Meijer to break ground on second Detroit superstore

[emu steve]

Groundbreaking News [[Not M-1 or the Arena)

Need more of this in the neighborhoods.

http://www.freep.com/article/2014062...-Detroit-store

[royce]

This is great. However, unlike the Woodward 8 Mile store, this store will have to rely solely on Detroiters and residents from Redford Township. The area has been deteriorating quite rapidly the past 7 years. Brightmoor is just around the corner. Other shoppers might come from Southfield but they can go to the one on Telegraph and 12 Mile. I live in the area and will shop there, but the outlook long term isn't as bright to me as is the store on Woodward 8 Mile. Time will tell.

[canuck]

Good stuff.

[animatedmartian]

This is great. However, unlike the Woodward 8 Mile store, this store will have to rely solely on Detroiters and residents from Redford Township. The area has been deteriorating quite rapidly the past 7 years. Brightmoor is just around the corner. Other shoppers might come from Southfield but they can go to the one on Telegraph and 12 Mile. I live in the area and will shop there, but the outlook long term isn't as bright to me as is the store on Woodward 8 Mile. Time will tell.

Maybe they're counting on the residents in and around Rosedale Park.

[Danny]

Goodbye, Old Redford Commercial District.

[Scottathew]

This is a good thing for Detroit.

[nain rouge]

Goodbye, Old Redford Commercial District.

Oh please, basically all of the stores in that area besides the liquor store are specialty stores, and honestly, I can't see how you'd miss that place if it went out of business. The days of anyone doing regular shopping in Midwestern downtowns are largely gone. For that to work you need a truly urban city, and last I checked Chicago was the only one in the area.

[Danny]

[/COLOR]
Oh please, basically all of the stores in that area besides the liquor store are specialty stores, and honestly, I can't see how you'd miss that place if it went out of business. The days of anyone doing regular shopping in Midwestern downtowns are largely gone. For that to work you need a truly urban city, and last I checked Chicago was the only one in the area.

Why shop at several mom and pop retail when you can shop in big box store with a humongous parking lot. That will be the day when Meijer comes to NW Detroit. Just like the old K-Mart on Plymouth Rd. and Southfield FWY. when it opened in 1961. Or the other K-Mart on Van Dyke Rd. and Lynch St. in 1970.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Mom and Pop shops have their charms. What they don't have:
1) Large product selection
2) Low prices
3) Hundreds of jobs for community members
4) A lot of property, income, and sales tax generation
5) The ability to transform surrounding area with productive foot and vehicular traffic

Meijer has those things. Love Meijer. This project is great news.

[ABetterDetroit]

Damn good news. This is what can make a difference in people's lives in the neighborhoods. Employment opportunities and a good grocery for folks who need it close by, fantastic!

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Mom and Pop shops have their charms. What they don't have:
1) Large product selection
2) Low prices
3) Hundreds of jobs for community members
4) A lot of property, income, and sales tax generation
5) The ability to transform surrounding area with productive foot and vehicular traffic

Meijer has those things. Love Meijer. This project is great news.

And unlike the evil Walmart, Meijer is Michigan-based.

[DetroitPlanner]

Brightmoor is just around the corner. Other shoppers might come from Southfield but they can go to the one on Telegraph and 12 Mile. I live in the area and will shop there, but the outlook long term isn't as bright to me as is the store on Woodward 8 Mile. Time will tell.

So is Rosedale and Grandmont. I am willing to bet more higher income folks from those hoods will shop at Meijer than the Meijer near Palmer Woods/Sherwood Forest.

[softailrider]

Any decent retail in the city is great news to me. There's enough crappy party stores, wig shops and African hair braiding places around.

[Dexlin]

Unlike Walmart, Meijer doesn't just plop down stores, anyway, and certainly not where they think they won't make money. The outlook on this one is as good as any. Meijer isn't a charity, Meijer is in this to make money, and they've been studying this particular site for YEARS to the chagrin of people who wanted to see it built here years ago.

[nain rouge]

What's funny is that if this Meijer's was a vertical building, as opposed to horizontal, and fronted the street, why... it's be kinda like the old Hudson's! Hudson's probably did as much to hurt the mom & pop retailers in inner city Detroit as any Walmart does to modern, small city downtowns. Of course, few people make such distinctions...

[nain rouge]

Why shop at several mom and pop retail when you can shop in big box store with a humongous parking lot...

