Northgate celebrates grand 'reopening' Thursday

T Durden wrote:

I'm thrilled with the new mall.
It's interesting that Day Hiker's post seems to have been removed, which means they ARE moderating these boards a bit (unless someone "reported abuse"? Who knows).
Either way, I echo the concerns about the gangbanger mall rats: that will quell any excitement and enthusiasm for the new mall right away, and we'll be right back to square one. Hopefully they're on top of that.

The effect of these Anchor brats is that since they are hanging out there and looking for trouble, a parent won't dare let their kid go wandering off or spending money on their own. These kids look for someone to challenge and are of course not going to bother an adult but will go after anyone smaller, weaker or less numerous than them.
Terra Linda is suburbia slipping backwards into either revamped suburbia and renovated suburbia or into barrio.
Commercial spaces where the public gathers are where it happens first.
I can see it now, "student shot at Northgate mall for wearing wrong color shoes."
Zero tolerance of this if you want any of my money. Can you get "all excited" about that Mr. Ryan?
Maybe you'll call me a 'racist' for stating the obvious. OK, I'm a racist. So what? It's an invented and politically motivated word that has ceased to mean anything. I notice the tie dyed hippie from the Canal Alliance is now posting from Sanger, California. Hint: There's a prison there. Wonder what happened? Maybe a little close confinement will change his opinions?

T Durden wrote:

Chipotle and BJ's are exactly what it needed. They aren't health food by any means, but great for the occasional night out... BJ's more than fills the niche left by Chili's.

Actually, Chipotle has really good quality ingredients.

I bet that either Sonoma Taco or High Tech Burrito will close within the next year. I also can't imaging that Applebees is going to make it with BJ's next door.

Mary wrote:

<quoted text>
The effect of these Anchor brats is that since they are hanging out there and looking for trouble, a parent won't dare let their kid go wandering off or spending money on their own. These kids look for someone to challenge and are of course not going to bother an adult but will go after anyone smaller, weaker or less numerous than them.
Terra Linda is suburbia slipping backwards into either revamped suburbia and renovated suburbia or into barrio.
Commercial spaces where the public gathers are where it happens first.
I can see it now, "student shot at Northgate mall for wearing wrong color shoes."
Zero tolerance of this if you want any of my money. Can you get "all excited" about that Mr. Ryan?
Maybe you'll call me a 'racist' for stating the obvious. OK, I'm a racist. So what? It's an invented and politically motivated word that has ceased to mean anything. I notice the tie dyed hippie from the Canal Alliance is now posting from Sanger, California. Hint: There's a prison there. Wonder what happened? Maybe a little close confinement will change his opinions?

Pot meet keddle.

You are peddling fear. I have not read of any incidents of people hassling kids at the Northgate Mall. On the other hand Mill Valley seems to be in the news a bit lately. Your residents are getting involved with freeway shootings with the Hells Angels, having kids taken by CPS due to all of the animal waste in their apartment, and biting people at your dive motels, plus all of the white collar crime. Sounds like a great place to let the kids run free.

Mary wrote:

<quoted text>
The effect of these Anchor brats is that since they are hanging out there and looking for trouble, a parent won't dare let their kid go wandering off or spending money on their own. These kids look for someone to challenge and are of course not going to bother an adult but will go after anyone smaller, weaker or less numerous than them.
Terra Linda is suburbia slipping backwards into either revamped suburbia and renovated suburbia or into barrio.
Commercial spaces where the public gathers are where it happens first.
I can see it now, "student shot at Northgate mall for wearing wrong color shoes."
Zero tolerance of this if you want any of my money. Can you get "all excited" about that Mr. Ryan?
Maybe you'll call me a 'racist' for stating the obvious. OK, I'm a racist. So what? It's an invented and politically motivated word that has ceased to mean anything. I notice the tie dyed hippie from the Canal Alliance is now posting from Sanger, California. Hint: There's a prison there. Wonder what happened? Maybe a little close confinement will change his opinions?

