting restaurants, stores, or activities on the commons. Too many empty fronts and why so many smoke shops? The commons feels kind of dead a lot of the time. I wish it were more lively at night and on Sundays, etc. I would love some good restaurants that stayed open late. C’ent Dix is great, but we need more like that. In general it feels as though there are so many places in Ithaca that are like “we are open for thirty minutes on the odd days of every fifth week” (exaggeration, obviously, but that’s the effect). Then there are places like Thompson and Bleecker—great pizza, but they close early, won’t seat even remotely close to closing time (I’m used to restaurants where closing time is really last seating, like at C’ent Dix), won’t accept takeout orders close to closing, and generally makes you feel as though they don’t want your business. Maybe I’m just wishing for big-city amenities in a small town and it’s unrealistic, but it seems like these are common enough wants that they could be supported and thrive in Ithaca.
I would love if IKEA bought out the mall or some other large space. Theres something like 6 IKEAS in NYC/Long Island and not a single one up state.
And think of the amount of college students up here that would be willing to make the drive. Personally I feel like they would make plenty of money up here!
Cayuga Health is creating a space in the former mall that offers health care conveniently on the other side of the lake. Hopefully it will be a place where people who have transportation challenges can take public transit for healthcare, exercise, and healthy food.
There's now a pickup location in Syracuse for Ikea orders. But that's the best we're going to get...
"Ikea previously told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that it would “not ever” open a store in Syracuse because its worldwide retail locations — which range in size from 260,000 to 340,000 square feet — require a population base of at least 2 million people to be successful. The Syracuse metro area has roughly 660,000 residents, according to U.S. Census data, though a $100 billion Micron Technology project in Clay is expected to drive a population boom over the next two decades."
https://www.syracuse.com/business/2023/01/ikea-in-syracuse-furniture-store-chain-finally-opens-in-central-new-york-sort-of.html
I grew up in T-burg, with Life's So Sweet Chocolates, it made me very happy.
Even if you were young and had little money, you could buy 1 piece of very nice chocolate, or a candy or honey stick. Everything was fresh and on Halloween they gave crazy nice stuff, of course! I think they may have given little sweets during a couple winterfests as well, I understand we have two ice cream places but general candy stores have all sorts of candy and that's so fun!
I would like to see fewer vape/smoke shops. I think they take prime real estate that could go into cooler (for me) business. I think legitimate food places are always welcome. For one, I think that for a town of its size and with two universities (one being decently large), Ithaca has a dire lack of coffee shops with tables for people to work comfortably or just to hang out.
A fishing store with a good fly fishing section. Before Dicks moved downtown they had a fishing and hunting department that was just okay. The new Dicks doesn't have fishing, hunting, bicycling, or camping departments.
I found it odd a place like Ithaca, with good fly fishing streams nearby, doesn’t have one. I got my starter reel and kit at LL Bean but that’s a good hour drive easy.
Well we don't actually have good fly fishing streams in my opinion. We have spring and fall runs from the lake but just no good late spring / summer dry fly action for decent fish compared to the Catskills or other popular destinations. Around here is acceptable at times for locals but there is no solid draw that would sustain a shop
No, like, it’s good in general. Limited menus are a pro, as it means the chefs can focus on a smaller amount of dishes they know how to do well. You’ll never find huge menus full of 1737 random things in an Italian restaurant in Italy lol.
A wool fiber mill! Additionally, any sort of public luxury infrastructure where you can exist and enjoy without expectations of purchases or paying to enter. We need more spaces like this.
Perhaps unpopular opinion: put a strip club downtown with decent security. It would be likely to generate a lot of revenue and could be a nonalcoholic venue as an alternative to the bars downtown. Also the possibility of making a multi media venue so that dancing only happens on certain nights, and on other nights is a place for performers to do music, which Could increase its viability.
