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The complete Whole Foods - Traders Joe's omni-thread


jthrasher

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I think you owe me an apology.  I told you, even before the Indy post. Ha.  Glad it was true.

 

"Posted 13 December 2014 - 01:56 PM

 

Friend just posted that she was at a Trader Joes  In Bloomfield.

In talking to an employee there they said:

 

"Employee confirmed, Joe's is coming to Grand Rapids next year!! She saw an in-store bulletin about transferring to GR."

 

Looks like next year."

I was wrong, I was wrong!! :)

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Since it is only half size, it seems likely that it may be a market test store.  10,000 square feet is fairly small.  Hopefully things go well, and they put up a full size store.

 

Half size?  It's 12,500 according to the site, and Wikipedia (which is never wrong) says they're all b/w 8-12,500ft.  Other sites say that's their average size too.

 

Don't go scaring the locals.

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Half size?  It's 12,500 according to the site, and Wikipedia (which is never wrong) says they're all b/w 8-12,500ft.  Other sites say that's their average size too.

 

Don't go scaring the locals.

 

That was from an earlier version of the mLive article.  Seems they were wrong.  Mea culpa.  My foggy recollection is that the Ann Arbor store seemed larger than that, but perhaps not.  Would have been cool to see them have the nerve to put this in ICCF's Tapestry Square project, but 'twas not to be.

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That was from an earlier version of the mLive article.  Seems they were wrong.  Mea culpa.  My foggy recollection is that the Ann Arbor store seemed larger than that, but perhaps not.  Would have been cool to see them have the nerve to put this in ICCF's Tapestry Square project, but 'twas not to be.

 

It will be the first of several, I will bet. If Alba-fricking-querque can have two stores..

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Didn't the Press say something about Ruby Tuesdays closing as being a factor? Are they going to knock down the ruby Tuesday's building, or does it just open up more space as a contiguous piece of land?

Joe

 

Ah, you're right Joe:

 

The store will be built at the former Ruby Tuesday site, 3684 28th St., across from Centerpointe Mall.

 

I didn't read the MLive article.

 

Wow, good for the Kentwood mayor being so gung ho to get businesses there. Businesses definitely like to feel like they're going to be welcomed. Heartwell and his social justice issues are fine, but it seems like addressing symptoms and not problems. Let's hope the next GR mayor is a little more pro-business.

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/02/trader_joes_to_open_first_west.html#incart_river

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Didn't the Press say something about Ruby Tuesdays closing as being a factor? Are they going to knock down the ruby Tuesday's building, or does it just open up more space as a contiguous piece of land?

Joe

 

That was gone end of last year. 

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/02/bringing_trader_joes_to_grand.html#incart_river

 

I found the quote that WF would be locating closer to a neighborhood vs a commercial corridor. Interesting where that'd put them.

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Wow, good for the Kentwood mayor being so gung ho to get businesses there. Businesses definitely like to feel like they're going to be welcomed. Heartwell and his social justice issues are fine, but it seems like addressing symptoms and not problems. Let's hope the next GR mayor is a little more pro-business.

 

 

 

Wow, you sound like a Mlive commenter.  I never thought of Heartwell as not being pro-business, although sometimes he was perhaps a little naive.   Remember, he was the one that lapped up to the mystery project guy so much.  I don’t think his predecessor, John Logie, would have been so naive. 

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Wow, you sound like a Mlive commenter.  I never thought of Heartwell as not being pro-business, although sometimes he was perhaps a little naive.   Remember, he was the one that lapped up to the mystery project guy so much.  I don’t think his predecessor, John Logie, would have been so naive. 

 

I do like the fact that the Kentwood mayor has a Top 5 Goal for new retailers in Kentwood. Behind the scenes, I don't know how much he is working on that or if its just a wishlist. 

 

As a note, Chick Fil A, Whole Foods and the Cheesecake Factory are next on his list.

 

I do agree in the sense, that I'd like the GR mayor to state we want these retailers downtown and will work to make that happen. 

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With the old Dave and Busters building, they actually stripped it down to steel, made the building smaller and rebuilt. It's funny how what was once a huge void (Ruby Tuesday's, a giant empty Barnes and Noble (and some Outdoor Adventure store that sat empty for years) could end up being a really hot piece of property. 

 

Love the redevelopment of that area instead of developers just moving down the street and leaving buildings to rot. :)

 

Joe 

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Wow, you sound like a Mlive commenter.  I never thought of Heartwell as not being pro-business, although sometimes he was perhaps a little naive.   Remember, he was the one that lapped up to the mystery project guy so much.  I don’t think his predecessor, John Logie, would have been so naive. 

