32 replies to this topic

[beerbeer]

http://www.courant.c...0,2672990.story

To open in the spring.

[The Voice of Reason]

This is a good thing.

8000SF+ in the space allready built out by northland for 2 mill

the city is loaning 300k that the operator will begin paying back after year 3, in the form of 2.5% of gross profit to a maximum of the 300k

so basically, if the place never makes money, the 300k is a loss, but if it makes money, this city will start to siphon it off from year 4 thru year 10

seems fair to me. since it comes with 60 jobs(and their tax contributions), its much needed service, and I am sure decent tax revenues for the city due to the average grocery sales volume.(ok so maybe just tax on the non perishables, and on prepared food)


one thing I do not really buy is that it will bring more people down town.   we need more housing units for there to be any more people downtown.  well maybe a few more people will stay and it MIGHT help put some development pressure on downtown, I am not convinced that its as big of a deal as people make it out to be...... that being said, I hope I am wrong, and some new housing gets announced ASAP, since we desperately need another 1000 units for downtown to really get going

[beerbeer]

I think it is big especially since it will be open seven days a week. Make no mistake, it is a milestone for the city.  This is how a city comes to life, one store, one business, one amenity at a time. And this is a nice amenity, if it is based on Dean & DeLuca as the article says, the place will be a treat. Now the street needs a fast food place to replace McDonald's and a Baskin Robings or Ben& Jerry's.

[beash19]

I would doubt that every apartment in the city is rented out, or condo is sold.  But you all probably know better than I do.  It makes sense that having this type of amenity within downtown would help attract more people to actually live in those apt's/condos that are vacant.

The Voice of Reason, on 11 January 2011 - 12:11 PM, said:

This is a good thing.

8000SF+ in the space allready built out by northland for 2 mill

the city is loaning 300k that the operator will begin paying back after year 3, in the form of 2.5% of gross profit to a maximum of the 300k

so basically, if the place never makes money, the 300k is a loss, but if it makes money, this city will start to siphon it off from year 4 thru year 10

seems fair to me. since it comes with 60 jobs(and their tax contributions), its much needed service, and I am sure decent tax revenues for the city due to the average grocery sales volume.(ok so maybe just tax on the non perishables, and on prepared food)


one thing I do not really buy is that it will bring more people down town.   we need more housing units for there to be any more people downtown.  well maybe a few more people will stay and it MIGHT help put some development pressure on downtown, I am not convinced that its as big of a deal as people make it out to be...... that being said, I hope I am wrong, and some new housing gets announced ASAP, since we desperately need another 1000 units for downtown to really get going

[The Voice of Reason]

occupancy in downtown has been reported at 90+ and 95% every time I read it, and that includes condo's being rented from what I understand, but you are right, its not 100% and maybe it will help 266 pearl sell some units, and that will greatly help demand and put development pressure

obviously if any developer has a waiting list he is more likely to build or convert something new rather than if he had 90-95% occupancy.

so, good point.

[HartfordTycoon]

This grocery store really is a big deal for Downtown. The fact that it will be open 7 days a week and across the street from a lower cost option really bodes well the immediate area in my opinion. Not only will people living here have the option of purchasing more gourmet and upscale groceries they can also just run across the street for more convenience store type of items if they wish. With all the banks branches, restaurants and having Spiritus right there this part of the city really is going to be a lot more accommodating to residents and visitors. I think this is going to make a huge difference in perception over time and possibly even pretty quickly.

Hartford Courant

They'll offer a full range of baked goods, meats, fish, noodles, fresh pasta, salads, sushi, soups, produce, flowers and greeting cards. Pizza will be sold at one station, kept warm on a heated stone. Kiosks will dispense cereals, nuts and dried fruit as well as whole bean coffee.



The couple isn't bothered by the smaller Al's Market, a neighborhood grocer that opened across Asylum Street last summer. The two stores will serve different needs, but work well together, the Joneses said.

For instance, Al's sells lottery tickets and cigarettes, and the Market at Hartford 21 won't, they said.

[beerbeer]

It opens next week, March 16th.

Many eyes will be on this store.  It is in many ways the barometer for downtown as a neighborhood. It's success or failure will tell much.

[The Voice of Reason]

welll..... thats not really fair.

if it does well it is because the lunch crowd eating the prepared meals is strong enough to help support the Grocery side as the downtown population continues to grow.

Ideally, by its opening it will increase interest in living downtown enough that several new projects are developed and opened downtown therefore further guaranteeing its success.
(think clarion 180 units, 111 Pearl, 60 units, 101 pearl 130 units, and 2 other random projects....)

if its existance helps being that kind of development downtown, it is worth subsidizing for another 20 years.
its financial success is just one part of the bigger picture in my opinion, but at the very least, i am extremely thankful for everyones efforts in making it happen... even just so we can see what results.

I for one am Praying for development pressure stronger than... Parking revenues

[beerbeer]

I think it's a fair barometer.

But anyway you look at it, they are ahead of schedule, originally they were suppose to open in the spring. Nice to see a project moving ahead of schedule for a change.

[The Voice of Reason]

beerbeer, on 09 March 2011 - 01:10 PM, said:

I think it's a fair barometer.

But anyway you look at it, they are ahead of schedule, originally they were suppose to open in the spring. Nice to see a project moving ahead of schedule for a change.

yeah totally agree there.
The owners seem psyched, and based on that meeting they had at Zula, the community is damn interested

[beerbeer]

The Market at Hartford 21, the long-awaited grocery store in downtown  Hartford, is scheduled to open Wednesday, five weeks after its  founder's declared they wanted  a foothold in the central business  district.

