[andrewkfromaz]

Downtown Gilbert is actually trying to preserve some historic heritage, and to that end they have mercifully allowed Joe's Real BBQ to stay in business. Now I have family in TX, and my grandma has family in both AL and SC, so I'm not going to make any claims about this place's authenticity, but it's quite good, considering we live in Arizona, rather than the true South. Other than Joe's Gilbert pretty much fails to have any particularly attractive features in its downtown. I have little doubt that this will change as people in the town become less satisfied with the bland shopping centers and other options being constructed in and near Gilbert.

I have hopes that Mesa will be able to raise itself from its current state to a higher, better plane, but without public funds, I see that process being fairly slow. If Mesa can leverage long-time residents with private improvement capital (from State Farm and others), I could see it being a success. There's certainly room for success in both west and east Mesa (GM proving grounds development), as truly successful development will also draw Tempe residents looking for something different.