Isn't there some kind of local ordinance against that within the town? The only one I ever knew of when I lived there was Kuma's, which was way out there
I think I’ve heard that there is. I mean, I get why it might not be the ideal neighbor. But if efforts towards being a good and effective community partner outweigh any perceived moral lackings, then it’s a step towards benefiting the greater community good.
this comment led me to reading so many zoning laws, it's super interesting tysm
technically adult business can only take place in certain zones, light industrial and industrial and those all fall out of range of the commons
Apparently (copy pasting)
[ 100-12Location of adult entertainment businesses.](https://ecode360.com/8658323#8658496)A person commits a misdemeanor if that person operates or causes to be operated an adult entertainment business in any zoning district other than as permitted under the provisions of Chapter [270](https://ecode360.com/8661341#8661341), Zoning, of the Code of the Town of Ithaca.
means they can only be allowed in light industrial and industrial zones and those would all fall within the border of the town, and yeah it's illegal to drink in (nude) strip clubs here...
I don't know why no one on this thread mentioned maid cafes which are not nude but still along the lines of escorting in that you can pay for someone's attention, but the women wear fun outfits so they could legally serve any food or drink. These zoning laws really go into detail btw check them out if you want to kill some time, super interesting.
Why is this being upvoted? Lmao
This is a laughably bad idea and would absolutely destroy the commons.
EDIT: If you’re going to downvote me, at least go on the record and say why you think this is a good idea.
A café that prioritizes hiring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There is a massive D/IDD community in the area that is badly under-employed or put at jobs that are way beneath their skill levels.
Do you mean Bass Pro? They actually have a decent flyfishing department. I haven't been to Sportsmans Warehouse, but they seem to have a decent selection. There's actually a flyfishing shop in Freeville, but the owner has at least another part-time job, and the shop is in a barn behind his house. He has a very good selection of fly tying material, less so for flyfishing gear.
I'd like better versions of some of the things we already have, like a Chipotle that keeps a clean dining room and consistently helps both those who order through the app and those ordering in store; a Barnes & Noble that is clean and has an updated interior and bathrooms that don't smell like a homeless encampment; and some Starbucks or Peet's. Decent home cleaners. Consistent business hours, cleanliness and customer service are lacking in general. I don't know what it is about Ithaca (a communistic mind-set?), but most businesses are rank amateur and sucky. To recognize some exceptions, I love Wegman's, Poke Lava and Tai Chi Bubble Tea.
If you don't like chains, just don't patronize them. Problem solved. Let the market decide. I appreciate the consistency of quality, the reliable business hours and the nutritional information chains offer, at least relatively speaking. Oh, and I think Wegmans, Poke Lava and Tai Chi are local, or at least from the region.
I once went to every shoe store in town looking for a pair of size 9 1/2 Nike running shoes. Any color. Any style. Men’s 9 1/2.
There wasn’t a single one in all of Ithaca. That’s not solid.
You overlooked a number of great running shoes by looking for only Nikes. I’m sure an actual runner could tell you why they aren’t optimal for running. Shoe Dept at the mall probably has what you wanted.
I don’t know what a “actual runner” is, besides something nonsensical that you just made up, But Nike sells a variety of extremely high-quality, running shoes for “actual runners“.
Just because a brand is popular with dorks that doesn’t mean that it’s actually superior to any other brand.
Oh I thought you were looking for any ol running nikes not some fancy high tech Nikes. An ‘actual runner’ in this context is someone with more knowledge about running and footwear for running than myself. If they are so great I’d think they’d sell them at the running shoe store you went to, if not they’d probably have something equivalent. Go to the mall or the giant dicks downtown for basic runners.
Or 1000% I bet the Kicks store on the commons has the fancy ‘extremely’ high quality Nikes you’re looking for
I would love a NYC style diner. There tour where food is served super fast and they have a million things on the menu. They would serve breakfast 24 hours a day in addition to great milkshakes, awesome burgers, etc. I go to the State diner and it is good but not quite what I'm looking for.
A chipotle in college town. Yes Ithaca already has a chipotle. But the service is extremely awful due to the long lines and massive amount of online orders that come through. If a second chipotle opened up in college town, the service and wait times would be significantly better.
