Seaboard Station

[dmccall]

WHY DONT THEY HAVE A SIGN ON PEACE STREET!!?!?!?!?!?!

Uhhh...because they are located two blocks away on W. Franklin Street. Can you imagine how tacky our city would be if everyone got to put a sign out at the nearest street? How about a Harris Teeter sign on Clark Ave?

Logan's has done a booming business tucked back there for years with no Peace St. signage. I've heard this roar for years about how "downtown needs a grocery store". They get one that is very adequate and it "isn't good enough". Maybe there really isn't true demand for a grocery store after all...or has the definition of "grocery store" gotten convoluted so that only a giant HT or bright, tacky Food Lion downtown will satisfy everyone? This is a classic big box argument. Do you go to the little local guy who probably charges more and has a small selection or use the place that satisfies your needs more efficiently?

[orulz]

One big difference between Logan's and CC Grocery is that 1/3 of Logan's inventory doesn't expire after sitting for only one week. Another big difference is that Logan's carries a lot of niche items that you can't get anywhere else within (at least) a 10 mile radius. There are dozens of other grocery stores within the same radius. Grocery stores rely on a lot people coming in and out, and whether there is enough demand for the store or not, the truth is that many people who would go to CC Grocery if they knew about it, don't know about it.

Rather than a freestanding sign, How about a sign for the grocery on the roof of the Seaboard Warehouse building, facing peace street, pointing out that there's a grocery around back, with an arrow pointing the way? The sign could even be on top of the same building that the grocery store is in, though it would work better on top of the building next door aligned with Salisbury Street. Make it distinctive and memorable. Perhaps this is a violation of Raleigh's sign ordinance, but signs like this are all over the place in older cities.

[plus2]

One of the main reasons people like to live downtown is that things are within walking distance. The need for a car is reduced. That's why people clamor for a grocery store because before they were forced to get into their car. However, CC Grocery is so far to the northside of downtown, that only "northside" residents are in walking distance. So for other dowtowners, if they are going to get in their car, they might as well go to Harris Teeter.

[paletexan]

Ruth Sheehan of News & Observer throws in her .02 on lack of signage for the grocery store:

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/517633.html

[reed]

Ruth Sheehan of News & Observer throws in her .02 on lack of signage for the grocery store:

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/517633.html

Something about her has always irritated me.

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

Something about her has always irritated me.

That means she is doing her job!

[serapis]

Something about her has always irritated me.

Why? She's right.

[ncwebguy]

What is "Cary-elegant"? A large Wal-Mart across the street from Wavery Place? Walnut Street from Tryon Road to Maynard? Like the tooth fairy, there is no such thing -- it is all Cary-obsessive. The same Cary-obsessive that took the red roof off the Red Roof Inn and the shine off Gypsy's Shiny Diner.

Ruth Sheehan is always looking for somethinf to complain about downtown Raleigh. A couple of years ago, she said downtown sucks because she couldn't get a Starbucks fix. And now this. If getting me to never read anything she writes is "doing her job", then she'd doing a heck of a job, Brownie.

Why is Peace College allowed to put their sign on the NW corner of Halifax and Peace? The only thing they own behind it is that lot (including Sunflowers) and the tennis courts. A small, tasteful Seaboard Station signs in Sunflowers' parking lot (like the Cameron Village sign at Clark and Oberlin) would do a lot for the area, and make it feel cohesive. It would be one piece as opposed to the existing fragmented pieces -- Sunflowers, Red Pin, Logans, Seaboard Wine, grocery store, and 18 Seaboard.

A land swap to move the tennis courts further up Halifax to help the retail "wrap around" and front Halifax would also be a step in the right direction, but maybe Peace likes having the Archdale Building in the tennis court's backdrop. Do Peace college students not buy groceries?

Capital Blvd. makes Seaboard Station less "walkable" from Glenwood South than its location a block removed from Peace. It may not be walkable, but is easily bikable from all of downtown. I have not noticed any bike rack, other than the handrails though. The state government complex puts the "unwalkable barrier" between Seaboard and the "rest" of downtown, though Glenwood to Halifax/Peace is about as far away as Capitol Square is.

I don't want the Glenwood Avenue "sign holder brigade" to take over Peace Street... what about a balloon? If it's ok for Soleil and Adam and Eve, it should be ok for a business the city has loaned $300,000 to (under December).