You've got to be an old angry dude?

I was raised in San Rafael many years ago and I am so glad that the mall has been reserected. I now live in Missouri, but San Rafael and Bay Area are my true home. I love the area and wish I could afford to come back and live there.

It's not Disneyland for christ sake. It's a freakin mall with some stores.
If this is going to change your life good luck.

Snark Attack wrote:

<quoted text>
Actually, Chipotle has really good quality ingredients.
I bet that either Sonoma Taco or High Tech Burrito will close within the next year. I also can't imaging that Applebees is going to make it with BJ's next door.

Oh I definitely love Chipotle and the fact that their standards are so high, but their average burrito (especially the barbacoa which is far and away my favorite) is something like 1200 calories, that's all.

You're right-on with the other places hurting. I'm sure BJ's and Chipotle will definitely mean a drop off in business for these other restaurants (between Chipotle and something like High Tech Burrito? There's no comparison).

T Durden wrote:

<quoted text>
Oh I definitely love Chipotle and the fact that their standards are so high, but their average burrito (especially the barbacoa which is far and away my favorite) is something like 1200 calories, that's all.
You're right-on with the other places hurting. I'm sure BJ's and Chipotle will definitely mean a drop off in business for these other restaurants (between Chipotle and something like High Tech Burrito? There's no comparison).

I agree about the huge size. Chipotle should offer a smaller option. One of their burritos at lunch will typically spoil my appetite for dinner.

Chipolte was okay. Very expensive if you want guacamole and cheese on your burrito. They charged another $Z.50 making my burrito $8.60. A regular boring burrito is $6.10. Women will like it, men will say it is way too small.

High Tech Burrito is awful.

The place under the freeway on 4th Street is the best burrito. I will go there, they don't charge extra for guacamole or cheese, and their burrito is twice as large as a Chipolte burrito.

Snark Attack wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree about the huge size. Chipotle should offer a smaller option. One of their burritos at lunch will typically spoil my appetite for dinner.

So don't eat the whole thing.

burritos wrote:

Chipolte was okay. Very expensive if you want guacamole and cheese on your burrito. They charged another $Z.50 making my burrito $8.60. A regular boring burrito is $6.10. Women will like it, men will say it is way too small.
High Tech Burrito is awful.
The place under the freeway on 4th Street is the best burrito. I will go there, they don't charge extra for guacamole or cheese, and their burrito is twice as large as a Chipolte burrito.

At the place under the freeway in SR they do charge extra for cheese and guac on a regular burrito. You have to get the super to have those included. I don't think that they are the best either. Taqueria la Fiesta in Ignacio, Taqueria de Marin by College of Marin, and Puentez in the Montecito shopping center are all better tasting burritos. Picante in Berkely is probably the best within 20 miles. The holy grail of burritos though is Morenos Tacos in Santa Cruz. The al pastor and the hot sauce are second to none.

that place as I recall is the one that has millions flies in the place.

Gee. I missed the grand re-opening!! I agree with shocked in Terra Linda--I was expecting sooooo much more from this renovation--I really thought they were going to open up the mall to the elements. I think Red Diaper stated that the thought was to aim it more to the love of nature that most Marinites have--the whole hype they have been having about the renovation is not exactly what happened--very disappointing! I may be wrong, but I was expecting more--will I still shop there--of course I will go to Macy's, Sears and SEE'S--I'm so glad they returned! And Kohl's is good for home stuff, but every other store is aimed towards tweens, teens and 20 somethings. I've been to BJ's, found the service great--since they are new and trying, the food mediocre, and will probably stick with Applebees and a movie--that's about all the mall is good for anymore besides the Anchor stores--and at the risk of sounding dumb, can someone tell me what is an Anchor Baby or Brat?? Guess I'm too old for the interior of the mall!

I went with a drive through the downtown San Rafael area recently and as my friend pointed out...there are ALOT of business that are
closed on 4th street...empty shops and no leasers.
Too expensive,ya? Can't compete with the corporates,and(in my personal opinion what I am seeing is that all the corporates are consolidated into target areas)...Consumerism Marin? Kinda ironic to me but then again it's only my opinion...

