Rush Snack Bar coming summer 2011 to 7th/Metro subway station in Downtown LA (Photo: Andrew Cohen)
There is, to the best of my knowledge, only one retail space that is actually inside a subway station in the LA metro system. This unique retail space sits underground by the Hope Street entrance of the busy 7th/Metro subway stop (servicing the Red, Purple, Blue, and future Expo lines).
I’ve known about this retail space for years and imagined it being activated by some kind of “convenience store.” Many pedestrian-oriented cities in the world have metro stations that also have stores inside them. To me, it’s always been a sign of “urban maturity” that I wish LA would eventually have (i.e., becoming pedestrian-oriented and having businesses that cater to that demographic by setting up shop in places like metro stations, etc.).
So you can imagine how excited I was when I learned that a new business called “Rush” will be opening very soon inside this space at 7th/Metro. The owner of Rush Snack Bar, Andrew Cohen, told me this snack bar concept will have “a variety of fresh juices; All different types of pastries; Salads, sandwiches, sodas, chips and gourmet coffee.”
He continues by saying, “My idea of this concept is to do it in a very European manner. Very clean, fresh, and deliver a great product at a very inexpensive price. My potential customer is very diverse. My space is located in the financial district, which means I have the guy in a suit, I have the FIDM fashion student which is located a couple blocks from me, as well as your everyday worker. So I would really like to accommodate everyone, including people that aren’t even using the metro! Have some music playing with good vibes hoping every customer’s 1-2 minutes will be enjoyable and will return.”
According to Andrew, Rush Snack Bar is almost done building out and if all inspections go smoothly (crossing fingers) we could see it open by the end of this month (June). And I hope that somehow this sets a precedent for future metro stations in LA to include more retail and restaurant options inside (including Union Station becoming more of a destination in itself instead of just a transfer point).
Rush Snack Bar will be the only business actually inside a subway station in LA (Photo: Andrew Cohen)
Rush Snack Bar will be strategically located inside the 7th/Metro station as transit riders come in and out of the station
Rush Snack Bar is currently under construction and plans to open this summer
Rush Snack Bar will open inside the 7th/Metro subway stop
7th/Metro station will become increasingly busy as the Expo Line and Regional Connector all plan to add lines here in the future
Other subway stations with businesses that caught my eye…
Madrid, Spain
A convenience store inside a subway station in Madrid, Spain
Barcelona, Spain
A Dunkin' Donuts inside a subway station in Barcelona, Spain
Taipei, Taiwan
A bakery inside a subway station in Taipei, Taiwan
Great post, Brigham. I, too, agree we need a full range of convenience stops inside or near Metro stations.
In other cities, you might find dry cleaners, key copy technicians, newsstands, ATMs, etc. and other things that make it convenient for commuters who walk and take public transit.
Great idea.
Also, in Moscow subway entrances and numerous underground pedestrian tunnels have very many snack bars and vendors. Too bad L.A. is so much behind the rest of the world… but is now catching up!
awesome!!! As a long time transit rider, I’ve always wondered my Metro didn’t capitalize on all that space in their stations to serve their riders better!!! Great find, Brigham!
A perfectly good idea, though the customer base will be reduced somewhat by the fact that food and beverages are prohibited on Metro Rail trains.
This is very awesome news. Just one more step towards becoming a more transit-oriented city.
As for the complaint that you can’t take food/ drinks onto the subway, the photos clearly show the stand will before you get to the stairs. Buy on the way out, rather than on the way in.
Good idea but as my friend, Alek F (see above), will confirm, YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED to eat and/or drink food/beverages in the METRO area of the subway.
James Fujita has the best suggestion posted and supports my comments.
Not ADA compliant? And how big will the rats be?
Love this article. Superb urban commentary complete with descriptive photos.
Wow, this is almost too good to be true! I’d always wondered if there were any plans for that space, and what it was intended for.
Great post -- we quoted you at http://www.metrosity.com. Thanks for sharing Brigham!
The opening of this new convenience store is an example of **Business Follows Demand** which we discussed in our recent blog post urging Pro-Growth policies in Downtown Pasadena.
http://goo.gl/xeKjh
More Angelenos are using transit, and therefor businesses are attracted to those riders (especially discretionary riders).
Similarly, as more residents move to Downtown Pasadena to enjoy a walkable, transit-friendly lifestyle, more businesses will appear to serve their needs.
Try the Hong Kong metro. A vast shopping mall with high end stores. That is the extreme