[ncwebguy]

Does anyone know if Red's Beach Music club still going into Seaboard? I noticed a Red's (something) in the warehouses on the west side of Capital Blvd near the Wake Forest Road interchange (formerly Raleigh Bonded?). Did they get a better deal on rent (and less competition for parking) there? Red's webiste says "new location coming soon." They were rumored to be moving from near the Wake Forest Road "hidden" Wal-Mart to the Deopt, then Seaboard, now maybe this warehouse location?

Walls are going up in the space that used to have the neon Red's sign, east of 18 Seaboard, Monograms (south side), and Flanders Gallery (north side) but there were no "coming soon" signs.

Around 10:15, J. Betski's had a few cars outside, but they may belong to the staff. There is a sign for seaboard fitness's website, which says they'll open "mid spring". Memberships are available, but there are no prices available. Ace Hardware looked close to opening from the outside, though I couldn't tell if there was any inventory inside or not.

[RaleighRob]

Does anyone know if Red's Beach Music club still going into Seaboard? I noticed a Red's (something) in the warehouses on the west side of Capital Blvd near the Wake Forest Road interchange (formerly Raleigh Bonded?). Did they get a better deal on rent (and less competition for parking) there? Red's webiste says "new location coming soon." They were rumored to be moving from near the Wake Forest Road "hidden" Wal-Mart to the Deopt, then Seaboard, now maybe this warehouse location?

I passed by the Bonded Warehouse site today...hard to read at 45mph, but I'm pretty sure I saw the Neon "Red's Beach Music" in a building painted red. So there ya go.

[capitalapts]

dudes y dudettes:

has anyone pulled up a stool at the new polish bar beside cap. city grocery yet? if so please share your pierogi experience!

[suburban george3]

Has anyone been by Capital City Grocery lately? I have heard concerning news about them and was wondering how their business is doing...

[foodpainter]

I go at least once a week and unfortunately it's usually not real busy. The store is changing a lot, though, and continually has a "nicer" feel to it, more organic/natural foods, a nice beer selection, etc. Saturdays seem to be busier when I go on those days.

I am just baffled as to why this store wasn't placed on the opposite side of this development, facing Peace Street. Then, traffic coming down Wilmington or Peace would be able to spot the store, people might be more inclined to pop in and pick up things on the way home from work. I can't think of another grocery store that I've even seen that's NOT on a main road. I really hope CCG makes it, but if it doesn't, it seems it would be from its location off of a main road, not because it is downtown.

[orulz]

I went (biked) last Monday and they seemed to be decently busy. There were a couple people in line in front of me at the checkout, and all seemed to be buying $40ish worth of groceries, which would make sense if these people had walked to the store, since $40 worth is about all you can realistically walk home with. I was a bit miffed that they didn't have bike racks, though the railings suffice. My guess is that about 30% of their customers walk to the store.

I found their prices to be quite reasonable. Didn't seem to be any more expensive than shopping at Harris Teeter. The fish was good and fresh. They had bananas of perfect ripeness (just a tiny hint of green) for $.33/lb, which is about the cheapest I've ever seen them. "Full Circle" labeled generic organic stuff rules. They have things like chips, salsa, cereal... tastes pretty good, is healthy, and is really cheap (ie even cheaper than Food Lion generic stuff.)

This place still needs a sign facing Peace Street...

[ChiefJoJo]

^Agreed on all counts.

I got a mailing from them (presumably to all DT residents) with coupons and advertising their new fish and meat selection... as I've said before I like it, but they need to stay open later... I get home, go to the gym, and it's tough to do that AND shop for groceries (unless it's a few items) and finish before 8pm.

[RaleighRob]

^Agreed on all counts.

I got a mailing from them (presumably to all DT residents) with coupons and advertising their new fish and meat selection... as I've said before I like it, but they need to stay open later... I get home, go to the gym, and it's tough to do that AND shop for groceries (unless it's a few items) and finish before 8pm.

Agreed on the staying open longer.

Also...these ad/mailings to DT residents...I wonder what border they use? I've heard it was mostly just Oakwood/Mordecai area. I certainly hope they try to advertise a bigger area than that to get the customers they need. Heck, if I were them, I'd advertise to folks at least as far as Boylan Heights in order to get a big base of potential customer support.

[plus2]

Agreed on the staying open longer.

Also...these ad/mailings to DT residents...I wonder what border they use? I've heard it was mostly just Oakwood/Mordecai area. I certainly hope they try to advertise a bigger area than that to get the customers they need. Heck, if I were them, I'd advertise to folks at least as far as Boylan Heights in order to get a big base of potential customer support.

