From Colokial to DADA in two blocks or less, with a sideways glance at DNA's tacky mobster tactics.

The upshot: Colokial closes so its owner can transition to a different business model, and DADA moves from Underground Station into the vacated Colokial space because it needs more square footage, leaving behind an affordable slot that might be regarded as an incubator, or become the permanent location of a niche business.

It all makes perfect sense. To reiterate thoughts expressed in this space after Feast BBQ and Comfy Cow recently closed, downtown must be viewed as a dynamic in progress. As long as usable spaces are being occupied, there's nothing much else to say, and there'll be steps forward and backward. The aim is to keep moving forward.

Obviously, this doesn't excuse City Hall from maintaining infrastructure, or independent small business owners from cooperating; in both instances, we could be doing a better job of it.

It also points to the ongoing folly whereby Develop New Albany, the city's anointed events contractor, stages monthly merchant meetings to read top-down scrolls from Dear Leader rather than engaging folks who are investing with real money on the ground every day about ways to identify and address preconditions for successful commerce.

Lately DNA seems to spending the bulk of its time in an active effort to isolate and discredit former volunteer Kelly Winslow via the usual mobster tactics backed by the clout of Team Gahan.

Why? Because Winslow's non-subsidized grassroots New Albany Social is doing a better job than DNA with fewer resources (read: none), even as DNA's prerequisites when planning come-to-city events must always include a percentage of the take to pay a staff person's salary.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DNA's poorly concealed vendetta against Winslow owes to what the small-pond pillars perceive as a threat to their monopoly. It's sad and stupid, and amazingly, entrepreneurs continue to do what they do best, survive and sometimes thrive, set against this backdrop of Gahan-encouraged junior high school hijinks.

All the best to A Wild Guess and DADA.

ON THE AVENUES: New Albany's downtown food and dining scene is solid ... for now.

To me, job one remains encouraging density in downtown residency, not by bribing huge developers to pursue one or two showpiece projects, but providing fair incentives for a dozen smaller ones.

The more people living within walking and biking distance of historic downtown business district, the better the business climate, and the speedier the shift to balanced offerings; as Bluegill has been asking forever, how far must one walk from his or her home NOT to drink craft beer or eat Peruvian street food, but just buy a damn roll of toilet paper?

Of greengrocers, farmers markets, Seeds and Greens ... and urban food.

Like I was saying just the other day.

Applying the Bloomington solution to New Albany's farmers market.

... We'd be moving the center of farmers market gravity a few blocks west, which is good for Westendia. Putting some love into this area might encourage Schmitt Furniture to uncover its windows. Furthermore, there'd be a natural affinity between the farmers market and the forthcoming Seeds and Greens Natural Market and Deli.

You remember the forthcoming Seed and Greens, right?

Seeds and Greens Natural Market and Deli coming to downtown New Albany in Fall, 2014.

 ... Stacey Freibert, owner of Seeds and Greens Natural Market and Deli, says the re-model will begin June 1st and the store expects to open the fall of 2014 in downtown New Albany. Seeds and Greens will sell organic and local produce, natural hormone free dairy products, local meats and free-range eggs.

Not to mention the old Wolfe's grocery building, awaiting adaptive reuse. I'm headed toward a link to NPR (thanks B), but before we go there, a gentle reminder that the words "big-spending locavores" should be lofting more than a few red flags. We have enough problem with inequality as it is, wouldn't you say?

How do we make the connection between localism in food and those of us incapable of being "big-spending"?

Urban Greengrocers Are Back, To Serve Big-Spending Locavores, by Maanvi Singh (NPR)

 ... It's a new version of the old-school neighborhood market, which is popping up in cities across the country. There's Urban Radish and Cookbook in Los Angeles, Farm to Market in Austin, and Milk and Honey Market in Philadelphia — to name just a few.

These aren't your parents' big-box grocery stores. They're closer to the places your grandparents might have shopped — but updated for the modern foodie.

"4 Reasons Retailers Don't Need Free Parking to Thrive."

Okay, I won't pretend that studies conducted in European cities are an exact fit with our everyday experiences here in the land of the ubiquitous auto, but still there are nuggets here worth chewing, as in point number four: "A mix of retailers is more important than parking supply."

4 Reasons Retailers Don't Need Free Parking to Thrive, by Eric Jaffe (The Atlantic Cities)

A major rationale for the supply of parking spaces in city shopping centers is that customers won't come without them. The anecdotal argument makes sense — retailers believe that most consumers arrive by car and believe free or cheap parking plays a major role in choosing a destination — but the actual evidence is scant at best. A new review of commercial centers in Greater London, released late last month (via David King), concludes that retailers vastly overestimate the role free parking plays in their success.