 

Because I'm not a fan of Heartwell and don't think he's very pro-business, I'm an Mlive commenter? Hmm, interesting. :)

I do like the fact that the Kentwood mayor has a Top 5 Goal for new retailers in Kentwood. Behind the scenes, I don't know how much he is working on that or if its just a wishlist. 

 

As a note, Chick Fil A, Whole Foods and the Cheesecake Factory are next on his list.

 

I do agree in the sense, that I'd like the GR mayor to state we want these retailers downtown and will work to make that happen. 

 

 

 

That was gone end of last year. 

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/02/bringing_trader_joes_to_grand.html#incart_river

 

I found the quote that WF would be locating closer to a neighborhood vs a commercial corridor. Interesting where that'd put them.

 

I thought that was interesting too. What residential area has enough land available for a WF's? I would've thought Breton Village but that's pretty much out now.

 

We'll probably all be shocked when they announce. The East Lansing store is not anywhere near any malls or massive retail strips. That section of Grand River borders residential and MSU's campus.

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I do like the fact that the Kentwood mayor has a Top 5 Goal for new retailers in Kentwood. Behind the scenes, I don't know how much he is working on that or if its just a wishlist. 

 

I do agree in the sense, that I'd like the GR mayor to state we want these retailers downtown and will work to make that happen. 

 

I don't want to derail the thread, but if you look at the pictures, what struck me was the huge amount of so-called "free" parking available.  Working to make retail downtown happen probably involves addressing that issue in a very different way than we have been.  (Like, say, 1000 completely free dedicated parking spaces that validate by scanning a barcode on a receipt from any downtown retailer).  Still, kudos to Kentwood for being so pro-active in their approach.  Regionally, it is always nice to see a new national retailer move into the area.  The more of this we get, the more likely it becomes we might see something happen downtown when the mindset really shifts to doing whatever is necessary to make it a shopping destination once again.

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I don't want to derail the thread, but if you look at the pictures, what struck me was the huge amount of so-called "free" parking available.  Working to make retail downtown happen probably involves addressing that issue in a very different way than we have been.  (Like, say, 1000 completely free dedicated parking spaces that validate by scanning a barcode on a receipt from any downtown retailer).  Still, kudos to Kentwood for being so pro-active in their approach.  Regionally, it is always nice to see a new national retailer move into the area.  The more of this we get, the more likely it becomes we might see something happen downtown when the mindset really shifts to doing whatever is necessary to make it a shopping destination once again.

 

GR definitely needs to do something drastic. People have been fighting to get retail like this to come here, and it plops right down in Kentwood. They built a TJ's in an inner-city Detroit neighborhood, but the one we get goes to Kentwood? It's almost like GR is the name that attracts retailers to places that arent GR. Not holding out much hope for a Whole Foods. That will likely go in Allendale or Forest Hills.

 

These places have people that drive across the state to shop there! They could have honestly put this store on Michigan St, N. Monroe, Market, S. Division and STILL would have a line of cars out the parking lot. As if all of the TJ's fans around here would have scoffed at going because it wasn't located next to a mall.

 

I would have thought that the city would have moved mountains to get it here, but it's just another outlet outside of the city. One that will lead to more outlets being built next door because this will be such a huge draw being the only one outside of SE Michigan.

 

Isnt one of the huge demographics that shop there Eco-conscious people that dont want to drive? There is practically no way to go there without a car.

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Because I'm not a fan of Heartwell and don't think he's very pro-business, I'm an Mlive commenter? Hmm, interesting. :)

 

 

 

 

I thought that was interesting too. What residential area has enough land available for a WF's? I would've thought Breton Village but that's pretty much out now.

 

We'll probably all be shocked when they announce. The East Lansing store is not anywhere near any malls or massive retail strips. That section of Grand River borders residential and MSU's campus.

 

thats not true, its sandwiched between MSU/EL and Meridan Mall/Okemos (Lansings wealthiest suburb)

 

I think WF would take the space of the Family Fare at the end of 28th street or the D&W on E. Beltline very nicely.

 

And props to the Mayor getting it done, although Im not a fan of large chains, I am a fan of variety and competition and bringing in new names does both. W. MI is off the beaten path and often shunned with brands hesitating to come here. 10 years ago it seemed there were very few brand variety in food, hotel, gas ect.  

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