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Jones again dangles the idea of a grocery store on 25th Street
At his presentation to the Greater Richmond Chamber this past Thursday at St.John’s Church, Mayor Jones touched on a number of topics, including building seeing a grocery store built at 25th and Nine Mile roads:
The city wants to draw more businesses, especially small retailers and a grocer, to the East End. Peter H. Chapman, the city’s deputy chief administrative officer for economic and community development, said after the mayor’s speech that the city is still working to draw those companies to the East End, especially along North 25th Street and Nine Mile Road.
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Chapman said that visit will occur no later than the fall and that a decision will be made on which grocer to work with at the intersection of 25th Street and Nine Mile by the end of 2012.
The first mention on CHPN of this grocery store was almost exactly 6 years ago. At a 7th District Meeting in 2006 hosted by then-city council person Delores McQuinn, we were given a timetable that would have seen the store open for business years ago:
No specific timeline is currently available, though the project is intended to be underway sooner rather than later – more towards 2 years than 5 or 10. An audiance member pointed out that a similar clearing had happened in Fulton Bottom 40 years ago, and that there was still vacant land.
By grocery store, are they looking for a glorified corner market like Chimbo Mini Market or a full sized store? I can’t see Martin’s or Kroger buying in because this area doesn’t fit their typical floorplan, demographic audience (massive stores targeted at the white suburban soccer mom crowd). So the question probably is – what do we need to do to get Food Lion in here? I’d personally welcome a Food Lion in here and it would be nice to give residents a less expensive option than the Market. It would be especially nice for the residents in the farther north areas who don’t have the transportation to shop elsewhere to not get gouged on price just because they are somewhat of a captive market.
No grocer of scale will operate in this area. Why would they? Relatively low volume, few purchases of high margin product, and theft loses that would be prohibitive in an already razor thin margin arena. These folks can’t survive by selling the low end of everything. If they could they’s already be there. Still more work to be done on changing who lives there. The demographic is all wrong for this. Unfortunately, the corner dumps that exist are what can be supported by that area. Even hopes for Food Lion will never materialize, this doesn’t even meet their demographic or model.
What about getting Farm to Family to open a store here? Fresh local produce close to home would be pretty sweet. And I don’t think Mark Lilly would take as much convincing to move in compared to a big chain. Arrange for him to be able to accept food stamps (maybe give a discount for those using food stamps) and we’d be set!
The Market at Tobacco Row is located at 23rd and Main. It is the only store Supervalu owns in the Richmond area. They have been talking for years about expanding in this area. They gained a large presence in Hampton Roads a few years ago when they purchased the Farm Fresh chain..
a supermarket is badly needed in that area. corner stores don’t feed neighborhoods. I could see an Aldi doing well there.
Hank,
I actually worked for Supervalu for a number of years and can tell you that this area doesn’t fit with Farm Fresh anymore than it would a Martins. The two have very similar selections in most of their locations and Farm Fresh’s president is pretty particular about minimizing differences between stores.
Their expansion into Richmond was not an expansion play. Supervalu was on the hook when Johnny Johnson skipped out on the Market. Farm Fresh’s leadership team took control because they were the closest and a little more similar to this type of concept than Shoppers (our other VA chain).
Speaking of JJ, I wonder if he might end up in this somehow.
@2 – I agree that if this were a slam dunk, it would be in here but don’t think it’s quite as far off as you make it sound. Thats why I was saying the question ultimately boils down to what do we need to do to get Food Lion? There’s a Food Lion on Airport that seems to be in a similar neighborhood and several others on Southside in poorer areas. Perhaps the city can sweeten the pot by providing police presence to cut down on losses.
The last thing we need is the city screwing with market forces again to get a market where it wont be profitable. That is the lesson learned from community pride stores. The city gave them a no compitetion guarantee, thereby allowing them to underserve the community for years while running on an unsustainable business model.
I second the ALDI mention.
The Food Trust, based in Philadelphia, has successful programs to draw grocery stores to low-income urban neighborhoods. Perhaps the City ought to take a look: http://www.thefoodtrust.org/
The City has no business playing in the realm of development and commercial real estate. Instead of using tax dollars to pursue pipe dreams, the City first should focus on becoming minimally competent at the delivery of core services: public safety, public works, infrastructure, K-12 education, and (later down the line) parks and recreation. Instead of meeting those basic municipal functions, we have swaths of the city that are literally given over to drug dealers and youth mobs, city streets that rival Mogadishu in their state of decay, and the nearly most expensive yet under performing public education system in the state. Focus!
aldi OR bottom dollar–and i don’t think it’s as easy as saying if it were appealing, a store would already be there. First off, a store was there. Second, maybe the city should take some steps to prepare the infrastructure or update the space a little to make a bit more appealing. There are stores out there that cater to neighborhoods like this, maybe there are other aspects of the story that we aren’t hearing that are deterring business owners… or maybe the city just hasn’t reached out to anyone outside of martins, kroger, or food lion…
What does a store targeted at “that demographic” look like exactly? Something like Sunny Market, which was the biggest waste of grocery space yet?Lack of fresh produce? Over-processed crap? This isn’t Short Pump and we certainly don’t need a fancy pants Whole Foods, but I guess I don’t understand why a Food Lion or ever a Kroger wouldn’t open in the East End? Shouldn’t everyone have access to healthy and high quality foods? I’m not saying “expensive” just higher quality then hot fries and ramen.
