Downtown Organic Food/ Grocery store opening

[Veloise]

I was on Whole Foods site reading about their requirements that they'd consider to place a new store - one of the interesting ones is that they like to be close to colleges or be in a town that has a lot of college-degree residents. So that could enhance the possibility of a downtown store maybe by the GVSU campus or something along those lines?

[tnd_landscape_architect]

It is often stated that a grocery store is one of the most important things to enhance quality of life and would serve to encourage development in a central business district of either a city, small town, or even a remote TND development...

Do you agree that this is a critical element? Is it the most important thing? if not, what IS more important?...

[GRGridGirl]

It is often stated that a grocery store is one of the most important things to enhance quality of life and would serve to encourage development in a central business district of either a city, small town, or even a remote TND development...

Do you agree that this is a critical element? Is it the most important thing? if not, what IS more important?...

[GRDadof3]

It is often stated that a grocery store is one of the most important things to enhance quality of life and would serve to encourage development in a central business district of either a city, small town, or even a remote TND development...

Do you agree that this is a critical element? Is it the most important thing? if not, what IS more important?...

[rivegauche]

I was on Whole Foods site reading about their requirements that they'd consider to place a new store - one of the interesting ones is that they like to be close to colleges or be in a town that has a lot of college-degree residents. So that could enhance the possibility of a downtown store maybe by the GVSU campus or something along those lines?

[GRDadof3]

I actually think downtown has not "matured" enough for a Whole Foods. I was thinking that Breton Village would be a pretty strong candidate. Lots of room, maybe even with tearing down the South end of the mall, pretty dense population (maybe 3000/sq mile or so within a 2 - 3 mile radius), strong demographics (age, income, home ownership, etc.), diverse and progressive-minded, at the crossroads of 3 RAPID routes, and only minutes from Woodland Mall and 28th Street.

http://www.jadepigventures.com/Files/JP_Breton-Village.pdf

What about all this land at the Southeastern corner? Do an "urban format" store pushed all the way up to Burton with parking in the rear. I think Whole Foods stores are in the 50,000 sf neighborhood.

The only crux might be that D&W might have a lock on the Breton Village development disallowing any other grocery stores (?)

[jbr12]

A major problem with the Ann Arbor store you mentioned above is lack of parking... While its good to not have too much parking, not having enough is a major problem. I would try going to that barnes & Noble right next door and could NEVER find a place to park (including BFE) because Whole Foods was just that busy... From my experience at Breton Village mall, if you drop Whole Foods in where you're purposing, assuming the size is close, parking would be a HUGE problem

[GRDadof3]

A major problem with the Ann Arbor store you mentioned above is lack of parking... While its good to not have too much parking, not having enough is a major problem. I would try going to that barnes & Noble right next door and could NEVER find a place to park (including BFE) because Whole Foods was just that busy... From my experience at Breton Village mall, if you drop Whole Foods in where you're purposing, assuming the size is close, parking would be a HUGE problem

[smilesgr]

I don't think a Whole Foods at Breton Village would be a great idea. While not quite the same style or concept as Whole Foods, the D&W there is an above average grocery store, and very rarely busy.

I am not sure they would have a problem with the parking there though. I have been to the store in Ann Arbor, and agree it is a problem there, but have heard from multiple people that Whole Foods as a company prefers it that way. They choose small parking lots so that the place always looks busy, and for some reason that is appealing to a lot of people. There are never more than about 5 cars on the east side of Breton Village with spaces along the entire building, and in the old Arnie's area but it might still be tight during the busy times. That would probably fit the company policy just about right.

[radicaljoy]

Stopped in at Green Life Market today. A baby trumped the owner keeping it going. The decision was made today that it will close in two weeks.

I think they got momentum going and that it is a viable business. The bulk section took off for Green Life and there were plans to expand it. When I was staffing a table for the WM Coop last week at an event, we had a number of inquiries about a storefront retail outlet -- I really think GR is ready for this. Anyone want to buy Green Life? (I'd make a great employee -- lots of experience in that business.)