I live near Cameron Village and got some coupons about 3 months ago. Nothing since.

[ncwebguy]

I received a flier during the first push (free samples, etc), probably three months ago, at my house on the east side of downtown. Nothing since. I also signed up for their email list, but have yet to receive anything.

There have been many times I wanted to shop there, but the 8pm closing kept that from happening. Driving by last night, there seemed to several tables at J. Betski's, a mostly full 18 Seaboard, and a few people passing in and out at Cap City Grocery.

Ace Hardware looked like it is finished with interior rennovations, but there are no shelves, merchandise, etc. The seaboard fitness trailer has a lot of signs, but I don't think anyone was there around 7ish.

I have *no* idea why the monograms/art gallery/tookies grill space wasn't configured for a grocery store, other than the height differential from parking lot to entrance/loading dock as in its former life as a warehouse. The breezeway bisects the "front" space so a larger store can't fit in there now. It would be difficult to get a cart down too steep of a ramp, though CCG has those problems in its current location.

Tookie's grill has a now hiring sign, so hopefully they'll be open soon. They appear to go all the way from fronto to back like 18 Seaboard, though I don't know where the entrance will be.

[wfdude]

Agreed on the staying open longer.

Also...these ad/mailings to DT residents...I wonder what border they use? I've heard it was mostly just Oakwood/Mordecai area. I certainly hope they try to advertise a bigger area than that to get the customers they need. Heck, if I were them, I'd advertise to folks at least as far as Boylan Heights in order to get a big base of potential customer support.

I got one and I live near the Brownstone Hotel and Pullen Baptist Church, so its making it just outside the downtown proper at least! I'm gonna head back over there, but like everyone else, the hours just aren't good for my grocery shopping habits.

[DPK]

I never knew all those places existed by Peace. I'm definitely going to go and drag along some people whenever they open today. Maybe they should advertise some more. Unless they want to stay out of the mainstream and cater to their area only.

Thanks Urban Planet for keeping me informed on Raleigh.

[ChiefJoJo]

I decided to make an earlier trip there mid-week and it's kind of small, doesn't quite have everything I want (some things out of stck) but it's kind of a mom & pop place, no employee uniforms, a little suggestion box, etc. The meat dept guy was very friendly and helpful and they have probably 95% of what I need at any one time... plus they have Larry's Beans coffee!!!--which is a big score in my book. I think I'm going to try to work it into my schedule and go there instead of HT... the idea of supporting a locally owned/operated DT store is very appealing to me--such that I'm willing to overlook a few minor inconveniences. Afterall, if folks who live DT don't support it (depite the signing and road frontage issues) it could definitely jeopardize our chances at another downtown grocery venture in the future.

[Damien]

I get mailings on a regular basis in Boylan Heights. We have gotten 2 since we moved, so say one a month. We got them when we lived in Oakwood too. I also signed up for the email newsletter and get one almost every week, maybe more.

[Jones_]

I decided to make an earlier trip there mid-week and it's kind of small, doesn't quite have everything I want (some things out of stck) but it's kind of a mom & pop place, no employee uniforms, a little suggestion box, etc. The meat dept guy was very friendly and helpful and they have probably 95% of what I need at any one time... plus they have Larry's Beans coffee!!!--which is a big score in my book. I think I'm going to try to work it into my schedule and go there instead of HT... the idea of supporting a locally owned/operated DT store is very appealing to me--such that I'm willing to overlook a few minor inconveniences. Afterall, if folks who live DT don't support it (depite the signing and road frontage issues) it could definitely jeopardize our chances at another downtown grocery venture in the future.

I was extremely pleasantly surprised to see the bags of Larrys Beans too.....local businesses using local businesses, thats how its supposed to work indeed!

[ChiefJoJo]

New site plan filed at Seabord Station... not sure, but it looks like a refurb of the old station area by the tracks.

[ncwebguy]

Those two building currently house Seaboard Wine company and will soon have Ace hardware.

The twin curved lines are the shelter for the old platform, and the bigger building attached to them was the old station that now houses Seaboard Cafe, the garden shop, etc.

After upfitting that space for Ace Hardware and Seaboard Fitness (I think), I wonder what they are proposing now. The part of that building not in the heavy outline has been torn down to make room for the Seaboard apartment/condo building to the north.