Crains: Dan Gilbert to Roll Out Retail Plan

[Detroitdave]

I'm not a naysayer however I don't think 7 elevens will work in the city limits of Detroit . There are reasons they ALL left the city and even the close burbs.
Stores like 7 elevens are easy pickings.
It's really challenging to control what goes on in a 7 eleven and with it's history in/with Detroit there is a reason we don't have them anymore .
When you go to nearly any convenience stores in the city they all have bullet proof glass.
The only stores I see this working at are Family Dollars or Dollar Generals ect with guards.
don't get me wrong I would love to pop into a 7 eleven to pick up things , but unless it's done with security they are going to have problems .
Anyone who has lived in Detroit for any amount of time knows what I'm talking about .
Unless this is done in a controlled environment ,the days of just walking into a 7 eleven within the city limits like days past won't happen. Heck you can barely do this in the burbs .
security is key in today's environment pretty much everywhere !

If it is done where they are talking about security is going to be key.
If they do open a 7 eleven in the city it will be in the areas spoken about earlier and in a controlled building trust me .
I'm sure they are doing their home work .

[cramerro]

The thing is, I just don't understand the backward logic of driving 25 miles out of the way past several stores just to go to one particular store because the service is MARGINALLY better [[emphasis on marginally). The products and prices aren't much different either.

There's no question in my mind that racism is thinly veiled under those decisions by some. Some people just aren't comfortable around a lot of blacks, especially lower income blacks.

You also bring up the Livonia WAl-MArt, which is interesting because the Livonia citizens ferociously fought the construction of that Wal-MArt not because it would hurt the other retail establishments in the city or not because they might have broken a few environmental rules, but because it would attract Detroiters. The citizens of Livonia even opted out of SMART for the fear that Detroiters would ride that bus out to the Wal-Mart.

I'm with Bailey... the difference isn't marginal. I don't have an aversion to shopping with people who are a different race, gender, or live somewhere else. But I do not care to spend my time or money at a store with no customer service, product selection, or seblance of cleanliness and order when I can drive 10 minutes out of the way to a different store.

I admit/agree that Livonia's opposition to the Walmarts had an element of racism, or classism more importantly. Opposition to Walmarts is like the quintessential N.I.M.B.Y. battle cry for the last 20 years.

[gthomas]

I'm with Bailey... the difference isn't marginal. I don't have an aversion to shopping with people who are a different race, gender, or live somewhere else. But I do not care to spend my time or money at a store with no customer service, product selection, or seblance of cleanliness and order when I can drive 10 minutes out of the way to a different store.

I admit/agree that Livonia's opposition to the Walmarts had an element of racism, or classism more importantly. Opposition to Walmarts is like the quintessential N.I.M.B.Y. battle cry for the last 20 years.

Yes I kind of agree, aesthetic is key. It also send others a signal of "don't bring riff raff, be civil" when entering. I see more and more citizens and non-citizen picking up trash all the time around here. It's catching on to alot folks, you can't do that around here. So it does start from one person to the next, I think we need to focus on teaching others to respect your city and keep it together. Start giving out fines and enforce the law for people who attempt to be the problem. Start by having more trash can along every main street, every 50 ft..that goes a long way. Lighting, landscaping, security/police [[visual seen) etc..

[Shollin]

The reason people quit going to Eastland has nothing to do with race. People from Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods quit going because cars were being broken into constantly, people were being carjacked and robbed, a valet was shot to death outside of the mall, there was a gang shootout inside the mall during black Friday and all that happened in just the last year I lived there. I just read in the paper not even a week ago about a woman who went to the McDonalds at Eastland, was disrespected by the employee, got her boyfriend, and he fired shots into the McDonalds. We had town hall meetings about the "Eastland problem" and at least half of the people attending were black. The city solutions were to try to block the mall from the rest of the city, increase police patrol around the mall, and ask the owners of Eastland to hire more security. Finally they informed us the 7 Mile Bloods had taken over the area of Detroit from 7 mile to 8 mile and Kelly to Gratiot and apparently annexed Eastland into their territory. To recap, people don't want to shop at a mall in gang territory where shootings are common. Once i learned that gangs had finally infiltrated Harper Woods, I through in the towel. It was a wonderful city up until around 2005. I salute my fellow neighbors who still stayed and are fighting the good fight. I'm just getting too old for this nonsense.

[313WX]

I'm with Bailey... the difference isn't marginal. I don't have an aversion to shopping with people who are a different race, gender, or live somewhere else. But I do not care to spend my time or money at a store with no customer service, product selection, or seblance of cleanliness and order when I can drive 10 minutes out of the way to a different store.

