Jackson's Seafood has closed.

This prompted a rant of mine on Twitter:

Someone needs to say this aloud: Downtown New Albany needs to get its shit together, now. Businesses, non-profits, government ... now. 

Downtown is not finished. It is barely started, and exceedingly fragile. I see what's happening in Jeffersonville and across the river, and look around at the "players" here ... and it's fairly discouraging. No cooperation, no plan, and no signs of it changing. Mark my words: Without unity, this great experiment will be making no further progress, and in fact, might well regress.

I've warned you. I've been warning you. Sorry I had to get all apocalyptic on you. Is it beer thirty yet?

C-J has good things to say about Jackson's Seafood.

Apologies for missing Marty Rosen's September 11 Courier-Journal review of Jackson's Seafood, which is located at 400 West Main Street in New Albany. It's in the building that recently housed the defunct Orchid, and long before that was known by generations of New Albanians as Kerstein's Tavern. Trust me -- they wouldn't recognize it now after roughly a third remodeling since the decade dawned.

Marty has good things to say, and begins by comparing the Jackson's experience to Clarksville Seafood Restaurant, where the owner learned his trade.

Jackson's Seafood is fit to be tried

Jackson's Seafood seems destined to be just as popular. Even in these early days, it's not unusual to find the parking lot overflowing, all the tables full, a line of people waiting to order at the counter and a row of people sitting against the wall waiting for to-go orders. It's all to the good then, that staff are quick, knowledgeable and, from their easy smiles, happy to be dealing with lots of customers.

Information, please: Jackson's Seafood and Liquidz Bar & Grill.

Above is the remodeled Orchid, now Jackson's Seafood on West Main. The sign on the door suggests it will be open this week. Below are two views of the storefront on East Main, opposite the old Reisz Furniture building, billed as Liquidz. Readers, do you have any information on these new businesses?