NYTimes: Making the case for Detroit's Future

**DetroitPlanner** · September-23-11, 02:34 PM

I found this on the finance page.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Making...49967.html?x=0

Any comments?

**Detroitnerd** · September-23-11, 02:38 PM

I don't think this person knows Detroit very well. There are some myths in here. What, you couldn't get food before Whole Foods and chains came to save us? Not so. A housing shortage in Detroit that makes us look to the issuance of building permits as our savior? Ummmm ...

**rjlj** · September-23-11, 02:46 PM

Original article:

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/20...troits-future/

**iheartthed** · September-23-11, 02:51 PM

What are the other two grocery chains?

**DetroitPlanner** · September-23-11, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

What are the other two grocery chains?

Farmer Jack's and Great Scott?

**detroitsgwenivere** · September-23-11, 03:00 PM

"I don't want an emergency financial manager to be called in," Mr. Bing said. "However, it is an option."

Here we go.......

**iheartthed** · September-23-11, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Farmer Jack's and Great Scott?

Same chain, so no cigar.

**DetroitPlanner** · September-23-11, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Same chain, so no cigar.

Huh? FJ's became part of A&P and Great Scott part of Kroger.

**iheartthed** · September-23-11, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Huh? FJ's became part of A&P and Great Scott part of Kroger.

You're right. I thought they both were A&P.

**Detroitnerd** · September-23-11, 03:36 PM

Chatham's! hahaha

**downtownguy** · September-23-11, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

What are the other two grocery chains?

Probably referring to Meijer's at the Gateway Marketplace as one. Don't know who the other one could be. Besides Kroger, who's left? 7-11? Oh wait, they moved out in the 80s.

**Detroitnerd** · September-23-11, 04:25 PM

There was still a Farmer Jack at Model T Plaza in, like, 2000, right?

**iheartthed** · September-23-11, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

There was still a Farmer Jack at Model T Plaza in, like, 2000, right?

Not sure about that one, but I believe the one at Chene and Lafayette stayed open until the chain was liquidated in 2007.

**401don** · September-23-11, 04:59 PM

You could argue that Lafayette Foods, while independently owned, is part of the Spartan chain.

**szla** · September-23-11, 05:15 PM

Aldis? for one.

**DetroitPlanner** · September-23-11, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

There was still a Farmer Jack at Model T Plaza in, like, 2000, right?

Model T Plaza is in the suburbs. You know.. that place CAY made the white people move to.

**313WX** · September-23-11, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Farmer Jack's and Great Scott?

It said two NEW supermarket chains are setting up shop.

So I would love to know what chains those are as well.

I know Meijer is one, but what is the other?

**313WX** · September-23-11, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

There was still a Farmer Jack at Model T Plaza in, like, 2000, right?

Yes.

Farmer Jack stores were all over the city in 2000.

*Harper & Gratiot
*Chene & Lafayette
*St. Antoine & Warren
*8 Mile and Van Dyke [[may have closed around 1999, not 100% sure)
*7 Mile & Livernois
*7 Mile & Telegraph
*Southfield & Outer Drive

At least those are the first ones that come to mind, then the Hamtramck/Highland Park locations.

Most of those locations closed in 2003-2005-ish when they went through their original restructuring, and were briefly converted to Food Basics.

**313WX** · September-23-11, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

7-11? Oh wait, they moved out in the 80s.

Not completely true.

There was one last location on Warren east of Cadieux, that closed in the mid 2000s.

**English** · September-24-11, 11:33 AM

I liked Food Basics for the hot minute they were open. I had a stint teaching at WSU's former Detroit Center near Southfield and Outer Drive, and when I took over my childhood home in the old 'hood, I'd often shop there for staples. They were clean, well-lit, and reminded me of a larger Aldi or Save-a-Lot. It's too bad they failed.

**313WX** · September-24-11, 12:02 PM

Part of the reason Food Basics failed was because of the hoopla over the hoards of rats that were discovered in the Hamtramck store.

**gazhekwe** · September-24-11, 12:15 PM

What about Glory?

**corktownyuppie** · September-24-11, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Not completely true.

There was one last location on Warren east of Cadieux, that closed in the mid 2000s.

My cousin worked there in the early 90s when he was going to Wayne State. I used to ride my bike up there and then play hours of Mortal Kombat. The place eventually got rough, and groups of thugs would roll in, grab as much beer as the can, and then just run out of the store without paying.

The Finney high area has changed a lot in 15 years.

**Gistok** · September-24-11, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

My cousin worked there in the early 90s when he was going to Wayne State. I used to ride my bike up there and then play hours of Mortal Kombat. The place eventually got rough, and groups of thugs would roll in, grab as much beer as the can, and then just run out of the store without paying.

The Finney high area has changed a lot in 15 years.

It started going downhill once Engler removed the policemen/firemen suburban residential ban back in the 90s. That area was a beautiful "copper canyon" middle class area of Detroit. The houses are still relatively nice... but you can tell that a lot of home are now rental properties [[or empty) with a slow lack of maintenance and groundskeeping.

The "empty lot" syndrome that has plagued much of Detroit has not yet hit this area too badly... but just wait a few years for more deferred maintenance to take its' toll....