I admit/agree that Livonia's opposition to the Walmarts had an element of racism, or classism more importantly. Opposition to Walmarts is like the quintessential N.I.M.B.Y. battle cry for the last 20 years.

I guess different strokes for different folks. I just wouldn't drive all the way from NE Detroit to Schoenherr and Hall Road for some tissue, laundry detergent and paper towel because the customer base is slightly wealthier or an extra lane or two may be open.

[WPitonya]

I actually think a 7-Eleven would serve a good purpose downtown. Attached is a photo of one opening on Fifth Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Street in Manhattan. They seem to be making a huge push into urban markets.

[WPitonya]

Sorry I'm trying to figure out how to properly upload photos.

[I <3 DET]

This news is very exciting for Downtown!!! I hope his plan consists of a couple of department stores that aren't anywhere else in the state [[Dillards, Bloomingdales, etc.).

Also IMO, a video game store[[GameStop) would be perfect for downtown. There aren't any video game stores in downtown [[except for one in northern midtown that serves Wayne State). The younger generations moving downtown would shop there. Parents who work downtown could buy gifts from there. The store is anti-theft because none of the display cases contain discs.
Here is one in New York: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gamestop&hl=en&ll=40.741904,-73.993524&spn=0.000004,0.004128&sll=40.742213,-73.992475&sspn=0.001689,0.004128&t=m&radius=0.13&h q=gamestop&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.741904,-73.993524&panoid=7oiwt9tbcNO4jYEBAALfRA&cbp=12,127 .01,,0,5.06

[jt1]

The reason people quit going to Eastland has nothing to do with race. People from Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods quit going because cars were being broken into constantly, people were being carjacked and robbed, a valet was shot to death outside of the mall, there was a gang shootout inside the mall during black Friday and all that happened in just the last year I lived there. I just read in the paper not even a week ago about a woman who went to the McDonalds at Eastland, was disrespected by the employee, got her boyfriend, and he fired shots into the McDonalds. We had town hall meetings about the "Eastland problem" and at least half of the people attending were black. The city solutions were to try to block the mall from the rest of the city, increase police patrol around the mall, and ask the owners of Eastland to hire more security. Finally they informed us the 7 Mile Bloods had taken over the area of Detroit from 7 mile to 8 mile and Kelly to Gratiot and apparently annexed Eastland into their territory. To recap, people don't want to shop at a mall in gang territory where shootings are common. Once i learned that gangs had finally infiltrated Harper Woods, I through in the towel. It was a wonderful city up until around 2005. I salute my fellow neighbors who still stayed and are fighting the good fight. I'm just getting too old for this nonsense.

Exaggerate much? Is Eastland the best? Not hardly. Is it overrun with gangs and a location of non-stop violence? Not even close.

And yes, I go to Eastland and the surrounding stores often.

[gthomas]

This news is very exciting for Downtown!!! I hope his plan consists of a couple of department stores that aren't anywhere else in the state [[Dillards, Bloomingdales, etc.).

Also IMO, a video game store[[GameStop) would be perfect for downtown. There aren't any video game stores in downtown [[except for one in northern midtown that serves Wayne State). The younger generations moving downtown would shop there. Parents who work downtown could buy gifts from there. The store is anti-theft because none of the display cases contain discs.
Here is one in New York: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=gamestop&hl=en&ll=40.741904,-73.993524&spn=0.000004,0.004128&sll=40.742213,-73.992475&sspn=0.001689,0.004128&t=m&radius=0.13&h q=gamestop&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.741904,-73.993524&panoid=7oiwt9tbcNO4jYEBAALfRA&cbp=12,127 .01,,0,5.06

I agree, I like to see most of those shops in your google map image. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Game Stop, Trader Joes, Dillards and a McDonalds will do fine Downtown on Woodward. Great locations for it, also a sport store like Foot Locker/Sports Authority. BD's Grill, TGIFridays and PF Chang Bistro will make a killing Downtown too..

[Shollin]

Exaggerate much? Is Eastland the best? Not hardly. Is it overrun with gangs and a location of non-stop violence? Not even close.

And yes, I go to Eastland and the surrounding stores often.

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/...-eastland-mall

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2010/09/...mall-shooting/

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in..._woods_mc.html

I guess the Harper Woods chief of police was just bullshitting about the gangs.

[gthomas]

Hey, I was walking downtown today and I see several more store added along Woodward and adding lots of decorations and lights hanging off the buildings, it's real festive to see. I can't wait to see the other two dozen retail planned along Woodward. It look wonderful Downtown, you can see how quickly and successful this can become.

