The State of Downtown Grand Rapids Retail

[GR1]

Regarding River Bank Books' visibility, I completely agree. I moved here in August, work downtown and walk around at lunch, and had absolutely no idea that there was a bookstore downtown until December. I probably looked past a sign now and again without it registering. There were certainly no sandwich boards on the sidewalk or displays on Monroe Center to draw me in.

Actually - RBB had a sandwich board. It was chalkboard, and always had really clever phrases and math equations advertising their food and coffee specials as well as newly released book titles. Also...I remember them having chalk drawings on the sidewalk pointing to the Monroe Center entrance.

To add to the fun, I wanted a snack for me and my kid on Saturday morning and went by Grand Central at 11:00am. CLOSED until noon. Makes sense for a normal Saturday, but like these other stores I'd make sure to be open when Festival is and have signs and all kinds of stuff trying to bring people in.

BTW, loved the MC sales pitch!

I have to say, I'm often disappointed in Grand Centrals hours as well. Every time I'm on Monroe Center and they're not open I see people peaking through the window and reading all the signs posted.

[Rizzo]

I dropped in on Chuni and we had a nice discussion yesterday. He was pleased to hear about the Press squib, which he hadn't seen.

He's been in business DT 30-some years (framed certificate on his counter). Primary biz is watch repair. He makes keys and says that everyone who gets a key also buys a greeting card (rack adjacent) because they'll browse as they wait. He also has a lot of jewelry, gold charms in showcases. Display of class rings. Watches.

The SOUVENIRS signage is new. Two weeks prior to GRAM opening he will merch out that front corner with stuff. Postcards? T-shirts? He asked for a supplier referral (I mentioned Penrod). He does have some Grand Vitesse magnets on a display.

He has a monthly parking pass, and we figured it costs him about $1.50/day to park. He said he could spend thousands of dollars in advertising, but Festival attracts thousands of people (50,000 per the Press) and he figures this is free advertising. "I might get 100 more customers by being open. Some people come downtown once a year, and here's my chance." His shades were selling for about $10, so if he sells one pair he's pretty well paid for his effort that day. Besides the designer product, he has a rack of Spiderman kiddie glasses. "Daddy, pleeeeeze!!!"

Said he would have to find some very cheap umbrellas in order to add those. I related Jeff's earmuff story and could practically hear the gears turning as he considered that. He has gift wrap, gift bags, the greeting cards, and other wrapping stuff.

Chuni had a lot of Christmas cards (front window) and little Santas, all marked on clearance, and if I were driving that bus I'd load that stuff into storage, and add more interesting merch to attract the window shopper.

Only 50,000 this year? The weather? That is a contrast from last Festivals. I could swear that Festival was up in the 500,000 range.

[GRDadof3]

Actually - RBB had a sandwich board. It was chalkboard, and always had really clever phrases and math equations advertising their food and coffee specials as well as newly released book titles. Also...I remember them having chalk drawings on the sidewalk pointing to the Monroe Center entrance.

I have to say, I'm often disappointed in Grand Centrals hours as well. Every time I'm on Monroe Center and they're not open I see people peaking through the window and reading all the signs posted.

This leads back to the discussion of treating Monroe Center like a mall with an association. You'd never get away with closing at lunch or early at Woodland or Rivertown. How can the central city build a retail base if it's tenants are not 110% on board? Fines should be handed out for bad business practices like that. Maybe not uniform hours for every storefront, but posted hours that MUST be adhered to. This isn't the High School booster club store behind the gym.

I think Veloise dropped a zero Rizzo. Friday and Saturday were the best two days in a while apparently.

[Veloise]

...

I think Veloise dropped a zero Rizzo. Friday and Saturday were the best two days in a while apparently.

I sure did! Half-a-million, should be.

So 100 new customers off that is...incredibly easy to do. (kicks off shoes...) .05% ??

[GRDadof3]

Thought you guys might like this (the name of the store and where it is located):

Don't ask...

