Coco's Owners to open South Park Eatery

Ok, I know South Park has been hogging the DMM Spotlight lately... but for good reason - this neighborhood has A LOT going on!  So it came as almost no surprise when news came out in the Dayton Business Journal yesterday that the owners of Coco's Bistro are planning their next restaurant (already?) in the Blommel Sign Co. building they recently purchased at 735 Wayne Avenue.  This is great news for both South Park as well as those of us who enjoy Coco's and the many other fantastic independent restaurants we have here in Dayton.  But this new restaurant's location could mean much more than just another independent restaurant opening...

Since moving to Dayton just a few years ago, I have always driven (or walked) down Wayne Avenue and thought - hmm, if only Webster Station, Oregon District and South Park could figure out how to develop Wayne Avenue into a pedestrian-friendly strip and take advantage of the many old and beautiful buildings that run along it, they could connect three islands of success into a seamless and very long stretch of booming activity that even cities like Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland would be jealous of.  I believe that Coco's relatively recent opening on Wayne Ave. at the edge of the OD has represented the beginnings of this tri-neighborhood connection that I and many others before me have dreamed about.  It is ironic that these same restaurant visionaries are at it again so soon with plans to develop just on the other side of U.S. 35.  It is even more promising that they are seasoned restaurant veterans who obviously know how to run a successful independent eatery - a talent not easily found in this day and age of mega-chain restaurants.  And if they can strike gold twice with their new venture, they could be helping to pave the way for even more independent business development along Wayne Avenue that will help connect SP and OD.  And with the AIA plans that may push Wayne Avenue development even further along, and maybe some help from city planners to slow traffic down and make things more pedestrian-friendly - the Wayne Avenue Corridor could be the true neighborhood connector that it should be.

Comments

[Kevin Moran]

This is getting great reaction among the South Park folk. I'm going to change course to work to watch its progress once it gets started.

[Phillip Ranly]

Ahhh! I love Coco's!

[Lisa Persons]

I am so greatful that South Park is finally attracting people with vision!!!