What happened to the Downtown Foodland?

**noenaim** · May-26-09, 11:57 AM

The store opened with some fanfare last year, "a grocery store in the city".
I was there a few weeks ago the shelves were half empty, and I could not find much of anything I wanted.
The place looked like it was going out of business, but signs posted around the store said it was not.
At the time they said they were having some kind of "vendor problems" but they were not closing.
I was just there Tuesday afternoon [[May 26th) the place is closed and dark does and food is still on shleves.
Does anybody know what's going on?

gravitymachine · May-26-09, 12:02 PM

there's been at least one other notable closing recently that was preceeded by "vendor problems", sounds worrisome

**kraig** · May-26-09, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by noenaim

The store opened with some fanfare last year, "a grocery store in the city".
I was there a few weeks ago the shelves were half empty, and I could not find much of anything I wanted.
The place looked like it was going out of business, but signs posted around the store said it was not.
At the time they said they were having some kind of "vendor problems" but they were not closing.
I was just there Tuesday afternoon [[May 26th) the place is closed and dark does and food is still on shleves.
Does anybody know what's going on?

Before the area was remodeled several years back, the area was always packed and the businesses were doing well. Ever since it's opened back up it seems that it's always empty. The original strip closed at the same time that Farmer Jack's started closing all of its stores in the City. At that point, everyone in that area started going to the suburbs for their groceries. Combine that with the fact that Boxed Seat Video and Sala Thai opened up in different locations and Richard's Pharmacy, one of the last independent pharmacies in Detroit, was gone. The area's most loyal visitors started going to the Eastern Market for Sala Thai, Jefferson for Box Seat Video and CVS, Walgreen's and Rite Aid for prescriptions. There really wasn't much of a need to go back to the strip once it reopened. Sala Thai and Box Seat have both reopened stores there but it's not the same. Maybe the opening of the Dequindre Cut will help the businesses in the area. What's so ironic is that the residents and business owners fought with the City and the Landlord at City Council meetings in 2002 and warned that this would happen. Naturally, no one listened to them.

**noenaim** · May-26-09, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

There really wasn't much of a need to go back to the strip once it reopened. Sala Thai and Box Seat have both reopened stores there but it's not the same.

I guess you don't know Box seat video is also closed

**kraig** · May-26-09, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by noenaim

I guess you don't know Box seat video is also closed

Sure didn't, I started using Netflix and Video On Demand. How long ago did they close?

**professorscott** · May-26-09, 02:55 PM

Probably right about the time everybody started using Netflix and video on demand...

**EastsideAl** · May-26-09, 03:56 PM

"vendor problems" are usually a euphemism for "vendors no longer accept our credit and demand cash on delivery," and are most often followed pretty quickly by a closing.

**Hypestyles** · May-26-09, 04:18 PM

I had been in there once.. $$ kind of high, but i guess that's par for the course.. i drive by often..

**kraig** · May-26-09, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Probably right about the time everybody started using Netflix and video on demand...

Box Seat was gone, Blockbuster closed and Hollywood Video Closed. Where else could I go that was close to downtown? Closing the inner city locations because your customers will go to your suburban locations may work for department and grocery stores, but it's not going to work for video stores

**detroitbob** · May-26-09, 10:14 PM

It seemed that the store never was "finished"...stocking and selection was not good, help not knowledgeable unlike the other store at Gr.River Southfield. I thought overall the execution was poor and the prices too high.

Vendor issues, however, are spreading...a manager at a specialty market in Dearborn told me today that distributors are dropping any marginal suppliers fast and furious...for example, a company that distributes specialty condiments is only filling huge orders, no 12 items per pack...so if a store or chain isn't doing volume, they are screwed.

**noenaim** · June-05-09, 08:21 PM

For those interested
I went by Downtown Foodland today because I was surprised to see the doors open for the first time in over a week.
A guy working there said they were not closing, and that they just got a new distributor and will be fully stocked next Tuesday.
I guess that's good news??