[Islandman]

I'm not trying to promote the seedy element in some of our malls, but when we get to the point where we have metal detectors in our malls, there is a problem.

[downtownguy]

Hey, I was walking downtown today and I see several more store added along Woodward and adding lots of decorations and lights hanging off the buildings, it's real festive to see. I can't wait to see the other two dozen retail planned along Woodward. It look wonderful Downtown, you can see how quickly and successful this can become.

West side of Woodward, north of State -- The old Kresge store to Hudson Cafe last night.

[Gistok]

Would love to see something like medieval Nuremberg's Christkindlmarkt [[Germany's largest Christmas market) in the area around Campus Martius... with stalls selling mulled wine, roasted almonds and chestnuts, and other holiday treats.... maybe Frankenmuth's Bronners could open up a temporary holiday store....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeMME7bN4N4

[Honky Tonk]

maybe Frankenmuth's Bronners could open up a temporary holiday store....

Why temporary? Christmas ALL YEAR LONG!!!!!

[Detroit68]

I agree - 7-Elevens replaced all the White Hens in Chicago a few years ago.

I actually think a 7-Eleven would serve a good purpose downtown. Attached is a photo of one opening on Fifth Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Street in Manhattan. They seem to be making a huge push into urban markets.

[ccal]

I heard they might be putting the 7-11 at the old Tall EEz shoe store location on the corner of clifford and woodward.

I actually think a 7-Eleven would serve a good purpose downtown. Attached is a photo of one opening on Fifth Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Street in Manhattan. They seem to be making a huge push into urban markets.

[gthomas]

That will be a great location for that on the corner. Just hope it stays open late..

[gumby]

That will be a great location for that on the corner. Just hope it stays open late..

Aren't all 7-11's 24 hours?

[DetroitPlanner]

The name Seven-Eleven comes from being open from 7 am to 11 pm. Two full eight hour shifts. However, this proved to be not early enough for the early risers or late enough for the night owls so nearly all are open 24 hours.

Here is the first late hour account:

"one 7-Eleven® store in Austin, Texas, located close to the University of Texas, stayed so busy after a football game, it couldn’t close. The store just remained open. That night was so successful; the store began staying open 24 hours every weekend. Soon other 7-Eleven stores followed suit, staying open around the clock."
http://corp.7-eleven.com/AboutUs/History/tabid/75/Default.aspx

How would these corporate places impact the local merchants currently in the City? Sure some may need to either clean up of close down. However, there are still lots of nice convenience stores downtown.

[Danny]

In 1975 Donald Trump saved New York City buy making very risky real estate ventures from its Financial District to Midtown areas of Manhattan.

In 2010 Dan Gilbert saved Detroit buy making very risky real estate ventures from Downtown Detroit to Midtown.

What a coincidence.

[Danny]

The reason people quit going to Eastland has nothing to do with race. People from Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods quit going because cars were being broken into constantly, people were being carjacked and robbed, a valet was shot to death outside of the mall, there was a gang shootout inside the mall during black Friday and all that happened in just the last year I lived there. I just read in the paper not even a week ago about a woman who went to the McDonalds at Eastland, was disrespected by the employee, got her boyfriend, and he fired shots into the McDonalds. We had town hall meetings about the "Eastland problem" and at least half of the people attending were black. The city solutions were to try to block the mall from the rest of the city, increase police patrol around the mall, and ask the owners of Eastland to hire more security. Finally they informed us the 7 Mile Bloods had taken over the area of Detroit from 7 mile to 8 mile and Kelly to Gratiot and apparently annexed Eastland into their territory. To recap, people don't want to shop at a mall in gang territory where shootings are common. Once i learned that gangs had finally infiltrated Harper Woods, I through in the towel. It was a wonderful city up until around 2005. I salute my fellow neighbors who still stayed and are fighting the good fight. I'm just getting too old for this nonsense.

So there's gangs in Eastland Mall! There's gangs everywhere. The best the folks can do is keep them out of the streets by starting social service projects and priviledge activities. Get one of them to have a father figure mentorship program to keep them out of the streets. If you all did that Eastland Mall will be safe the surrounding neighborhoods will, too.

[DetroitPlanner]

In 1975 Donald Trump saved New York City buy making very risky real estate ventures from its Financial District to Midtown areas of Manhattan.

In 2010 Dan Gilbert saved Detroit buy making very risky real estate ventures from Downtown Detroit to Midtown.

What a coincidence.

That would never work here. Dan gilbert does not look like he has a fox nesting on his head!

[Honky Tonk]

Trump Was Right!