Bert's Heading To the auction block!

[Cliffy]

I don't really care for Eastern Market. Yeah Suppinos and the deli are great but overall the Eastern Market experience kind of blows. I would say maybe 15% of the stands are "Farmers" while the rest buy stuff from a wholesaler and resell. Its not a true farmers market. Where if I go to Royal Oak Farmers market, it's 100% farmers and nobody reselling packages of Strawberries that say "Westborn Market" on them. And the prices are better in Royal Oak too. I don't know how they can encourage more farmers to go down there and sell their stuff but at this point you are better off going to Meijers.

[Mackinaw]

Cliffy, don't be a dummy. You're obviously not walking the entire market. And also, you need to consider what's in season and when you visited. When there is fresh farmer produce in royal oak, there will be many times more of the same in Eastern Market.

All good farmer's markets also act as fine food emporiums, so you will always have speciality food makers. Eastern Market has an incredible amount of these which makes it better than other urban marketplaces. This is in part a happy byproduct of the craft food movement taking off in Detroit. Further, there are stands that basically function as grocers, selling vegetables in the normal supply chain. Couple things: first, these are mostly wholesalers, so there are price benefits. Second, this is crucial during the offseason, which is the majority of the year in Michigan. It's perfectly great for a part of Eastern Market to function like a grocery store, particularly in a city/neighborhood that doesn't have enough. If you lived in LP or EM, would this not be a welcome thing?

Back on point: when you go to Meijers, you won't have the folks at Bert's supplying bbq ribs and music for your shopping interlude. That would suck. It would also suck if Bert's moved. I sure hope they don't. EM is so incredibly cool as it is right now and with everything it offers day and night. It does not, under any circumstances, need to be remade. More nearby housing on adjacent blocks would be wonderful, but honestly, it does NOT need to change. It's one of those few larger, multi-block areas of Detroit that we can actually say is top-notch compared withother cities.

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[Cliffy]

Well I am walking the whole market but the sad fact is that 85% of the people are people reselling stuff from wholesalers. Not farmers. Then you got people selling coffee, sweet potato pies, sausage, Amish looking cookie sellers, Zingerman's cheese... In terms of in-season vegetables and fruits if you got choices, Eastern Market is not that great. Maybe they priced out all the farmers and thats why they are in Royal Oak. I don't know. Royal Oak has no resellers though which is great and especially to someone like myself who is into Michigan stuff. When the Michigan tomatoes come out in a couple weeks... You will see how weak the selection is at Eastern Market compared to Royal Oak. Night and day.

[313WX]

Well I am walking the whole market but the sad fact is that 85% of the people are people reselling stuff from wholesalers. Not farmers. Then you got people selling coffee, sweet potato pies, sausage, Amish looking cookie sellers, Zingerman's cheese... In terms of in-season vegetables and fruits if you got choices, Eastern Market is not that great. Maybe they priced out all the farmers and thats why they are in Royal Oak. I don't know. Royal Oak has no resellers though which is great and especially to someone like myself who is into Michigan stuff. When the Michigan tomatoes come out in a couple weeks... You will see how weak the selection is at Eastern Market compared to Royal Oak. Night and day.

Part of the issue could be those farmers are relunctant to come into Detroit. In fact, there are still quite a few folks who go out of their way to avoid doing anything in the city.

Throughout rural Michigan, the marginal improvements downtown notwithstanding, the city proper is still perceived as an off-limits hellhole.

[DetroitBoy]

Part of the issue could be those farmers are relunctant to come into Detroit. In fact, there are still quite a few folks who go out of their way to avoid doing anything in the city.

Throughout rural Michigan, the marginal improvements downtown notwithstanding, the city proper is still perceived as an off-limits hellhole.

Can you blame them with all the shootings, car jackings and hold ups going on and how mysteriously no one ever knows or sees anything when crimes like this occur?

People in Detroit dont see they are their own worst enemy by remaining silent.

[313WX]

Can you blame them with all the shootings, car jackings and hold ups going on and how mysteriously no one ever knows or sees anything when crimes like this occur?

People in Detroit dont see they are their own worst enemy by remaining silent.

k.........

[Honky Tonk]

Let's be accurate about your rant. The Eastern Market Corporation is private sector through a public-private partnership with the Eastern Market Corporation who's chief officer is from the City of Detroit Mayor's office and includes members from Focus Hope, food banks and local food businesses. Since this change in 2006, many physical improvements have been made and business at the Market has soared providing MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE. All businesses are required to operate under the laws of the City. No one has singled out Bert's to be run out of business. So get the facts straight and tell Mildred she should as well.