Buyer beware. Almost everything I bought when I went shopping at H&M shrunk so much I could not wear it even after washing it for 6 minutes on a cold on a gentle cycle and hanging to dry. They design cute clothes but they are not preshrunk nor made well. I am surprised they get any return customers. Target makes better quality clothes for less money.

Simmons Lane wrote:

at the risk of sounding dumb, can someone tell me what is an Anchor Baby or Brat?? Guess I'm too old for the interior of the mall!

Not sure on "Brat," but an anchor baby is an illegal baby born on domestic soil that is (thanks to our current laws) considered an American citizen. Like with the recent family in Novato, the parents then try to leverage their "legal" child to help keep themselves from ever being deported.

What the owners of the mall don't realize is that everyone that shops at Northgate goes there to GET IN and GET OUT. It has ALWAYS been that way. Those restaurants will only survive on the lower class. BJ's is going to have a tough, tough time. The people that shop at Northgate live seconds away, thus they won't stay and eat there. The people that hang out at the mall (anchor babies included) don't have the money to eat at BJ's. BJ's is really a place for the lower class to think they are eating at a really nice place. They will eat there but it will be very sporadic because when they see their bill they will remember. There are plans for 3 more other restaurants. There is no way they are going to all do well. No way. You will see the restaurants pull out of there first in 12-18 months. The mall has no identity, no real reason to go there and no reason to hang out. It has medium high end and bottom of the barrel. The village is high end. The mall has no identity and the owners are banking on the younger crowd only, hence the H&M.

It will be interesting to see what that place looks like in the future.

Susan Wayt wrote:

I was raised in San Rafael many years ago and I am so glad that the mall has been reserected. I now live in Missouri, but San Rafael and Bay Area are my true home. I love the area and wish I could afford to come back and live there.

So come on back. Life's too short to wish you were somewhere else. Just adjust your priorities and you can afford it. Most average ie not trust fund babies Marin residents live either spartan or leveraged lifestyles compared to less expensive areas of the country.

Sheik Shoes, Hot Topic, & Forever 21 are obviously for a younger crowd. Not my thing. I do like Kohl's though. It reminds me of the early heydays of Mervyn's before it went downhill...way back when Levi's were still made in the USA.

However, Chipotle is a gawdsend on the culinary iceberg that is Terra Linda. Their carnitas bowl, made from naturally raised pork, sets my wicked little heart aflutter. I also like that nothing is over $6 and some change, is not greasy or overly salty, and is fresh tasting. Nomz!

New Mall wrote:

What the owners of the mall don't realize is that everyone that shops at Northgate goes there to GET IN and GET OUT. It has ALWAYS been that way. Those restaurants will only survive on the lower class. BJ's is going to have a tough, tough time. The people that shop at Northgate live seconds away, thus they won't stay and eat there. The people that hang out at the mall (anchor babies included) don't have the money to eat at BJ's. BJ's is really a place for the lower class to think they are eating at a really nice place. They will eat there but it will be very sporadic because when they see their bill they will remember. There are plans for 3 more other restaurants. There is no way they are going to all do well. No way. You will see the restaurants pull out of there first in 12-18 months. The mall has no identity, no real reason to go there and no reason to hang out. It has medium high end and bottom of the barrel. The village is high end. The mall has no identity and the owners are banking on the younger crowd only, hence the H&M.
It will be interesting to see what that place looks like in the future.

I see,
and which 'class' would you catagorize yourself in? I was born and raised right here in
Marin...I get alittle p*****off when I see the bluebloods,midwest transplants, and international homesteaders come in buy up all the prime property, which as we all know
increases the cost of living for the folks already here, property rates skyrockit and
the folks and families that were raised here (especially the older generations)are forced to move out of the area.I also hate the attitude and smell(of money)that comes with it.Which 'class' did you say you were?