A birdie lets us know that Brixx Pizza, the wood-fired pizza chain, could be making a home in Charlottesville in the Barracks Road shopping center.  Be afraid Christian’s & Mellow!

[pic from ncbrian]

[anyone have a picture to donate?]

Back when we first found out the former Michael’s Bistro team had decided to launch a new restaurant, we knew something good was in the works. Enter 12th Street Taphouse, located on Main and, you guessed it, 12th Street.

With some cash from the Coran, the team has renovated the former Northern Exposure space, adding wood floors, new tables, new paint and some better lighting.  It feels cleaner and more delightful than before.  Parking shouldn’t turn you away either, because you can usuually find something on the street, in front of Kane’s or around the corner in that art store parking lot.  You might be hard pressed to find a sign for 12th Street, but you are probably an idiot if you can’t find the building.

The 12th Street interior is large and daunting, especially when you need to figure out how to ask for a table.  This building has always had this problem. The long, narrow entry-way doesn’t end up at an obvious host station, so just make sure you wander aimlessly to the bar and look effectively confused.  Someone will address you eventually.

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A little birdie writes:

Drove by the old Boheme space today. And as it had been suspected, it is now an Asian restaurant of sorts. It is called “Asia Specialties“. All I could see while driving was a Coke fridge… suggesting that they’ll probably deliver.

Anyone have more deets?

If anyone has seen the former Northern Exposure building that had a brief occupancy by now the deceased Spry’s Barbecue, you would know that something’s going down.  The building looks like crap right now, having been stripped of almost every exterior sign, awning, etc..  Some of us thought it was time for demolition, but one of our birdies brings a new rumor to the table.  Thanks, Echo:

12th Street Tap [Ale?] House. Supposedly in the old Northern Exposure building. I want details. Internet, go.

Anyone have the deets?

In addition to the recent rumored sale of Java Java (too many coffee shops and too many wine places in Charlottesville?), we heard Crush is trying hard to be sold.  Birdie explains:

The owner didn’t go into much detail about it, but it’s definitely sad, considering it’s a great wine shop.  I don’t know if this is old hat, but it was news to me.

How does this relate to our favorite wine connoisseur’s departure?  Anyone recall the “scariest food business from our 2007 superlatives?”

Related articles:

• Oakencroft died.
• Wine is now a private affair?

We love these rumors!  Thank you birdie:

word among ex-michael’s bistro employees is that the other owner, not michael, is opening a new place with an interesting partner.  good location too

Guesses?  Space above Boheme/in Boheme,  The Upstairs or old Milano space.

[Read "Holed Up in Michael's Bistro"]

We’ve heard from a reliable birdie that the former Hardware Store location is being converted to an Urban Outfitters. It makes sense given the store’s size and the standard size of U.O. shops.

If you recall, one of our other birdies told us in September that a clothing store was in the mix for a possible lease of the once famous restaurant. This does conflict with the rumor that the X-Lounge people were behind something.

We think this rumor has some wings and it looks like the cat is finally out of the bag. Thank you birdie! I’m sure mall people are not happy about this.

Update from danpri…possibly not finalized, due to a lack of official inking.

[pic]

Not sure if this is news, but I haven’t seen any mention of it since the Apple Store/Downtown Mall posting a while ago.  I was in the University Book store (on top of Newcomb parking garage) this afternoon and they have a bunch of renovations/new construction taking place next to Cavalier Computers.  While Cavalier has always stocked Macs and kept a dedicated display, this looks to be quite the upgrade.  Plastic sheeting was hung, but it appears that the new space will double or triple the size of Cavalier Computers (roughly a 20′x20′ room now).

I asked what was going on and the guys behind the counter told me that it was going to be an apple store; I can’t answer as to whether or not it’ll be staffed by Apple or University employees, presence of a genius bar, completion date, etc

If someone wants to call Cavalier Computers/hound them for more information, please step up to the plate!

[See This Thread for More Rumors on the Apple Store] [pic]

Well, in case you have been living under a rabbit hole in the last few weeks, you may have missed out on some juicy restaurant gossip. It seems as though one of Charlottesville’s finest is for sale, someone new is doing late nights and a former player has lost its mojo. Which is which?

You have to guess…

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Street lets us know that:

NASA has scheduled a media teleconference Wednesday, May 14, at 1 p.m. EDT, to announce the discovery of an object in our Galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years. This finding was made by combining data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory with ground-based observations.

Live audio of the teleconference will be streamed online: here.

What do you think they are going to announce?  The winner gets to hook up with Scowly.