The Metropolitan

Everything you would ever need in one place. Trader Joe’s, Best Buy, Hickory Tavern, Modern Salon & Spa, and even a few boutiques. They have concerts outside on the stage between Vivace and Hickory Tavern. Also love the greenway in this area! There are bikes that you can rent here and ride to Freedom Park. Great place; the only downside is the parking (or lack of).

Oh baby you… Got what I neeeeeed… Trader Joe’s, West Elm, Best Buy, Staples, Marshalls, Boutique stores, restaurants… I wish I lived above in the condos! For those of us that need to visit the Met, the parking is atrocious during peak times.

Maybe when this built this they didnt think it was going to be a popular area but it is and parking is horrendous. The way the parking garage is set up with basically one way in and out makes finding parking difficult.
Once you do find parking, there is a bunch of great business here. You can do a little shopping and then grab a bite to eat at one of the great restaurants.

5 stars obviously… I live here, so that’s awesome, but this place also has a ton of great stores and restaurants, plus cool events (music, min-​festivals, etc.)
The only downside is the parking garage and it’s traffic, which I navigate daily. No one can seem to figure out. And why does everyone feel the need to back into spots… and it’s not like they are pro wheelmen either… it’s like watching that scene from Austin Powers where he jams himself between the walls and keeps trying to navigate out of it. It’s a spectacle of incompetent driving…
Anyway…this place is a jewel. :)

Great location, great restaurants, Best Buy and TRADER JOE’S — what a combination but the drawback is the traffic. Complex management doesn’t seem to be active in making it better instead the cars back up, creating a real mess. Hope the benefits and popularity of this place don’t become its downfall. The place needs a good traffic engineer.

The only gripe I have against this place is the parking, It is horrible. I no longer try to park on the first level. My recommendation is to either head up to the upper levels or valet your car. The area itself is super cool, they have everything you need in one location grocery stores, department store, Italian restaurant, Sports bar, Spanish food, Steakhouse, yogurt bar, boutiques etc. I am not the biggest fan of Hickory Tavern, but the best Hickory Tavern in the city is the Metropolitan location. Vivace is also located here, they are one of my favorite Italian restaurants in town, making all homemade pastas. All of the restaurants have outdoor seating with beautiful picturesque views of the city. Maybe the best views of the city from any restuarant within the city.

It’s hard to believe that just a short time ago, there was a mall where Metropolitan now sits and the Little Sugar Creek flowed beneath the mall, all polluted and all.
But in this case, change is a good thing. The mall was demolished, the creek reclaimed and we now have a mixed use center called The Metropolitan in its place.
The Met offers a little of everything for everyone. Residences, offices, shopping, dining and close to outdoor life.
Your shopping choices include Best Buy, Trader Joe’s, Marshalls, Staples, West Elm and more. Restaurants include Dresslers, Vivace (yum!), Which Wich, Pisces, La Paz, Zoe’s Kitchen, Hickory Tavern and a few others. There is a bank and a cleaners as well.
The restaurants on the greenway side have a great patio for you to take in the scenery and gawk at joggers, bikers and walkers. There is also a small plaza which hosts bands on warmer days.
The only issue here is parking. Sometimes you have to go up to the 3^rd level of the parking deck to find a space. Some of the stairwells only go down and you are forced to use the elevator to go up.

While I love stopping in here, mainly for Trader Joe’s, it can be a bit of a hassle.
The parking situation, both on the Target side & the Best Buy/​Trader Joe’s side is not great at all. However, getting into each side isn’t that big of a problem, thanks to traffic lights.
It does have something for everyone, especially in the eatery department. There’s Asian, Vegetarian, American, a frozen yogurt shop, Italian, a Which-​Wich, & the new Pizza Fusion.
I’m not quite the fan of this Best Buy or Target, just because the employees at both locations are kind of seedy & the interior is always dirty & unkept.

Thet Met is indeed pretty cool. There are a ton of eateries, places to shop and during the warmer months they have a concert series that pops up.
Some of my favorite places to go to here are Best Buy, Zoe’s Kitchen, Pisces and Target. Oh, can’t forget Trader Joes. Althought not a huge fan of all in grocery shopping there it’s still a cool place for those obscure items.
The view from another restaurant (Vivace) is gorgeous on the right night also. Highly recommend trying to catch a nice sunset on a fall evening!

I’m rather keen on The Met. Plenty of places to shop, eat and hang out. After living in Elizabeth/​Plaza for the past few years, this is one of the best, and most accessible, to grocery shop (Trader Joe’s and Target) and grab a quick bite to eat (Pisces and Zoe’s).
There are a few red flags to be aware of in this shopping center.
Pertaining to Target: On a busy day, which will typically fall on a weekend afternoon, I’d highly recommend parking on the first floor or even the fourth floor of the parking garage. You’ll be better off not fighting for a space. Plenty of soccer moms ready to fight to the death in their Suburbans. They need fruitsnacks and they’re not afraid of you!
Pertaining to Trader Joe’s: Any night of the week is a nightmare for parking in this garage. I’ve resorted to just parking on the 4^th floor of the Target parking garage and walking over at times. Parking on the first floor, in front of Trader Joe’s, is a cluster. Just go ahead and go for the 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th floors. Unless you find the golden egg of a close, 1^st floor parking space, that’s your only hope. The elevators are really useful, though. Keep that in mind.
Greatness: The accessibility the Greenway is incredible here! So nice to go eat at Vivace or Zoe’s and then go for a small jaunt on the Greenway (Little Sugar Creek Greenway, btw) and enjoy the night air. Lots of different ramps and stairs down to the paths. The pergolas on King’s are almost finished, too! They make for a beautiful walk. Definitely worth checking out.
This shopping center is packed with choices and places for fun. Always busy, but buzzing with fun and variety. Enjoy!