I'm now convinced the entire country is living in some bizarro suburban retail third dimension.

[Veloise]

Thought you guys might like this (the name of the store and where it is located):

Don't ask...

I'm now convinced the entire country is living in some bizarro suburban retail third dimension.

On Sunday I picked up On The Town and read it while lurking under various overhangs. Check out the first interviewee who talks about where he likes to spend his time. (Simply appalling.)

[Rhino6885]

On Sunday I picked up On The Town and read it while lurking under various overhangs. Check out the first interviewee who talks about where he likes to spend his time. (Simply appalling.)

I saw that this morning. It's interesting to see that he loves Bar Divani, J. Gardellas, and Tre Cugini...all downtown. However, his favorite place to hang out is "Celebration Cinema-Beltline and Knapp...waaaay too many shops, restaurants, and a very comfy theater. I could spend an entire day out there..."

On a related note, has anybody read the recent Grand Rapids Magazine article on Downtown Living? A couple of empty-nesters brought up many of the things we have discussed...specifically the lack of a movie theatre and late-nite ice cream. I'll try to track down a copy and bring it to the next meetup.

(Thursday @ 6:30 is likely...may have to change it to get JoeDowntown to show up. Can anybody convince him that his kids just aren't that important...haha, just kidding Joe)

[Veloise]

I saw that this morning. It's interesting to see that he loves Bar Divani, J. Gardellas, and Tre Cugini...all downtown. However, his favorite place to hang out is "Celebration Cinema-Beltline and Knapp...waaaay too many shops, restaurants, and a very comfy theater. I could spend an entire day out there..."

...

Didn't he say that he's been meaning to try Bar Divani, J. Gardellas, and Tre Cugini? Or he had a drink at one of them once? I thought it odd that he'd mention them but hasn't been there.

At least he didn't say that he loves the Main Street affect out there.

[GRDadof3]

I saw that this morning. It's interesting to see that he loves Bar Divani, J. Gardellas, and Tre Cugini...all downtown. However, his favorite place to hang out is "Celebration Cinema-Beltline and Knapp...waaaay too many shops, restaurants, and a very comfy theater. I could spend an entire day out there..."

On a related note, has anybody read the recent Grand Rapids Magazine article on Downtown Living? A couple of empty-nesters brought up many of the things we have discussed...specifically the lack of a movie theatre and late-nite ice cream. I'll try to track down a copy and bring it to the next meetup.

(Thursday @ 6:30 is likely...may have to change it to get JoeDowntown to show up. Can anybody convince him that his kids just aren't that important...haha, just kidding Joe)

Way too many shops? Yeah, that overpriced kids haircut place and the Army recruiting office are bumpin and jivin! What was the interview about?

[Veloise]

... What was the interview about?

"Check out the first interviewee who talks about where he likes to spend his time. (Simply appalling.)"

[GRDadof3]

"Check out the first interviewee who talks about where he likes to spend his time. (Simply appalling.)"

I meant what was the article about? (all snarkiness aside) Just some random "man on the street" interview?

[Rhino6885]

I meant what was the article about? (all snarkiness aside) Just some random "man on the street" interview?

It's just a little piece on what people are looking forward to for the summer...but is more like where people like to go around town. The interview in question is from a DJ on B-93...perhaps that explains part of it (do urban dwellers generally listen to country music?). I definitely like Jennifer Pascua's take much better...the other woman's too.

[Parhelion]

Is anyone going to the Parade of Homes this weekend? I'm interested to see the comdos and surrounding areas, and am also interested to see the proximity of each to any type of store whatosever!

[GRDadof3]

Herkner Jewelers moving out of downtown in 2008

..and moving into a new "Herkner Village" retail center (strip mall) on the East Beltline where that house is sitting teetering on top of that eroding hill. Demo of the house to begin Friday.

I have mixed feeling on this one. I hate to see ANY retailer move out of downtown, but a jewelry store is such a specialty retailer that maybe a new tenant there would be more of a foot-traffic impulse-buying generator. It's probably the heaviest traveled section of Monroe Center.

