Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe Closing [[?)

[DetroitPlanner]

What type of grocery stores are in Brooklyn Are they Spartan stores as well?

Spartan Stores are run out of Grand Rapids. It is a supplier similar to IGA or Foodland. Most Spartan Stores are independently owned and located in Michigan; though some of the Spartan Stores [[such as Glen's Markets) are corporate owned. http://www.spartannash.com/about/profile/history

[DetroitPlanner]

When Whole Foods came next door to Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe they're done. Just like Zaccaro's. What's next for that building that it next to underdeveloped Brush Park and Crackhead Corridor? A liquor store!

This would be a better location for that Hopcat place. Much closer to the new Arena and less competition.

[DetroitPlanner]

Detroit will be a tough place for small grocers to survive going forward, even when they run their businesses well. I suspect we will have a several more major grocery stores coming [[Trader Joe's I think very soon). And I think we will see Wal-Mart, Target, and another Meijer, too.

Meijer has already started to prepare the Old Redford site for a store where Redford High used to be located.

[Cliffy]

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...WSUPD-for-help

Probably got sick of being robbed.

[poobert]

Meijer has already started to prepare the Old Redford site for a store where Redford High used to be located.

Shit, they're really all in, aren't they? Kudos to them.

Now Kroger is another matter. I know they're still butthurt about 7mile and Gratiot but maybe it's time to get with the program. The Kroger in the Village is an absolute clusterfuck.

[erikd]

I too am really disappointed that a well run, small grocer couldn't make it in our community. Personally, I prefer to support local businesses vs. corporate stores headquartered outside the metro area, but if Midtown residents prefer to shop at a corporate chain, it is their choice.

However, I am extremely frustrated with the way that the city government goes out of their way to expedite their bureaucratic processes to which small businesses are subject for these corporations and I am totally disgusted with the preferential tax treatment afforded to these corporations.

Frankly, YOBS was never given a fair chance with the delays in opening they were subject to while the seas were parted to open Whole Foods as quickly as possible. And I am sure that the sweetheart tax deal secured by Whole Foods does not extend to Honey Bee, Harbortown, University Market and other small grocers operating in the city.

The city needs to stop playing favorites -- and this goes way beyond grocery stores. I thanked Mike, the owner of YOBS, for 16 great months of service tonight. I was surprised they made it as long as they did based on the "support" they received from the DEGC and city.

The reason why YOBS didn't make it is because they didn't excel at anything. Everything that YOBS did was done better by other stores in the greater downtown area.

Every time I went to YOBS, I couldn't find what I needed, and I left YOBS and went straight to Honeybee, Lafayette, University, Food Pride, or Harbortown.

When it comes to selection and price, Honeybee has better produce and meat than YOBS. Lafayette and Harbortown have better delis than YOBS. University and Food Pride have better canned/dry goods than YOBS.

YOBS was the closest grocery store to me, but I always went someplace else because they didn't have what I needed.

This isn't about Whole Foods coming in and taking away YOBS customers. I live closer to Whole Foods than Honeybee, but I will gladly go a little further to shop at Honeybee, because Honeybee offers more quality for the dollar than Whole Foods does, specifically in produce, meat, and specialty Mexican foods.

YOBS did not make it because YOBS did not specialize in, or excel at, anything in particular. YOBS was a very attractive little store, but they tried to be a tiny Kroger, with a little bit of everything, instead of being the best at one or two product lines.

If YOBS would have actually been more of a butcher shop, and less of a tiny supermarket, the situation would have been different. A few months after they opened for business, I went to YOBS for ground turkey and ground sausage to make meatballs, but they didn't have it, so I left YOBS and went to Honeybee and bought it there. The meat counter at YOBS was like a third of the size of the meat counter at Honeybee.

Everything that YOBS did was done better, and usually also cheaper, by a different local market in the greater downtown area.

I don't mean to hate on YOBS or disrespect them, because they put a lot of money and hard work into their store, and it was a very nice place. I have a lot of love and respect for them. However, I strongly disagree with the assertion that YOBS didn't make it because the people in the greater downtown community are shitty and don't support local businesses, because nothing could be further from the truth.

YOBS was a nice store, and it sucks that it didn't work out, but don't blame their closing on the community.

[Zacha341]

Thanks for info from article -- two interesting factors:

Five things to know about Ye Olde Butcher Floppe
1. Whole Foods isn't the Whole Story: In a press release, the YOBS ownership alleges their revenues fell sixty percent when Whole Foods appeared in June. But there were other nails in the coffin earlier on, including break-ins, a flood, and an unfavorable lease after the original landlord went bankrupt.

4. Back to Mack: For various reasons, the development march of Midtown has been slow to cross Mack Avenue. The swath of abandonment sandwiched between Midtown and the arena development has now lost two of its anchors—YOBS and Atlas Global Bistro.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...es-up.php#more

[Danny]

Meijer has already started to prepare the Old Redford site for a store where Redford High used to be located.

After it's completed. The rest of Old Redford commercial district will die!

[DetroitPlanner]

After it's completed. The rest of Old Redford commercial district will die!

There is not currently any retail in Old Redford that will directly compete with Meijer. If anything it will highlight the Coffee Shops, specialty bakeries and other specialty businesses that are still a vital part of the business district. Face it while not dead, the area is not healthy. A few thousand shoppers drawn to the area will help prop up many of the existing businesses.

[Spartan]

The reason why YOBS didn't make it is because they didn't excel at anything. Everything that YOBS did was done better by other stores in the greater downtown area.

I agree with you. I liked YOBS, it was fine, but it was not great. Had I lived nearby, I probably would have frequented it, but living in downtown and now Lafayette Park, it made more sense to go to HoneyBee or Lafayette Foods.

