Nobody in Napa really liked the Wherehouse when it was open, and we liked it even less when it became f.y.e. and then closed.
Years later, the former music, movies and games store at 3219 Jefferson St., next to Wells Fargo and across from the Grapeyard shopping center, remains vacant.
The freestanding store has 7,000 square feet and plenty of parking. It's for lease at $24 a square foot, per year, through Michael L. Holcomb of Strong & Hayden Commercial Real Estate at (707) 226-2661 x203. A listing sheet accompanies this article.
What business would you like to see come to this vacant store? Share your vision with us in the comments section. And if you have memories about the old Wherehouse/f.y.e., feel free to share those too.
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Unfortunately I don't think there are enough people to keep a record store afloat in this very small city. Almost everyone under 30 doesn't even understand the concept of paying for music and it doesn't matter what format it is: digital download or music or movies, cd, vinyl or dvd or blu-ray. There aren't any record stores opening now but there are plenty closing down every year. Places like Best Buy are reducing the amount of cds, dvd and blu-rays they carry, not increasing stock.
I have been in both on a Saturday recently from about 11:30am to 1:30pm and you can almost count the number of customers on one hand. Literally. College students don't buy music anymore.
People like David Byrne, as an example, can't really make any money from royalties anymore and have to license their music to make a living. Although he doesn't license his music for commercials. In order to do that you have to own and control your publishing which a lot of people don't have, from certain decades especially.
8:47 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012 Lorie, an arcade is an intriguing suggestion. --------------------------- What's intriguing about suggesting an Arcade?
The one in Salem Willows had some very strange games ("Fruit Ninja," anyone?) and the one on the Vineyard had the fortune teller from "Big."
I thought it'd be great precisely because we don't have anything like it in Napa (except a handful of machines at the Cinedome and the Bowling alley), but every time I find myself in one, or walking by one (Santa Cruz Boardwalk the most recent one) I see tons of people of all ages spending tons of money...I guess it's addictive *.*
Without the tourists, the chef-worshippers, the failing restaurants, torn-up roads,and a government who ignores the residents to pander to weekend visitors and the tourism-business owners, it was a beautiful place to live. Back when there were only 20,000 people who lived in Napa that appreciateed the peace, beauty, and solitude, it was a GREAT place to live. Now we have a whole bunch of new people who want downtown to vibrate and wonder why we don't like their failed vision for a Disney valley. But we just do what we can to ignore the wine bar and winery lovers and the potholes that they love. It's still a nice place to leave if you can get away from the tourists and those that worship them. I just can't get over these people who think this valley was ALWAYS this screwed up. But what do you expect in a world that looks at a place with an airport, a navigable waterway with railroad tracks and decides that's the PERFECT place for MORE HOUSES ? The new Napa Valley built for the tourons. What's not to love ?
I would settle for a DAILY morning (8:00 am) Jazzercise class and dance my stress away!!!!
I would imagine when there were only 20,000 people living in the city limits of Napa there were a few billion less people on the planet at the time. I believe someone wrote a blog post recently about overpopulation and what you are describing you can point directly to an ever increasing population. It's not like Napas population grew but California, the U.S. and worldwide population didn't grow at the same time.
If you sectioned the space out properly, it just could work! I'm dreaming? Well, probably, but that's part of what life's about!