[torgo]

I think this is a real bummer, if for no other reason than the fact that they had been there forever. There is a lot of history there that will probably be lost

[Explorer55]

I think this is a real bummer, if for no other reason than the fact that they had been there forever. There is a lot of history there that will probably be lost

Back in the '50s, I think my dad and mom bought their wedding rings there. Anyway, it seems a strange time to be leaving downtown for the 'burbs. With all the development/redevelopment going on DT, new residents, more workers, at least along Michigan, but also elsewhere in DT, and generally just more activity, I would think they would want to stay. If they could stick thru the really lean times, you'd think they would want to hang in there now.

[Parhelion]

I don't think the move has anything to do with downtown's retail situation; the article says that the owner is moving the store there because he is the developer for the project. I just hope there is a tenant who takes his place quickly!

[Veloise]

Herkner Jewelers moving out of downtown in 2008

..and moving into a new "Herkner Village" retail center (strip mall) on the East Beltline where that house is sitting teetering on top of that eroding hill. Demo of the house to begin Friday.

I have mixed feeling on this one. I hate to see ANY retailer move out of downtown, but a jewelry store is such a specialty retailer that maybe a new tenant there would be more of a foot-traffic impulse-buying generator. It's probably the heaviest traveled section of Monroe Center.

Not to mention Herkner's iffy retail hours. (See the Coffeehouse thread about Festival.)

ETA: tenant list to include a gun shop? Rifle range?

Edited June 12, 2007 by Veloise

[gvsusean]

maybe he shouldnt make mini malls if he cant fill them with any tenents other then his own stores

[AvtpeasK]

the whole area around beltline and leonard/knapp/3mile is being built up with soo many plazas and mini malls, im just getting confused when im come home from school and see them, they all look the same!

[GRDadof3]

the whole area around beltline and leonard/knapp/3mile is being built up with soo many plazas and mini malls, im just getting confused when im come home from school and see them, they all look the same!

Yes, there's a new strip mall almost finished right in front of the Waterworks Car Wash place, where Flowers of the Field used to be near Celebration Village. It looks (again) like a square peg in a round hole, like the rest of Beltline is shaping up. And why did they put GREEN canopies on a white and brown building?

That section of the Beltline between Leonard and Knapp now has more traffic than any other section of the East Beltline, including the Woodland Mall area, and has as much traffic as many parts of I-196, I-96 and the entire South Beltline (so far) through Grand Rapids. Wonder what it will be like when the 3 Mile Village gets built?

MDOT Traffic Counts - Grand Rapids

[joeDowntown]

Reminder:

Downtown Retail Task Force (though we talk about more than retail) - Tonight at 6:30pm. Meeting at Four Friends.

Fresh faces wanted.

Joe

[Veloise]

Reminder:

Downtown Retail Task Force (though we talk about more than retail) - Tonight at 6:30pm. Meeting at Four Friends.

Fresh faces wanted.

Suggest you connect in the back, near the two green couches and the red armchair; the front is likely to be infested with our BOTM usual suspects.

[getting some good pics in Little Rock; we are miles ahead!]

[radicaljoy]

Reminder:

Downtown Retail Task Force (though we talk about more than retail) - Tonight at 6:30pm. Meeting at Four Friends.

Fresh faces wanted.

Joe

Suggest you connect in the back, near the two green couches and the red armchair; the front is likely to be infested with our BOTM usual suspects.

[getting some good pics in Little Rock; we are miles ahead!]

What is BOTM?

BTW - I'll be there this evening with a friend. We'll walking in from our homes in Easttown/East Hills, so our faces will probably be glowing (sweaty) -- not so fresh.

[torgo]

What is BOTM?

BTW - I'll be there this evening with a friend. We'll walking in from our homes in Easttown/East Hills, so our faces will probably be glowing (sweaty) -- not so fresh.

blues on the mall