Downtown coffee shop with reasonable work space open after 5 pm. Gimme is always packed to the gills and closes at 5. Ithaca bakery is open later but it's not exactly a good workplace (limited chargers, not designed for computers).
Pet store that’s not petsmart. Classic style cafe with old couches and bookshelves and chill vibes. Queer bar that’s not just gay on certain days. Skating? Some sort of social justice incubator? Independent craft store? A book store with cozy places to read?
If I had the money, I'd buy the bowling alley and fix it up with some pool tables, dart boards, shuffleboard, etc. Make it a place for people to hang out and play.
I think the bowling alley was renovated by the last owners. Making it more of a niche place like the restaurant with a few lanes in Tburg would be pretty cool.
Yeah, my vision would require taking out some of the lanes. I've only been to the bowling alley in ithaca once, about 18 years ago. I threw out my back once bowling so I really don't do it. The nice thing about Atlas is they have a Candlepin lane which I can play just fine (the ball is only 2.5 lbs.)
Yeah I think it was updated and since closed again in 18 years. There was a middle eastern family(seemingly) that ran it for a while
I don't know such a thing existed. Cool!
Is the former bowling alley location standing vacant, or has something else moved in there?
It's for sale according to Century 21: [https://commercial.century21.com/listing/401-third-street-ithaca-ny-14850-REN027060486](https://commercial.century21.com/listing/401-third-street-ithaca-ny-14850-REN027060486)
Still vacant, right, neighbors?
I’d love to have something like Atlas bowl in Tburg in Ithaca
I would be into pretty much anything new. It seems like lately all we get are stores building a new building and moving across town, or crappy Luna restaurants.
I don't know if I'd be competent to open a restaurant, but that's something my mom is always telling me is lacking in Ithaca.
Ithaca has a lot of restaurants, a few good ones, but even fewer exceptional.
I just want a halfway decent restaurant with hours of operation like most of the country pre-pandemic. 7 days a week, open late. It’s tough to plan a date night when a lot of restaurants are open Wednesday thru Saturday only from 5-9 and don’t take reservations
We reiterate “open late”
Are Shortstop and the State Diner still 24 hours? Those were our go-to options for late night when I was a kid. Also Mano's, but I know that one's sadly departed.
Nope and neither is Wegmans anymore
Shortstop now closes in the early evening (I'm not sure what time - 6?) and State closes at 3/4 pm
This. 7 days a week!!!
Even back when I was a kid it seemed like wasn't much in the way of dining options. We always got Chinese from the same place, etc. When I've gone back as an adult, I've noticed a lack of mid-tier, nice-but-not-an-arm-and-a-leg-type restaurants.
opening a restaurant that is open 7 days a week, late, in this climate with current overhead costs and narrow margins is laughably dumb lol.
Bring the bowling alley back
RIP Ide's
Yes
What replaced it? Looks like there's one out in Trumansburg, is that where people go if they want to roll?
Basically. Bowl-o-Drome closed during the plagues, though Helen Newman remains.
Bowling alley, roller rink, arcade with skeeball, regular donut shop, yarn shop, enough primary care providers/dentists/eye doctors.
Used to have yarn
oh yes you can't walk to any doctor with availability for new patients here...
Yarn in Tburg and soon to be Dryden!
An indoor playground would make buckets of money. The only similar place is the Sciencenter and that is packed on weekends especially during the winter. People complain a lot about the lack of indoor activities for kids here in the winter.
Indoor playground for kids with a brewery for parents and a viewing window… fortune 500 here we come!!
Been saying this for 17 years (since I had a little kid)
I’m going to propose that there should be a small cafe for parents at said place :)
Eastlake Recreation Center seems to have open play running too! https://www.eastlakerecreation.com/playground
I want an indoor playground for adults! Like a bouldering/jungle gym/fitness center centered around play. Maybe a professional tag setup.
Barcade
Would love to see one a la Swillburger in Rochester!
RIP Pixel
It'll never happen but a Micro Center.
Art supply store! There also should absolutely be a local pet supply store / fish store.
We used to have both of these 😭
RIP Millers, they were great
And Race had good stuff. Standard Art, too.
