Hoypoloi closed

[Ghoulish Delight]

Just saw in today's update at MousePlanet that this store has closed. Too bad, it was a fun place to browse through, lots of nifty stuff.

Of course I don't believe I ever purchased anything there. Hmm...

[Alex]

Yeah, I liked to walk through there but also never purchased a thing.

As far as we can tell, WDW's Downtown Disney is keeping their store but who knows. They only had three stores to begin with so closing one is a big change.

[Not Afraid]

WOW! How sad! I used to go in there at LEAST every......once....a year.

I have purchased something there. I helped keep them operating by purchasing a wind up manic toy thing.

[Moonliner]

A wind up manic toy thing.

Say, did that go Zip when it moved, Pop when it stopped and Whirrr when it stood still? I've been looking everywhere for one of those.

[Not Afraid]

No. But it entertained the cats quite a bit.

I don't think it had any noise-making abilities. The only lettering on the thing says "Cosmotetz" Pat. Pending.

[Ghoulish Delight]

And here I thought you had purchased that at the Pompidou.

[Not Afraid]

And if that is a Python line - screw you! ;)

[Ghoulish Delight]

And if that is a Python line - screw you! ;)
Awww. It's The Marvelous Toy, one of the greatest folk songs of all time.

[Isaac]

I noticed the store was closed when I was at the park on Saturday, but I didn't know if it was permanent. Can't say I'll miss it. I never bought a thing in there and hardly ever glanced around. It didn't seem like it was a big money maker. I remember about a month ago iSm was wondering how the store remained in business. I guess now he knows ;) Wonder what will replace it.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

We used to like to browse around there and are kind of sad that it's gone. We never bought anything either though. We couldn't afford any of the stuff we liked. :)

[innerSpaceman]

It was my absolute favorite store in DTD. I only ever purchased one item there, but I would have bought tons more .... had I won the lottery!

Yeah, the place was too expensive by a long shot, but they had interesting and beautiful stuff - - and since there was no question of ever making a purchase, it was more like an art museum than a store. I went in there far more often than any other shop in DTD, which was still not all that often.

That clinches it though, with the Anne Geddes dead-baby column gone and now this ... DTD is officially a big, fat bore.

[Not Afraid]

If they'd only open a shoe store.........

[€uroMeinke]

or a Peets!

[Prudence]

Is it sad that I was just there and I can't for the life of me remember where this store was or what it looked like? Didn't register with me at all.

[Kevy Baby]

Yeah, I'm trying to remember which one it is. But then, I don't spend any time in DTD (other than using to get from one place to another).

[Motorboat Cruiser]

or a Peets!

Now that would be a lucrative venture. Put an In & Out next door and it would be the busiest part of DTD.

[innerSpaceman]

DTD needs a bowling alley!

[Alex]

You won't see a Peet's or an In and Out while Disney has their current sponsorship agreements.

There are rumors indicating it may be a Disney-operated clothing store, focused on some higher end lines (you know, $80 t-shirts and that kind of thing).

I would vote for replacing Catal with a bowling alley, but I think it would have to be vertical to fit in the space available. I try to think of stores I'd like to see in there but then I realize that other than food I've never made a single purchase in Downtown Disney so it probably doesn't matter one lick.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Perhaps this will jog your memory, Pru and Kevy?
http://albums.mouseplanet.com/DLRDTDProcessed/hoypoloi_closed_michael.jpg
Eh, maybe not.

[Prudence]

Um, no?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Um, no?
Heehee! I predicted you'd say that

[Prudence]

I did notice that this time I didn't notice as much about DTD, if that makes sense. The storefronts seemed more samey-samey. Easy to ignore.

[Kevy Baby]

It was the store that sold nautical and airplane stuff along with tropical style clothing. They had some cool things in there.

[Ghoulish Delight]

It was the store that sold nautical and airplane stuff along with tropical style clothing. They had some cool things in there.
Nope, wrong store. It's the one that sold a lot of glass decorative type stuff. Big shiny plates and the like. I believe the one you're thinking of is Island Charters

[Not Afraid]

I like how even those of us who see these store almost weekly can't keep them straight.

Irvine anyone?

[Prudence]

What's sad is that I *do* remember Island Charters, but not for good reasons.

[innerSpaceman]

Yep, Island Charters is an even bigger rip-off than HoiPaloi was. It too had interesting stuff to look at ... once! H.P. was good for a visit every 30th time thru DTD.

I think I've made 2 purchases at WoD, one at HoiPaloi, and one at Compass Books. That's the extent of my non-food&beverage DownTown Disney buys. For a guy who's at the resort 2 or 3 times a month, I don't think they're getting the bang from my buck that Disney envisioned.

Oh, but I am sooo stuck buying grub at their restaurants and booze at their bars, so that should make up for it. I wonder if making all the food at the parks inedible was part of the restaurant contracts for DTD?

[Hades]

Downtown Disney has quite the turnover rate when it comes to its tennants. Lets see...

Arriba y Arriba... GONE
Tin Pan Alley... GONE
Mainspring... GONE
Petals... GONE
Hoipoloi... GONE

There was that sunglass shop that used to be connected to Mainspring, but I have since forgotten the name of that place. I could also lump Avalon Cove by Wolfgang Puck, Lucky Fortune Cookery, and Mondavi's little restaurant in DCA, but that is only by association (some still think DCA is just the pay per view version of Downtown Disney!:rolleyes: ).

Did I miss any of them? Not really. I think Downtown Disney needs to be retooled to be more hip. Maybe just a little more like Citywalk, but not like the Block. As it is right now, it's just not worth my time to shop or dine there. The only reason some of the shops get any business there at all is the captive audience staying at the hotels, and they often choose Downtown Disney as a last resort, so to speak.

[mousepod]

I never bought anything at HP in DLR, but we bought several items at the HP in WDW. It was a nice place to pick up an "upscale" non-Disney gift or two for my parents. I think the last time we were in Orlando we got my Mom a cool glass cat-head thingie there (and of course some good Diz-branded stuff from the parks).

It must be tough to build a shopping area that is at once cool enough for folks like us and still attract the hoi polloi and their money.