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New grocery store could break ground by summer, open in 2018
Scanlon, a former executive at Ukrop’s Super Markets and Martin’s Food Markets, opened Jim’s Local Market in Newport News in May in an area of the city that did not have a full-service supermarket. He is planning to open a similar store in Richmond’s grocery store-starved East End community.
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“We are talking about a full-service grocery store that our community will have access to, with pharmacy, banking, the full array of produce, prepared foods,” [Cynthia Newbille] said. “But equally as important is the opportunity for this to be a source of employment and training for residents in the community. … I am absolutely excited for our community.”
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One of those people who have signed on to Scanlon’s vision is Steven A. Markel, vice chairman of Henrico-based specialty insurer Markel Corp. Markel is personally backing the proposed development in Richmond’s East End where Jim’s Local Market will be located. The grocery store is proposed for a two-block site at North 24th and North 25th streets and Nine Mile Road. A second site between North 25th and North 26th streets along Nine Mile Road also is part of the project.
The attached J. Sargeant Reynolds Culinary School project will be exciting piece unto itself. While the the design is not yet finalized enough to have a rendering to share, the architect is Chris McVoy, a partner with Steven Holl – who was the lead architect in designing the VCU Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) on Belvidere and Broad.
AWESOME!!
Awesome! Bring it (y)
we have a farm fresh but…it kinda sucks
YES
It’s over a mile from Fairmount to Farm Fresh, and public transit isn’t super easy to navigate between the two. For residents without easy access to cars, Farm Fresh isn’t a great shopping option regardless of quality. Jim’s is going to serve a totally different population and it’s a more local option for those of us who are concerned not just about local employees but about a business owned by people closer to the community they serve. This is an amazing development for the East End and it’s much needed!!
Finally. Much needed. This Farm Fresh cross the street from me is too expensive compared to Kroger et al. Hopefully the new one will have a healthy foods section also.
FARM FRESH DOES NOT KINDA SUCK. IT’S A GOOD GROCERY STORE THAT HAS PRODUCTS AT A FAIR PRICE AND BRINGS JOBS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I DON’T GET WHY PEOPLE LIKE TO COME ON HERE AND VERBALLY PISS ON THE FARM FRESH. THE STORE, AS FARM FRESH AND COMMUNITY PRIDE, HAS PROVIDED A CLOSE QUALITY FOOD SOURCE WELL BEFORE THIS AREA WAS CONSIDERED HIP OR EVEN SAFE. IF THE STORE CLOSED IT WOULD BE MISSED. THE STORE’S PRESENCE HELPED THE TURN AROUND OF THE AREA. HOPEFULLY THE NEW GROCERY STORE WILL DO THE SAME.
I can’t wait. Im tired of that community store on mechanicsville
Yaaayy!
And soon it won’t be! Yaaayy!
Great news! I don’t understand why people keep bashing Farm Fresh, though- we’ve been using it for 2 years, and are content enough. The produce selection/the prices are very decent, comparable to Food Lion. (Yes, you will end up paying a bit more for food in the middle of a city. That’s just a fact of life.)
I’m a bit confused. Is the Jim’s store that’s opening in Fairmount the “new” store referred to in the headline? Or is another store coming in addition to the Jim’s?
@Karen – same
Where, near the projects? No thanks
…and taxpayers will “own” part of the new store: http://www.richmond.com/local/city-of-richmond/article_dff12fbe-dcff-5935-ba83-d2b47fc87773.html
Jannie – at 25th and Nine Mile, about equidistant between Broad Street and Creighton
An excellent location for it, across from the Family Dollar (y)
Ok. I can visualize the location now. Thanks for the clarity.
And Chimbomart, but…vegetables.
I am happy for the new store, though I agree with Tony as well. I don’t see why people besmirch Farm Fresh so much. Seems like a perfectly good grocery store.
Anyway, the new one will be a welcome addition.
I’m glad Jim’s is coming. This will bring grocery access closer to people in North Church Hill.
But anyone who thinks this will be a MUCH BETTER grocery store than Farm Fresh is setting themselves up for disappointment. Jim’s will be another similarly midsized sized grocery with modest selection like Farm Fresh. When you have 30-35K SF instead of the 50-60K sqft that most full sized grocery stores have the selection will be reduced. That’s just reality.
I would recommend people manage their expectations to think of Jims more like if Farm Fresh and Aldi had a child. Don’t think of it as a fullsize Kroger, Martin’s, Wegmans, etc…
Farm Fresh is not managed well. Lines are slow as often too few are open. Produce is not top shelf. The deli is incredibly slow. Martins and Kroger deli’s put it to shame. The folks who work there are usually very friendly so it tells me it is a management problem. We’ve been shopping there for a year and now but increasingly we will drive a few miles just to avoid it. What a shame. The new place with Ukrop’s DNA is likely to be better.
The Market/Farm Fresh is fine. They have a tough job when you think about it. They have a pretty small physical footprint but are trying to serve at least 3 demographics (1. millenials in nearby apartments who might want ready-to-eat or other options because they are not cooking at home 2. gentrifying Church Hillians who want organic-y stuff 3. an often older Af-Am population that may shop differently than the first two groups) and not really satisfying any. Personally I don’t want to buy meat there but will stop for other things that are staples– their vegetable selection is okay but frankly kind of expensive for what’s available, in my opinion. On the other hand the wine selection at The Market is far better than at many other grocery stores–the Carytown Martin’s wine selection is atrocious and embarrassing (although Union Market is my first choice if I am going to be buying wine on the way home).
The best thing about the new grocery store is that it makes a real grocery-shopping experience accessible to a broader section of the East End–those who have cars have always had options, and now more people will have more options and access to real food. Very exciting!
I wish this building site was gonna be a Trader Joe’s!!! That would go over great here
I’m not very sure what the “pretty small physical footprint” has to do with anything. Look at the Trader Joes in Short Pump. While I only go to Farm Fresh for beer/ice and the occasional last second recipe item, their prices are a bit high, I know those on fixed incomes will be glad to see other options Im pretty sure Jim Scanlon has done his homework. He was great to work with while I was at Ukrops and I have seen him in the neighborhood from time to time. Of course anything to better Church Hill is a plus!
Size is everything in the grocery store world. Small/medium markets are more expensive per SF to develop and operate, and reduced shelf space means fewer choices. I’m not a Trader Joe’s fan at all–terrible produce and too many packaged, processed foods. Hopefully Jim’s will provide affordable fresh options for everyone in Church Hill.
So after the cars get broken into, the trash becomes a real problem, panhandlers and theft, what will we be left with? Will the up-keep continue? Let’s not forget a shooting or two. I live here and I really don’t see this lasting long. I live right down the street and I probably will avoid this store.I drive to FF to get away from this.If you want a reference, just look at the Family Dollar right across the street. The cops have a reserved parking space.This area could have been made into a community asset-like a garden/park. Noooo. The city had to make a buck.I’ll be happy to be wrong, but I don’t know that it will survive until the area gentrifies.
For those worried about the ‘small’ footprint of this grocery store, there’s a new Walmart under construction about 2 miles directly east of this Jim’s.
@ fairfield – so in that area, you would expect a green space to be kept clean? I don’t see how you can compare a small grocery store by someone who has a proven business model to a park that most likely no one would take responsibility for.
Hey everyone, have there been any news in regards to this lately? All I’ve heard is in regards to the culinary school but not this so much.