What "facts" are you quoting me here? Some corporate mission statement? Hitler was making Germany better for EVERYONE, just ask the Poles and the Jews. I know both Bert and D'mongo. Both have invested time, money and stuck it out in Detroit when the going was tough and before it became "hip". Now that the moneymen want a piece of the action, there isn't anymore room for the independents. Remember when your Eastern Market Corporation ticketed and removed all the vendors from the overpass? Probably not. When Mildred drops by for cribbage tonight, I'll give her a glass of purple kool-aid and let her know she's upsetting you.

[DetroitBoy]

What "facts" are you quoting me here? Some corporate mission statement? Hitler was making Germany better for EVERYONE, just ask the Poles and the Jews. I know both Bert and D'mongo. Both have invested time, money and stuck it out in Detroit when the going was tough and before it became "hip". Now that the moneymen want a piece of the action, there isn't anymore room for the independents. Remember when your Eastern Market Corporation ticketed and removed all the vendors from the overpass? Probably not. When Mildred drops by for cribbage tonight, I'll give her a glass of purple kool-aid and let her know she's upsetting you.

You're the one who sounds upset. There's 138 sq miles in the city. Seems like there is room for a couple of independent businesses but you seem to know more about business than everyone else.

[Honky Tonk]

You're the one who sounds upset. There's 138 sq miles in the city. Seems like there is room for a couple of independent businesses but you seem to know more about business than everyone else.

You know, your posts keep getting weirded. So now your saying forget about the client base you worked so hard to develop, forget the prime business location you have now, someone else wants it, so pack your stuff and move to a vacant field? You're right, I have no business sense.

[gvidas]

Gvidas, you're right. Detroit should just do nothing and let crime, selling drugs and murder prosper because those appear to be better forms of growth and more equally distributed. Detroit doesn't need any new investment by individuals who expect to profit from taking the risk of coming here. Everything is fine like it is in the city. Why change anything?

I realize you're just trolling. But I think underneath your hyperbolic nonsense is a point that is often made around here: "everything's so screwed up that any kind of progress is good."

Here's two examples of what I meant by "not all growth is good":

1. Storing petcoke on the riverfront was, objectively speaking, "growth." Vacant land was put to use. But, in my opinion, it wasn't good growth. Tangible negatives for the neighborhood, and no jobs or local economic activity to offset the negatives.

2. Lots of other growth ends up being lot less good than it sounded at first. Remember the 175M tax break we gave Marathon for their refinery expansion? They sure grew with that one. But the bonanza of hiring definitely didn't happen. Maybe it's still a net gain for the city, maybe not.

These two examples are fairly superficial. There are many, many more if you start to delve into the kind of urban planning theory that is borderline blasphemous in SE Michigan -- heathen ideas like "more freeways mean more traffic" or "parking spaces out front are not as good for retail shops as bike lanes out front."

[Honky Tonk]

Part of the issue could be those farmers are relunctant to come into Detroit. In fact, there are still quite a few folks who go out of their way to avoid doing anything in the city.

Throughout rural Michigan, the marginal improvements downtown notwithstanding, the city proper is still perceived as an off-limits hellhole.

Part of the reason could be the cost of vendor space has risen since the Eastern Mark-Up Corporation privatization. It would be interesting to get some before and after data. It could also be that it simply isn'worth the time and trouble vs. profit.

[Zacha341]

What's the name of some of those RO farm sellers? I'd like to check them out when I am in the area as an option. Thanks.

...Royal Oak has no resellers though which is great and especially to someone like myself who is into Michigan stuff. When the Michigan tomatoes come out in a couple weeks... You will see how weak the selection is at Eastern Market compared to Royal Oak. Night and day.

[bailey]

I realize you're just trolling. But I think underneath your hyperbolic nonsense is a point that is often made around here: "everything's so screwed up that any kind of progress is good."

Here's two examples of what I meant by "not all growth is good":

1. Storing petcoke on the riverfront was, objectively speaking, "growth." Vacant land was put to use. But, in my opinion, it wasn't good growth. Tangible negatives for the neighborhood, and no jobs or local economic activity to offset the negatives.

2. Lots of other growth ends up being lot less good than it sounded at first. Remember the 175M tax break we gave Marathon for their refinery expansion? They sure grew with that one. But the bonanza of hiring definitely didn't happen. Maybe it's still a net gain for the city, maybe not.