[Zacha341]

I don't live in the area but understand the one black owned Spartan store is not far and having been there they do a great job of providing good quality foods and even a decent produce department with some specialty items.

After it's completed. The rest of Old Redford commercial district will die!

[Zacha341]

Good point. There was nothing remarkable there outside of a few pastries I liked and the meats were poor or just average which belied the name of the store.

I am not at WFoods often but I do have a few things there that are awesome and draw my return visits more, than YOBS did.

I agree with you. I liked YOBS, it was fine, but it was not great. Had I lived nearby, I probably would have frequented it, but living in downtown and now Lafayette Park, it made more sense to go to HoneyBee or Lafayette Foods.

[Honky Tonk]

After it's completed. The rest of Old Redford commercial district will die!

Wrong, they'll first struggle, then die...

[Zacha341]

Yes, I experienced this... I was like where's the meat? Butcher shop?

Having lived in the area back in the Piquette market days I know that had they specialized more in their name sake they would have done better! Heck Piquette was a dive before the fire and yet they did ok.

I'm not a big meat eater but specialty meat would have garnered my support as I mostly rely on Dearborn family old world, 'bloody-apron', eastern market style shops, etc. when I want nice specialty cuts.

Heck YOBS could have had more beef options including ox tails, beef neck bones and ground Amish chicken along with prime rib and the word would have gotten out that this was a niche for meat reflecting 'varied' tastes and recipes!!

Whole Foods does not cut it in this area [[pun intended). If I want to pay 'high' price for meats I'd go to Holiday in Royal Oak before fooling with WF for that. Holiday seems more committed to that area as a section of their store.

Too bad YOBS is closing. I did shop there sometimes.

If YOBS would have actually been more of a butcher shop, and less of a tiny supermarket, the situation would have been different. A few months after they opened for business, I went to YOBS for ground turkey and ground sausage to make meatballs, but they didn't have it...

[Zacha341]

Well it could be a Walmart! Anyway that Meijers will not get my business. If I go there I will go to the one on 8 and Woodward or 12 and Tely.

Wrong, they'll first struggle, then die...

[Honky Tonk]

Well that Meijers will not get my business. If I go there I will go to the one on 8 and Woodward or 12 and Tele...

I like you, you have scruples.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Well a bit, sometimes......

[Honky Tonk]

Yes, I too this... I was like where is the meat? Butcher shop?

Having lived in the area back in the Piquette market days I know that had they specialized more in their name sake they would have done better! Heck Piquette was a dive before the fire and yet they did ok. I'm not a big meat eater but speciality meat would have garnered my support as I mostly rely on Dearborn family markets etc. when I want specialty cuts.

Heck YOBS could have had the more beef options including ox tails, beef neck bones and ground Amish chicken along with prime rib and the word would have gotten out that this was a niche for meat for 'varied' tastes and recipes!! Whole Foods does not cut it in this area [[pun intended). If I want to pay high for meats I'd go to Holiday in Royal Oak before fooling with HF for that.

Too bad YOBS is closing. I did shop there sometimes.

Try Dearborn Snausage next time the spirit moos you.

[Bham1982]

When it comes to selection and price, Honeybee has better produce and meat than YOBS.

Wasn't YOBS a butcher shop? Honeybee doesn't even have the produce/meat quality of an average Kroger. I would not shop Honeybee for non-Mexican stuff, except in a pinch. If YOBS, as a butcher shop, has much lower quality meat than a Kroger, then it must have truly sucked.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Sadly, YOBS was not a butcher shop in the way you'd think of most shops. See my post about that above. I liked their salad bar and a few other things. But not enough to really engage full shopping.

[Bham1982]

What type of grocery stores are in Brooklyn Are they Spartan stores as well?

Non-gentrified parts of Brooklyn are heavily filled with a chain called Key Foods, though ethnic areas [[Chinese, Russian, Jewish areas, for example) will have their own chain groceries. The Orthodox Jewish areas have a place called Pomegranate [[the "Jewish Whole Foods") and the Russian areas have a place called Net Cost Market.

Big Meijer-type groceries are almost unheard of in Brooklyn. There's no Walmart or Meijer, though there are a number of Targets.

[Honky Tonk]

Wasn't YOBS a butcher shop? Honeybee doesn't even have the produce/meat quality of an average Kroger. I would not shop Honeybee for non-Mexican stuff, except in a pinch. If YOBS, as a butcher shop, has much lower quality meat than a Kroger, then it must have truly sucked.

Maybe the Honeybee in Birmingham.

[Bham1982]

Wasn't YOBS a butcher shop? Honeybee doesn't even have the produce/meat quality of an average Kroger. I would not shop Honeybee for non-Mexican stuff, except in a pinch. If YOBS, as a butcher shop, has much lower quality meat than a Kroger, then it must have truly sucked.

Aha, thanks; I did not see your post. This explains it. I had always wondered why WF would kill YOBS business, in that WF is not known for its butcher offerings. A place like Holiday Market or Papa Joes [[or a real butcher) kills WF meat offerings.

[Bham1982]

Maybe the Honeybee in Birmingham.

The Honeybee in SW is not a good supermarket. It may be better than the other SW offerings, but the meat and produce are weak.

[Honky Tonk]

The Honeybee in SW is not a good supermarket. It may be better than the other SW offerings, but the meat and produce are weak.

Like your posts. Please, run that on someone who doesn't frequent Metro-Detroit markets on a regular basis. Their meats are as good as Eastern Mark-Up, more reasonably priced, and I don't have to wait until Saturday and spend 3 hours shopping.