“What does a store targeted at “that demographic” look like exactly?”
Are you just trying to pick a fight or can you seriously not tell the difference between Martin’s / Food Lion? The latter has lots of overpriced organics, expensive specialty brands, etc. Not something that a shopper with a tight budget would want to splurge on.
I agree that it would be nice for all of us if we could get some fresher produce in here. Just don’t think there’s enough folks in the greater Church Hill area that are willing to pay extra for specialty brand stuff that it would make the margins that the suburban chains want. Food Lion can do lower margins so folks with a tight budget can get more.
Kroger does have a few non-suburban stores around here but unless I am mistaken, none are ones they built themselves. All were picked up on the cheap from Hannaford’s when they were first breaking in.
” i don’t think it’s as easy as saying if it were appealing, a store would already be there”
And why isn’t that store still there? That’s probably a big reason. If the store was doing good business, it would still be there. If it wasn’t, why would the next one be different. Not saying I am not hoping for this to work (because I am), just pointing out that not many grocery chains are clammoring to build in a spot like this.
The Bon Secours/city charrette addressed the food desert issue, among other concerns. I think the idea is firmly planted based on those findings and it doesn’t need dangling. The benefits to the city and its inhabitants are clear, but the question remains on how to entice a business to make the investment.
Am I the only one offended by the assumptions of what the “demographic” in this area would purchase? I believe everyone would welcome fresh produce and affordable quality groceries. I bet a store more affordable and more accessible healthy options would thrive. There are a lot families here and everyone needs to eat.
Focus on the housing in the area! Get the houses up to a decent standard so it attracts folks who will spend real $$$$. When that change happens, retail will follow. Come on folks, it only works one way. Retail follows rooftops (with money)…not the other way around.
@17 – what do you find so offensive about the concept that different demographics (age, income, regions, etc.) might have different preferences? Are you suggesting that a Whole Foods would fit right in at that location? If not, why?
Not sure I believe the whole retail follows rooftops thing. I think its more of a big box retailers haven’t figured out mid-sized cities yet issue. The “rooftops” rational doesn’t explain the success of Short Pump (Henrico) or Western Chesterfield in attracting retail. It seems to me retailers go out of thier way to put retail that serves city residents across the county line.
Unless the city is up for subsidizing retailers or very aggressive about recruiting them, what’s stopping them from putting their across the city line? Less hassle, lower taxes, and you still serve essentially the same customer base.
Good point on the taxes Jason. I don’t think the answer is for the city to selectively lower rates to preferred businesses either (like the hypothetical grocery store). Every time the city does that, it means the rates have to creep up that much more for other businesses in the city, pushing more jobs out to the suburbs and making other retail that much more unattractive.
“The “rooftops” rational doesn’t explain the success of Short Pump (Henrico) or Western Chesterfield in attracting retail.”
#20 You must be joking right? The reason Short Pump was developed was because of the housing that was in place and projected to be built. These communities…Wyndham, for one example north of broad, was on the radar screen. And, development continues…housing. The housing was developed for a higher end demographic and therefore, the retail followed. The very same is true for western Chesterfield. If you’re making your determination by simply looking for houses along the main road…take a drive down the side roads and you’ll find your answer. There are dozens of subdivisions off of Midlothian Turnpike with more on the way. Therefore, Westchester Commons, etc.
I’m not liking the comment about “changing who lives in the East End.” What does that mean? Running the black folks who live there out? So “that demographic” who has been living there in that part of the city for generations needs to be run out so the gentrification crowd can have their specialty grocery store?
The people who live in the East End need food too. Where are they getting it from? The closest big grocery stores are the Food Lion on Mechanicsville and the Food Lion on Williamburg. I don’t see why a Sav A Lot or store like that couldn’t open up where the Community Pride used to be. How the city can help is by cleaning up that property, which looks like a pile of rubble.
I’m sorry, but I’m not liking the tone of the “we need to change who lives in the East End” attitude of some of these posts. Then you wonder why there’s tensions and nobody can get along. People who have been living in a community don’t like to be told to get out and move away so suburbanite transfers can have their big box store like the people in Short Pump. If you like Short Pump big box stores so bad, go back to Short Pump.
#22
One of my first real jobs was in the Short Pump/Innsbrook area. I know there are subdivisions, office condos and apartments behind the main roads. With that said, there still aren’t that many people in the expanded Short Pump area compared to points east in west Henrico.
What I was trying to say is that the volume of retail (I’m talking about community type retail) in some areas is totally out of sync with the rooftops. Carytown/Museum District has three full service grocery stores with a four on the way compared to 1 store for VCU/Carver/Oregon Hill/Lower Fan/Scott’s Addition.
Not sure I believe rooftops matter for destination retail areas like Short Pump Town Center, McArthur Mall, Williamsburg Premium Outlets, Tyson’s Corner, or Stony Point Fashion Park. The retail follows rooftops theory doesn’t explain Tyson’s corner or the Williamsburg Outlets or even the Pro Bass Store in Hanover.
Also, when you look at retail jobs as a portion of total employment base by county, under 10% of all jobs in the city are in retail stores, compared to over 30% for Chesterfield and over 20% for Henrico. What that tells me is the city could use for retail stores.