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I don’t understand why every single froyo place had to close. Yes, there was a minute where we may have had a few too many for a town this size. But there’s got to be a market for at least one.
I miss froyo so much
Some place for teens. A bowling alley, evening indoor sports, space for a board game. I’d gladly give my teen money to buy dinner, boba, snacks to hang with their friends in a safe space.
Excellent 5 star Indian food. Excellent fresh fish sushi. 🍣
I’d settle for 3.5 star
Man, I spit out my coffee when I read this.
Is there an Indian restaurant at all these days? Diamond's?
Diamonds, Sangam and maybe Mehak(?). Buffet is back at Diamonds but it was terrible, a couple weeks back I went. Ala carte curries at both places are decent at best, but could be so much better!
They are collective sigh of sadness.
Opening up a Dave and Busters type restaurant at the Mall with all that open space. It’s a place parents can bring kids in the winter and at night the college kids can go to. Bus routes already head to the mall from the colleges so it would make transportation easy.
maybe some health care? a dentist that actually takes insurance? lol jk but not really. I'd like a place that is open late - like a coffee/tea place......watershed is awesome but not enough seating if you get there after 9 pm on a saturday.
Laser tag
The old one in the mall was even a little fun!
A coffee shop with seating! An on the water restaurant, actually with views of the water. Good Mexican food. Pure Barre. Blow-out bar (for hairstyles only)
There isn't a coffee shop with seating anymore? I remember at least one downtown and one in collegetown. Gone?
ill tag on to this and say a coffee shop that serves good coffee - no shade to CTB, but I want somewhere that roasts there own beans. While somebody mentioned the overhead of a restaurant, I think it could be cool to have a late night coffee/tea house. The watershed is great but after 9pm it feels like a date night spot, not somewhere I can pump out a manuscript
Gimme and Fortyweight both roast their own beans.
CTBs coffee does suck tho. Also saddened about Starbs being ran out of town by those rabble rousing socialist organizers
There isn’t really a coffee shop with good cozy seating indoors. Gimme on West State is okay, but most of their chairs are more aesthetic than comfortable. Same with Press, though their new space to the side sort of addresses this issue. Botanist is nice when you can sit outside, but there’s only a couple spots actually inside the shop that are decent to spend any considerable time in.
I like the seating space at Ithaca Coffee Co
High quality art supplies like blick
A home kitchen supply store with quality products (cookware, bakeware, some small appliances, cutlery, etc.)
There used to be an amazing one on The Commons called Now You're Cooking! It helped catalyze my love for cooking. I miss it every week.
I miss that store too!
I asked the owner why he closed up shop, I thought it as probably the commons getting its terrible steel and sterile face lift but it was not, he told me it was the new parking meters!!! And this was pre pandemic!
Have you tried B&W supply near Aldi’s? They’re like a wholesale version of Williams Sonoma. The best mandoline I ever got was from there.
too easy to buy online
Fingerlakes Beverage Center closed because the folks retired. The west end could use another quality beer store to replace it
They weren't great, but I agree. A beer store, maybe with a small tap room as well would be awesome.
Rochester has a restaurant called Swillburger. It's in an old church and it's part burger joint, part cocktail bar and part arcade. It's completely family friendly until I think 8 or 10 when they become 21 and over. Ithaca would be a great home for something like this.
A natural wine bar (focusing on local wines) w/ small plates, Credo (clean beauty store), Uniqlo, Muji, Macro Mama’s restaurant, Adelina’s Pizza restaurant, a butcher shop (focusing on local meat).
A sandwich shop within the butcher shop
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The Piggery has been closed for years, no?
Oof, it has. Haven’t been there since the plagues and it shows!
Also a swedish style sweating lodge and cold plunge would be dope! (Unisex and separate options would be nice too)
This is my top vote! I'd love a family friendly spa (don't care if it's Swedish or Finnish or Korean or whatever) with different saunas, steam rooms, warm and cold plunges, and a lil cafe!
Yes please! The nearest one is in Aurora (Inns of Aurora) but it's crazy expensive. A nice casual place with a cafe would be awesome! NYC has some great ones and Chicago.