The store's owners, Simsbury restaurateurs Ryan and  Kelleanne Jones, say they expect at least 500 people at the noontime  grand opening. The Market will be open for business immediately  following the ceremony, which will be attended by Hartford Mayor Pedro  Segarra along with representatives from Northland Investment Corp., and  the Hartford Community Loan Fund.  

And the Joneses are hoping  Wednesday will be just the start of their new business venture adding to  the vibrancy of downtown Hartford.

"We want to fill a much needed  void for downtown," said Kelleanne Jones. "The city needs a grocery  store and a place where you can buy prepared foods."

The Joneses  said they have hired about 90-partime workers for the store, which will  be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  on weekends.

Besides offering regular, everyday grocery store  items like ketchup, mustard, pasta sauce and cereal, prepared foods will  be a major selling point. That will include things like a full service  deli, salad and sushi bar, and rotisserie with a butcher serving fresh  meats like short ribs, steak, and chicken.

Kelleanne Jones said  the store aims to serve the needs of downtown residents, but the goal is  to reach people living outside the central business district as well.  That includes people from neighboring cities and towns.

"We are  hoping this store increases foot traffic for downtown," Kelleanne Jones  said. Part of the effort to attract people to the store will include  establishing a social connection with customers, Jones said. So the  store will host farmer's markets and will include art by local artists.

Edited by beerbeer, 15 March 2011 - 11:46 AM.

[HartfordTycoon]

The Market has now officially opened! This is really a big step for Downtown in my opinion. I'm glad that there has been a healthy buzz about this and wish them the best of luck. If this store is successful it will add imensely to the practicality of Downtown living. And Downtown Hartford is finally a step ahead of Downtown New Haven with an essenstial amenity. Nice!

Hartford Courant

With the opening, Hartford beats downtown New Haven, which had its own downtown market plan in a luxury building delayed.

[MadVlad]

I know Kelleanne, I really hope she's successful.  I wonder how the grand opening went today?

[HartfordTycoon]

MadVlad, on 16 March 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:

I know Kelleanne, I really hope she's successful.  I wonder how the grand opening went today?

I really have a feeling that this is going to work out OK and prove a lot of naysayers wrong. The comments on the Courant are hilarious to me. Pointing out that the city did provide a subsidy for them to open and wondering how the owner of Al's Market feels and saying they are going to fail and only ghetto people will shop there. I think that Downtown will easily support this new store and have no worries that Al's Market, which is a convenience store not a grocery store, will have no trouble competing since they will be open late night and handle just basic quick shopping needs while the Market @H21 is an actual full service grocery store.

[Hartfordfan]

has anyone on this board been to this market yet? Impressions?  now if only a bookstore opened downtown.

[The Voice of Reason]

Barnes & Noble in Glastonbury, West Hartford and Manchester......

Boarders is in bankruptcy and is closing in Manchester and Simsbury.

The location in Farmington near the mall is staying, but a location downtown would still face fierce competition

I dont know any other chains besides B Dalton and they do not exist any more, but there has to be one that would open downtown.  Heck a college bookstore type combo would work too.   serve all the campuses and also do regular books

[beerbeer]

One of the backbones of this type of business is breakfast and lunch catering for business meetings.  At our ccompany, we have , breakfast or lunch delivered a few times a week for client meetings. It's usually upscale sandwiches, salads, sides and cookies. The new market would seem to be in a great positon to own that type of catering in the center city. The Courant article said they already have an agreement with Travelers, that's a start but it should become a healthy percentage of their business.

[The Voice of Reason]

beerbeer, on 17 March 2011 - 07:45 AM, said:

One of the backbones of this type of business is breakfast and lunch catering for business meetings.  At our ccompany, we have , breakfast or lunch delivered a few times a week for client meetings. It's usually upscale sandwiches, salads, sides and cookies. The new market would seem to be in a great positon to own that type of catering in the center city. The Courant article said they already have an agreement with Travelers, that's a start but it should become a healthy percentage of their business.

Cosi seemed to dominate that business downtown.

I know they did ING and UTX

but I do totally agree that their business is less as a grocery and more as a lunch place.  I have no issue with this possibly huarting some other businesses if it means the grocery store can exist and that they make it a better place to live.

most downtown lunch competition is chain locations anyways, and ideally with a successfull market, we will get residential development pressure that will lead to at the bare minimum of

101 pearl, 111 pearl, and Clarion being developed into residential creating further demand for the grocery side of the business.   it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy ideally.    

Mind you 370 studio apts would go incredibly far in improving the vitality of downtown and demand for Grocery products, but it wouold be no where near enough to make it work without lunch.   I would think downtown would need a few thousand more units in the core as well as immediate perifery of downtown to really utilize a traditional supermarket.


do they have a grill there for eggs and such?
If they make a good breakfast sandwich, and good coffee, and fresh decent bagles, they will do well for breakfast.  

sadly the best breakfast downtown is in the cafeteria in the candycane building.   but the coffee sucks

the place that was in state house square used to be damn good.  forgot what they were called, but it was good.

[MadVlad]

They were caterers at one point, they know that business well, one would assume they'll try to capture that market...

[HartfordHope]

I stopped in yesterday.  The place is really nice and was really busy.  They have alot of prepared foods, a pizza oven, sushi, butcher, produce, coffee, and your typical grocery store stuff.  Obviously he crowds are becuase it is new but I think it will do pretty well even once the newness wears off.  They even have tables set up outside so people can have their coffee and slice of pizza on the sidewalk.

Edited by HartfordHope, 18 March 2011 - 07:39 AM.