**stasu1213** · June-14-09, 09:26 PM

I think the owner of Downtown Foodland went into this grocery store ownership business half cocked. I was told that the owner doesn't have a credit card to get supplies and has to pay cash money for them. Whatever little money he has coming in he uses that to buy the supplies. I didnt care for the toilets being up front next to the hot food area. A mentally deranged person or a person who doesn't care could go in the restrooms, smell it up, then leave it in a total mess. I was told by the manager that the doors doesn't close on their own automatically. It would cost the owner $400 for each door. The owner didn't have that type of money. When the store first opened it was 60 percent stocked. He should sell it, count his losses, and open up a small mom and pop store. He didn't know what he was doing

**vetalalumni** · June-15-09, 11:52 AM

Too bad the downtown Foodland is [[apparently) not being run as well as the Rosedale Park Foodland was being run in 80s. And the Foodland on 9 in Ferndale seemed nice as well.

**stasu1213** · July-23-09, 07:09 PM

I hope that another owner will purchase the market. I hope that Tansil[[owner) is not holding on to it out of spite.

**detroitbob** · July-24-09, 02:04 AM

Is the store still open? When last I drove by a week ago or so, it appeared active.

**stasu1213** · July-24-09, 05:25 PM

No it is not. No word from the owner Keith Tansil. I had gotten off to the wrong start in the first place.I think he should sell and let a new owner who is more business minded run it.

**royce** · August-06-09, 03:18 AM

Well, what's the lastest update? Open or not?

**Chub** · August-06-09, 05:04 AM

Why don't you just call them and find out. [[313) 877-9301

**DGM1659** · January-22-10, 01:01 PM

Hey everyone! So if someone was to reopen this store, would you shop there again? What suggestions would anyone have to improve this store?

**michigansheik** · January-22-10, 07:28 PM

What does everyone think about ALDI's going into that space?
If there was a public opinion poll online "Would you shop Aldi's in Lafayette Park?" could i post a link to it on here? [[not sure if thats allowed)

ALDI's corporate people are listening but some public support would definitely help. Yep I'm a licensed realtor.

Right now thats about the best shot to get the space taken over. Thanks all!

**Whitehouse** · January-22-10, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by michigansheik

What does everyone think about ALDI's going into that space?
If there was a public opinion poll online "Would you shop Aldi's in Lafayette Park?" could i post a link to it on here? [[not sure if thats allowed)

ALDI's corporate people are listening but some public support would definitely help. Yep I'm a licensed realtor.

Right now thats about the best shot to get the space taken over. Thanks all!

Is that the same German based Aldi's we have here in Europe? Compared to other mainstream supermakets they are really cheap. Mostly they carry their own brands. It doesn't mean the quality is lower than mainstream brand. Particularly food products are quite good in fact.

Your local store manager.

**Gianni** · January-23-10, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by michigansheik

What does everyone think about ALDI's going into that space?
If there was a public opinion poll online "Would you shop Aldi's in Lafayette Park?" could i post a link to it on here? [[not sure if thats allowed)

ALDI's corporate people are listening but some public support would definitely help. Yep I'm a licensed realtor.

Right now thats about the best shot to get the space taken over. Thanks all!

As a Lafayette Park resident I can say that an Aldi's would be extemely welcome and that many people would shop there. I have not been in an Aldi's in the US but I have been in Europe, and I understand they have discount items and a lot of frozen foods,and good quality. I think this kind of store would do well in that location because it would appeal to both the more upscale demographic which exists in Lafayette Park and other nearby neighborhoods as well as to low and moderate income Detroiters.

**stromberg2** · January-23-10, 05:58 PM

Aldis would be great, never had a problem with any product I have bought in the Monroe store.

Stromberg2

**stasu1213** · January-23-10, 10:34 PM

Aldi would be an excellent anchor store for Lafayette Towers Center. I had thought Zacarros would had done better in that spot instead of being on Woodward for there was more parking available. I also think that some type of outlet store would do good in the mall to. Something like that National Dry Goods on trumbull would do good in Lafayette Park. A coffee shop could open where Hobos used to be. Maybe a Family Dollar, a mini Police Station where Intus used to be.