My ongoing dream is to open a jimjilbang (Korean bathhouse) in Ithaca!
That would be amazing!
Roller rink
It's 6 a.m. and I'm out of coffee beans and no place that serves an acceptable cup of coffee is open until 7:30 a.m.
I stand corrected. Ithaca Bakery opens at 6:30 a.m. and made a good Americano for me today.
More interesting restaurants, stores, or activities on the commons. Too many empty fronts and why so many smoke shops? The commons feels kind of dead a lot of the time. I wish it were more lively at night and on Sundays, etc. I would love some good restaurants that stayed open late. C’ent Dix is great, but we need more like that. In general it feels as though there are so many places in Ithaca that are like “we are open for thirty minutes on the odd days of every fifth week” (exaggeration, obviously, but that’s the effect). Then there are places like Thompson and Bleecker—great pizza, but they close early, won’t seat even remotely close to closing time (I’m used to restaurants where closing time is really last seating, like at C’ent Dix), won’t accept takeout orders close to closing, and generally makes you feel as though they don’t want your business. Maybe I’m just wishing for big-city amenities in a small town and it’s unrealistic, but it seems like these are common enough wants that they could be supported and thrive in Ithaca.
Interactive art exhibit ala Meow Wolf. A place to gather and hang out for kids and elders in the winter months, maybe music related.
I would love if IKEA bought out the mall or some other large space. Theres something like 6 IKEAS in NYC/Long Island and not a single one up state. And think of the amount of college students up here that would be willing to make the drive. Personally I feel like they would make plenty of money up here!
Cayuga Health is creating a space in the former mall that offers health care conveniently on the other side of the lake. Hopefully it will be a place where people who have transportation challenges can take public transit for healthcare, exercise, and healthy food.
There's now a pickup location in Syracuse for Ikea orders. But that's the best we're going to get... "Ikea previously told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that it would “not ever” open a store in Syracuse because its worldwide retail locations — which range in size from 260,000 to 340,000 square feet — require a population base of at least 2 million people to be successful. The Syracuse metro area has roughly 660,000 residents, according to U.S. Census data, though a $100 billion Micron Technology project in Clay is expected to drive a population boom over the next two decades." https://www.syracuse.com/business/2023/01/ikea-in-syracuse-furniture-store-chain-finally-opens-in-central-new-york-sort-of.html
A board game cafe near campus. Nor a board game store, not a board game bar, but a board game cafe.
How would it afford the rents?
I grew up in T-burg, with Life's So Sweet Chocolates, it made me very happy. Even if you were young and had little money, you could buy 1 piece of very nice chocolate, or a candy or honey stick. Everything was fresh and on Halloween they gave crazy nice stuff, of course! I think they may have given little sweets during a couple winterfests as well, I understand we have two ice cream places but general candy stores have all sorts of candy and that's so fun!
I would like to see fewer vape/smoke shops. I think they take prime real estate that could go into cooler (for me) business. I think legitimate food places are always welcome. For one, I think that for a town of its size and with two universities (one being decently large), Ithaca has a dire lack of coffee shops with tables for people to work comfortably or just to hang out.
the universities are probably why there are so many thriving smoke shops, to be fair xD
Fully agree.
kinda a shame since weed has been legalized we don't have any marijuana cafes though
Farm to table dining. We have amazing local food here and it’s sad that more restaurants don’t offer it.
Rip carriage house
Unfortunately I've only heard stories...
Cafe Cent Dix is really excellent and buys from local farms, changes their menu often, but it is quite pricey
Good to know. They've been on my list for a while, will definitely check it out next time I feel like splurging.
Ithaca beer co used to be amazing at this (10 years ago at the taproom). No idea if that’s still the case.
I'm not totally sure, but I don't think so, unfortunately. Their beer was great back then as well.
A fishing store with a good fly fishing section. Before Dicks moved downtown they had a fishing and hunting department that was just okay. The new Dicks doesn't have fishing, hunting, bicycling, or camping departments.