These two examples are fairly superficial. There are many, many more if you start to delve into the kind of urban planning theory that is borderline blasphemous in SE Michigan -- heathen ideas like "more freeways mean more traffic" or "parking spaces out front are not as good for retail shops as bike lanes out front."

valid points... but before we get into the philosophical debates over gentrification.... the actual reporting of the story centers on how Bert failed to pay the mortgage and is now in the midst of a forfeiture proceeding. Being that, from the Fox report, it's a mortgage foreclosure, he's had well over a year to rectify the problem and/or redeem the property. The city isn't pushing them out, dan gilbert isn't pushing them out, Eastern Market isn't pushing them out... they haven't paid their bills for a while [[way longer than just a couple of missed mortgage payments). From anecdotal Yelp reviews posted above [[and those of posters), their service has been slipping for years. Couple that with Jai Lee's dumping cash and all the effort that goes into opening a new restaurant into the new-ish Rockafellers in GP.... I'm struggling to understand how this is an injustice that must be rectified and not just a series of bad business decisions or bad management leading to a restaurant failing.

[GPCharles]

Per Wayne County Register of Deeds -

Purchased in September 2003 for $760K with a $740 mortgage.

Sheriff's Deed in August of 2014 with a redemption price of $478K.

[belleislerunner]

I've recently noticed that the majority of greenhouses/farmers actually come from quite a distance to sell their stuff at Eastern Market. Granted their are not a ton of Greenhouses in Troy, Auburn Hills or Novi but you see folks from Monroe, Columbus, Lenox, Richmond, Frenchtown - in fact the "Amish cookie folks" who are actually Mennonite come from Snover - which is all the way up by Port Huron in the Thumb. Think about it - who are they going to sell their cookies/pies to up there. You travel to where the money is and bring it back to your small town/rural area, increasing the wealth. Artists do the same thing - you live in TN, or Kentucky, or Corktown and sell your wares in Ann Arbor, Chicago, Atlanta, NY at art shows/fares and use that money to support your local home/community. Eastern Market is a third local [[i.e. Detroit urban farmers), wholesalers [[the lady who has to sell her fruit because she has a hot date), the popcorn guy from Downriver and the ex-urbann/rural farmers/nurseries.

As for Bert's - the only person who wins in this situation is the owner playing Bert. The more the media plays up the auction/Bert's/crowd-funding - all that money goes to the white owner. If Bert was smart, he wouldn't pony up a dime and would take his ribs elsewhere. The crowds will follow.

[bailey]

If Gilbert/Bedrock is as big/important as many on here make them out to be, why would they give a fuck about what some "loon" [[no offense Gannon) says about them on the internet?

same reason most companies have a team that monitors social media...as the man said, a lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. But yeah, one post? nah. however, I'd imagine if ole steve neavling, what with his perpetual hard on for all things Gilbert, picked up this accusation of Dan Gilbert participating in, or directing, a criminal conspiracy from this thread...but threw in a few "allegedly"s to cover his ass in the defamation suit, they'd definitely notice.

Actually, I think gannon and I have used enough key phrases... Gilbert, Dan Gilbert, Quicken Loans, criminal, conspiracy, thugs, goons, illegal modification, mortgage, Detroit to have already popped up on the report though. would be interesting to see if this thread continues....

[EastsideAl]

If Bert was smart, he wouldn't pony up a dime and would take his ribs elsewhere. The crowds will follow.

Exactly. Maybe he's just been in the Market area for so long that it's hard to see the forest for the trees. But hae should keep in mind when he was pitched off of Jefferson too, for another set of gentrification efforts.

I agree with both Honky Tonk and Cliffy though, those pursuing the "modernization" efforts that [[Neo-)DetroitBoy touts so adamantly have resulted in an Eastern Market area that may seem more amenable to developers, suburbanites, and the too-small-hat-and-horn-rimmed-glasses crowd, but in the process is crowding and pricing out everything that was special, unique, and yes, authentic, about the place itself. Now it's soon to be just another malled environment of folks selling an overpriced "urban experience" to "adventurous" cool white people, complete with pricy neo-crunchy-vittles, second-hand marked-up veggies, not-so-special "specialty" stores, piles of knick-knacks, and junk.

[GPCharles]

If Eastern Market is too crowded and too upscale, reopen the Chene-Ferry Market. Last time I checked the sheds are still there.

[Honky Tonk]

If Eastern Market is too crowded and too upscale, reopen the Chene-Ferry Market. Last time I checked the sheds are still there.

Or better yet, just drop by the GP Farmers Market.....

[Danny]

Looks like he's trying to save his precious jazz club by letting the Satanists put their statue of the God, Baphomet in their theatre hall.

[GPCharles]

Current bid is $1,610,000 [[+ 5% buyer's premium) but the reserve price has not been met.

[Zacha341]

Perhaps the devil is in the details on that?

Looks like he's trying to save his precious jazz club by letting the Satanists put their statue of the God, Baphomet in their theatre hall.

[GPCharles]

Sold for $1,985,000 + the 5% buyers premium. Reserve was met.

[Zacha341]

Wow. To who?