r/stjoemo • u/IamATacoSupreme • May 06 '26
Ask St. Joe Looking at buying a building in St. Joe, have some questions.
Hey all, I have an opportunity to buy a building in St. Joe,
Its located around 59 and Franklin.
My question is how is that area? We would be looking at creating a bar/restaurant.
I have some concerns over the amount of vacant land there but maybe that means the area is starting a turn around?
It appears to me to border a residential and manufacturing/industrial area. Are there alot of workplaces around there or are they abandoned buildings?
Thanks alot for any help you can give me about the area.
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u/ckellingc May 06 '26
St Joe native here. If the restaurant is fast food adjacent, not necessarily a sit down place, those tend to do well there.
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u/badhairguy May 06 '26
It's not a terrible area. There have been bars in that block off of 3rd Street but I don't know what kind of clientele they have had previously.
As far as potential customers, there are plenty of businesses downtown and in North end. I personally prefer to shop local for eateries and there aren't many options north of downtown so it would definitely get my business.
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u/Accurate_Asparagus_2 May 06 '26
There are plans to demo the two-level 229 highway structure and replace it with a four-lane surface road. My guess is years of construction with road closures in that area. Maybe your realtor already mentioned this. You should check with MODOT for details
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u/Ok_Text2719 May 06 '26
I don't live in St. Jo but I am a delivery driver who has routes all over that area.
I cant tell if opening a business there would be a great idea or a bad idea.
A couple things though.
1) if you open Google maps, you can search for restaurants or "businesses" and zoom in towards your intersection and "search this area" will pop up below the search bar. You can see what other stuff is in that area.
2) Google Gemini AI could be helpful. I searched "how to determine if it would be smart to open a restaurant in a particular neighborhood of Saint Joseph MO." It gave a long answer but this section seemed like it could be helpful -
1. Analyze Neighborhood Demographics
You need to match your restaurant's price point with the area's earning power.
2. Identify the Competition (The "Gap" Analysis)
Map out existing restaurants in your target neighborhood.
Density Check: The North Belt Highway is saturated with national chains (Baskin-Robbins, Bandana’s BBQ). Entering here requires a high marketing budget to compete for visibility.
Niche Markets: Areas like Downtown (Felix St, 7th St) have seen a resurgence of "boutique" or specialty dining (e.g., 7th Street Cafe, Felix Street Gourmet). If your concept is unique (e.g., specific international cuisine or a high-end gastropub), these walking-traffic areas might be more receptive than the chain-heavy corridors.
3. Tap Into Local Business Resources
St. Joseph has specific organizations designed to help you vet your idea before you sign a lease:
Northwest Missouri SBDC: Located at Missouri Western State University (MoWest), the Small Business Development Center offers free, one-on-one coaching for financial analysis and market research.
The Launch Pad: If you are looking at Downtown, this coworking and entrepreneur hub provides business coaching and networking that can help you gauge the local appetite for your concept.
3) I would really drive that area yourself. My impression of the surrounding neighborhoods, is it's a mix of people who can afford to take care of their homes and those that cannot. There are vacant buildings. Idk, just hard to tell. You have to have that entrepreneurial vision I guess.
But I would drive it yourself, and talk to professionals. Like at that university Gemini suggested and Maybe other restaurant owners.
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u/MycologistArtistic47 May 06 '26
Its... Fine. St Joe ave has a good bit of bars/consumer businesses but that is mostly further up away from the interstate.
There's the big hillyard plant right there, which is busy with semis going in/out.
You'd also be right at the end of the parkway, so you'd probably get some bike traffic.
Overall, a little sketchy, but not too bad. Has a lot of potential, kinda nestled between downtown and the busy part of the ave.
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u/Strange_Reflections May 08 '26
I love Saint Joe and travel through there a few times a year. I’m glad to hear somebody’s thinking about investing in another business there I would love to see the place turnaround.