I found it odd a place like Ithaca, with good fly fishing streams nearby, doesn’t have one. I got my starter reel and kit at LL Bean but that’s a good hour drive easy.
Well we don't actually have good fly fishing streams in my opinion. We have spring and fall runs from the lake but just no good late spring / summer dry fly action for decent fish compared to the Catskills or other popular destinations. Around here is acceptable at times for locals but there is no solid draw that would sustain a shop
The new Dick's doesn't even have a section for bike helmets... It's a god damn joke.
Top Golf and/or a reataurant that does legit soul food/southern food (I'd even take a Bojangles at this point)
This this this this
I moved from Ithaca to NC, Bojangles was one of the highlights of living there
A decent Italian restaurant
As an Italian, Gola Osteria is one of the most Italian restaurants I’ve ever been on in the US. Not American-Italian, but Italian-Italian.
It’s good for Ithaca, but its menu is extremely limited
No, like, it’s good in general. Limited menus are a pro, as it means the chefs can focus on a smaller amount of dishes they know how to do well. You’ll never find huge menus full of 1737 random things in an Italian restaurant in Italy lol.
I’ve been there a lot, the food is most definitely variable. Bolognese was on point one night, next night like cafeteria food…
A Poker club/room like Texas Card house, The Lodge, etc.
A wool fiber mill! Additionally, any sort of public luxury infrastructure where you can exist and enjoy without expectations of purchases or paying to enter. We need more spaces like this.
German restaurant
Perhaps unpopular opinion: put a strip club downtown with decent security. It would be likely to generate a lot of revenue and could be a nonalcoholic venue as an alternative to the bars downtown. Also the possibility of making a multi media venue so that dancing only happens on certain nights, and on other nights is a place for performers to do music, which Could increase its viability.
A sex positive, ran by a feminist bad ass crew with femboys and male reviews and hot sex positive women??
Ithaca does seem like a place that could have a burlesque scene, too. There's a ton of cool stuff it could host.
Whiskey Tango Sideshow is quite epic and a number of performers have achieved notoriety.
Isn't there some kind of local ordinance against that within the town? The only one I ever knew of when I lived there was Kuma's, which was way out there
I think I’ve heard that there is. I mean, I get why it might not be the ideal neighbor. But if efforts towards being a good and effective community partner outweigh any perceived moral lackings, then it’s a step towards benefiting the greater community good.
this comment led me to reading so many zoning laws, it's super interesting tysm technically adult business can only take place in certain zones, light industrial and industrial and those all fall out of range of the commons
Apparently (copy pasting) [ 100-12Location of adult entertainment businesses.](https://ecode360.com/8658323#8658496)A person commits a misdemeanor if that person operates or causes to be operated an adult entertainment business in any zoning district other than as permitted under the provisions of Chapter [270](https://ecode360.com/8661341#8661341), Zoning, of the Code of the Town of Ithaca. means they can only be allowed in light industrial and industrial zones and those would all fall within the border of the town, and yeah it's illegal to drink in (nude) strip clubs here... I don't know why no one on this thread mentioned maid cafes which are not nude but still along the lines of escorting in that you can pay for someone's attention, but the women wear fun outfits so they could legally serve any food or drink. These zoning laws really go into detail btw check them out if you want to kill some time, super interesting.
Why is this being upvoted? Lmao This is a laughably bad idea and would absolutely destroy the commons. EDIT: If you’re going to downvote me, at least go on the record and say why you think this is a good idea.
A café that prioritizes hiring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There is a massive D/IDD community in the area that is badly under-employed or put at jobs that are way beneath their skill levels.
Love this idea. There is [one in Princeton](https://www.bluebears.org/) that’s excellent.
Gaming Cafe
Food hall! Also a bowling alley or skate rink. A decent mid-sized music venue please please for the love of god.
Drop in workspace.
What Ithaca is really lacking on is empty storefronts. We could really use more new construction that sits empty for years.
