[camkazaam]

The chain stores that New Orleans really needs can be listed on one hand. These are stores that when a hip young person thinks about where he or she wants to go to school or build a business, they want to see these:
1) Trader Joe's!
2) Ikea
3) Target in the inner city
4) Chipotle (I love Juan's Flying Burrito, but Chipotle is fast food, not sit down; whole different deal)

I've had the idea for many years that S. Claiborne Avenue could be turned into an urban commercial thoroughfare. I mean, why not? There's not much history on that street to preserve, at least as far as I can tell. The infrastructure is there. It's close to the Uptown money base, so there are potential shoppers.

Central City is dangerous, of course, but New Orleanians are used to going *near* dangerous places. If there was adequate planning and security, I don't think safety would be a major issue. A lot of middle class people go to the Irish Channel Wal Mart, even though its in a pretty poor enclave.

I'm picturing a much denser, much more urban version of Veterans, between Napoleon and the Superdome. Think 3 story Target, maybe a Macy's. Maybe modeled after Peachtree Street in Atlanta?

As an Uptowner, I hate having to drive to Jefferson Parish or across the river to do basic 21st century shopping. Magazine Street is great, but sometimes you just have to go to a chain store.