There was a time I'd agree, but not in modern Detroit. I don't feel any deep compassion in my heart for the convenience store owner selling old Wonder Bread to customers for $4.50 a loaf. Let Meijer's destroy such businesses. It's no loss.

[motz]

What's funny is that if this Meijer's was a vertical building, as opposed to horizontal, and fronted the street, why... it's be kinda like the old Hudson's! Hudson's probably did as much to hurt the mom & pop retailers in inner city Detroit as any Walmart does to modern, small city downtowns. Of course, few people make such distinctions...

This is actually something I would LOVE to see them look into. Maybe do 1st floor grocery, 2nd floor not-grocery set up? It'd be a great way to plop down a huge Meijer in a smaller spot. Kinda like the Target in Bloomfield Hills at Sq Lake/Telegraph, except ACTUALLY building a first floor.

[313WX]

This is actually something I would LOVE to see them look into. Maybe do 1st floor grocery, 2nd floor not-grocery set up? It'd be a great way to plop down a huge Meijer in a smaller spot. Kinda like the Target in Bloomfield Hills at Sq Lake/Telegraph, except ACTUALLY building a first floor.

But people will need somewhere to park...

[motz]

But people will need somewhere to park...

The store would front the street, with parking out back. Think Ferndale at 9 and Woodward, northwest corner. If planned right, you could create a pretty solid street wall of businesses with ample parking in the center.

[nain rouge]

I think you'd need a significant boost in density in an area like 9 Mile & Woodward for an "urban" Meijer's to make economic sense. The city of Ferndale has a population density of 5,000 per square mile [[very suburban), and even if we assume that downtown is denser, it doesn't strike me as significantly denser. Meijer's would never bother to pay the higher rents to appease the few people in downtown Ferndale that don't own a car.

Most of the Grand River corridor is comically lacking in density. Might as well go with the cheapest model in such a scenario.

[motz]

I think you'd need a significant boost in density in an area like 9 Mile & Woodward for an "urban" Meijer's to make economic sense. The city of Ferndale has a population density of 5,000 per square mile [[very suburban), and even if we assume that downtown is denser, it doesn't strike me as significantly denser. Meijer's would never bother to pay the higher rents to appease the few people in downtown Ferndale that don't own a car.

Most of the Grand River corridor is comically lacking in density. Might as well go with the cheapest model in such a scenario.

I meant for future sites Something maybe like, Brush Park or North Corktown if they were ever interested. I'd love to see Meijer start looking into a more urban-friendly store model, I think their stores would do really really well in a few areas of Detroit. If they were able to develop or reference a design that had minimal impact space wise to boot? That'd be awesome.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Unlike Walmart, Meijer doesn't just plop down stores, anyway, and certainly not where they think they won't make money. The outlook on this one is as good as any. Meijer isn't a charity, Meijer is in this to make money, and they've been studying this particular site for YEARS to the chagrin of people who wanted to see it built here years ago.

Hate to let you know, Dex, but Walmart doesn't just plop down stores. They have the world's largest retail research department. They didn't become the world's largest and most profitable retailer by plopping down stores. Kmart did that and they are in a slow liquidation. Walmart's people research and research and research demographics, street traffic, store design, product placement, parking design, etc to maximize the potential their stores are a success. And Walmart stores do vary tremendously in store size, layout, and produt line depending on where they open. The only time a Walmart closes is to build a bigger one nearby. I love Meijer, and try to support Detroit and Michigan businesses, but if and when Detroit gets a Walmart [[likely several, since they tend to build in clusters), it will be good for the city, too. And good for Meijer. They will be kept on their competitive toes.

[GUSHI]

Walmart is junk, store always understaffed, employee look miserable, I would rather pay a few more dollars. and go to Meijer,

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Walmart is junk, store always understaffed, employee look miserable, I would rather pay a few more dollars. and go to Meijer,

I know. It's hard to believe 1.4M people work there, compelled against their will! And all those shoppers who get dragged in there, with their wallets picked clean by the Sons of Sam! Seriously, though, that's why we have the right to shop or not shop where we want. By the way, I would bet you $1000 that the average mom and pop pays less [[and possibly under the table) than Walmart. But, you're right. Walmart is evil.

[archfan]

But, you're right. Walmart is evil.

He didn't say Walmart was evil, he said it was junk. And that he was making his free market choice to shop elsewhere. I would have thought you would approve.