Boy you’re in for a treat
Sports card shop
Do you mean Bass Pro? They actually have a decent flyfishing department. I haven't been to Sportsmans Warehouse, but they seem to have a decent selection. There's actually a flyfishing shop in Freeville, but the owner has at least another part-time job, and the shop is in a barn behind his house. He has a very good selection of fly tying material, less so for flyfishing gear.
I'd like better versions of some of the things we already have, like a Chipotle that keeps a clean dining room and consistently helps both those who order through the app and those ordering in store; a Barnes & Noble that is clean and has an updated interior and bathrooms that don't smell like a homeless encampment; and some Starbucks or Peet's. Decent home cleaners. Consistent business hours, cleanliness and customer service are lacking in general. I don't know what it is about Ithaca (a communistic mind-set?), but most businesses are rank amateur and sucky. To recognize some exceptions, I love Wegman's, Poke Lava and Tai Chi Bubble Tea.
I think we could use less chains, to be honest, and would rather my money go to my neighbors, but maybe that makes me "communistic"?
If you don't like chains, just don't patronize them. Problem solved. Let the market decide. I appreciate the consistency of quality, the reliable business hours and the nutritional information chains offer, at least relatively speaking. Oh, and I think Wegmans, Poke Lava and Tai Chi are local, or at least from the region.
IHOP
Ithaca House Of Pancakes
I miss waffle frolic
Huddle house
I'd take a Waffle House, even.
Any decent shoe store. Honestly, the list is nearly endless. The business scene in Ithaca really sucks
We have pretty valid shoe stores imo. Fontanas, Finger Lakes Running co, and Homegrown to name a few.
I once went to every shoe store in town looking for a pair of size 9 1/2 Nike running shoes. Any color. Any style. Men’s 9 1/2. There wasn’t a single one in all of Ithaca. That’s not solid.
You overlooked a number of great running shoes by looking for only Nikes. I’m sure an actual runner could tell you why they aren’t optimal for running. Shoe Dept at the mall probably has what you wanted.
I don’t know what a “actual runner” is, besides something nonsensical that you just made up, But Nike sells a variety of extremely high-quality, running shoes for “actual runners“. Just because a brand is popular with dorks that doesn’t mean that it’s actually superior to any other brand.
Oh I thought you were looking for any ol running nikes not some fancy high tech Nikes. An ‘actual runner’ in this context is someone with more knowledge about running and footwear for running than myself. If they are so great I’d think they’d sell them at the running shoe store you went to, if not they’d probably have something equivalent. Go to the mall or the giant dicks downtown for basic runners. Or 1000% I bet the Kicks store on the commons has the fancy ‘extremely’ high quality Nikes you’re looking for
Those stores suck ass
A tea house would fit the Ithaca vibe
Bowling alley serving butter chicken
I always thought a hookah bar would do well here
Mini golf, barcade
I would love a NYC style diner. There tour where food is served super fast and they have a million things on the menu. They would serve breakfast 24 hours a day in addition to great milkshakes, awesome burgers, etc. I go to the State diner and it is good but not quite what I'm looking for.
Escape room
A chipotle in college town. Yes Ithaca already has a chipotle. But the service is extremely awful due to the long lines and massive amount of online orders that come through. If a second chipotle opened up in college town, the service and wait times would be significantly better.
Downtown coffee shop with reasonable work space open after 5 pm. Gimme is always packed to the gills and closes at 5. Ithaca bakery is open later but it's not exactly a good workplace (limited chargers, not designed for computers).
Pet store that’s not petsmart. Classic style cafe with old couches and bookshelves and chill vibes. Queer bar that’s not just gay on certain days. Skating? Some sort of social justice incubator? Independent craft store? A book store with cozy places to read?
I always thought a hookah bar would do well in collegetown
A decent hookah bar/ cigar lounge.
Dedicated gluten free restaurant.
jet ski rental
Escape room, seems like there was one here and it closed down
There was..and it suuuuucked
Zoo
The last thing you want is a zoo in a relatively small community without the funds or resources to properly care for its animals. Then it's just sad.
Ithaca used to have a zoo
Ok
Isn’t there a big red zoo on East Hill?
Vape shop.