2012 is starting out quite slow

Not much going on around here as the year turns to 2012. It' very quiet.

Quite a few businesses are closing down, which is going to make the Grove look a bit empty by the end of January. I don't usually like to report closed businesses, and prefer to report on new places that are opening, but there aren't many new places. LoKal, the burger place, seems to be the only new place of interest around here. There's a wine bar opening soon across from them, next to the Bombay Darbar Indian restaurant, so that's good news.

I was shocked to see that Aladdin's Grill closed without a whimper, they were there one day and then closed the next. AC Fine Arts is closing by the end of the month, this is the space where Windisch-Hunt used to be. Rumor is that the Anne Taylor Loft store, next door, is next. But that was also a rumor last January, so we'll see if that is true. Hope not.

American Apparel across the street is now gone and of course the large former Guess store location still sits empty. Burn Notice is coming back to film their 6th season in March, do they need a ghost town for any scenes? Throw in a few tumble weeds and they can film right on a section of Grand Avenue.

I don't think anyone is to blame, I think it's the economy. Everyone is hurting. I do know of a couple of locals who are trying to find space for two businesses and they say they cannot find any place. One landlord wants to pick and choose who goes in and told a friend that they don't want a "sporting-type place" in their building (he has a sort of private gym type club), another has a small restaurant concept in mind, which would include low key performances.

The Taste of the Grove has been moved to April as of last year, so there is nothing major going on in January, except for the Gallery Walk on January 7. But since the Art Stroll section has been eliminated at the Mayfair Promenade, the excitement of the Gallery Walk itself is gone.

We have the Coconut Grove Arts Festival in February to look forward to for our next big Coconut Grove event. But being the Grove, I know that something exciting will pop up in the next week or so, something always does.