A second Whole Foods for Detroit?

[iheartthed]

Apparently the CEO thinks that might happen...

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...cond-store.php

[Dbest]

Put it on the Detroit side of the shed..

[animatedmartian]

I can't imagine where'd they put it. Only maybe near either of the new Meijers but I'm not so sure.

[Danny]

Good for them. Detroiters need real food, not pathetic synthetics.

[iheartthed]

I can't imagine where'd they put it. Only maybe near either of the new Meijers but I'm not so sure.

My guess would be somewhere downtown.

[aoife]

The article mentioned Jefferson Avenue. There is certainly enough land to pick from if they are thinking East Jefferson.

[dmike76]

How about the Avenue of Fashion/University District area?

[stinkytofu]

Another cool tidbit from this morning...

Crain's Detroit Biz @crainsdetroit · 56m

MT @DayvMuller: At #dethomecoming McCormack Baron Salazar's Richard Baron is considering relocating St. Louis, Mo-based firm to #Detroit

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[animatedmartian]

My guess would be somewhere downtown.

Hmm. I didn't think WF was a type of store that would cluster that close to other WF stores. But I guess Jefferson would be a good possibility.

[stasu1213]

My guess would be somewhere downtown.

ybe near Lafayette Park in the spot where the YWCA or the apartment building once were. I would had said Jefferson Village but that strip mall is just another junk mall with its arms open to more junk stores to come set up shop

[iheartthed]

Hmm. I didn't think WF was a type of store that would cluster that close to other WF stores. But I guess Jefferson would be a good possibility.

Whole Foods likes to place stores in and near high density business districts. They have one in lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center, and one at Columbus Circle in the basement of the Time Warner Center.

If Papa Joes is still planning to open up shop downtown I would imagine that Whole Foods would also want to get in down there before PJ builds a loyal base. I could see WF on the ground level or basement of some building near Campus Martius... Maybe 1001 Woodward?

[dmike76]

Downtown just seems too close to the Midtown store. I think that they'd want to pick an underserved area. Jefferson does seem feasible....You've got some apartments on the river being rehabbed and there's always the Villages and Lafayette Park, and Joseph Berry Sub. That may be the best place for them.

[Wesley Mouch]

I love Detroit, but I don't see the market for them yet. The current store is very small, by WF standards. Probably 1/2 the size of anything I've seen elsewhere. So it was clearly a toe in the water.

Compared to most WF's, its catering area is very small. So I'll guess that they'll do another store downtown, and maybe refocus the new or existing store to increase their catering volume. Maybe the shopping moves to, say, Corktown -- and the midtown store becomes nothing but a catering center to serve downtown -- with a mini-market.

Another thought... WF is at the point where they are molting from a specialty store to a mainstream business. They're looking at pricing more aggressively, trying to shed the 'whole paycheck' image. Detroit could be a great place to experiment with their ability to be a more full-line grocer to the less affluent. How about a southwest Detroit store, with good access to both the Mexican and Arab markets nearby.

Expect the unexpected from WFs.

[SpartanDawg]

I think it will most definitely be east jefferson and near gross pointe...

With the midtown store being RIGHT on an M1 rail stop, there would be no point putting another one downtown, people downtown can very easily get to the midtown store

[313WX]

IF [[big if) a new Whole Foods goes anywhere else beside downtown/Lafayette Park, the logical location IMO would be the Palmer Park/Sherwood Forest neighborhood...

[401don]

Let's just hope they don't trumpet their success and turn around and ask for huge subsidies again.

[stasu1213]

IF [[big if) a new Whole Foods goes anywhere else beside downtown/Lafayette Park, the logical location IMO would be the Palmer Park/Sherwood Forest neighborhood...

enue of Fashon would be as nice area as well

[FormerDetroiter]

Somewhere on Grand River in Rosedale Park area.

[casscorridor]

Prediction: New massive Midtown store to replace the existing dwarf store.

[FormerDetroiter]

I think it will most definitely be east jefferson and near gross pointe...

I doubt if Grosse Pointer's are going to cross Alter Rd. and start shopping in Jeff-Chalmers. Especially when they already have Trader Joe's on Kercheval in the Village.

[stinkytofu]

Let's just hope they don't trumpet their success and turn around and ask for huge subsidies again.

Interesting point. Not sure how I'd feel about subsidies...will be curious to see how this works out.

[anonJD]

With subsidies and on-site DPD protection, the goodwill and PR they get trumps whatever risk of loss they could ever possibly incur. If the store can turn a profit, great, but not required. With a Starbucks and Meijer, Woodward & 8 Mile is all but assured. It would tap into Ferndale and white collar commuters who use Woodward, as well as Meijer shoppers who are craving organic staples, etc. Meijer doesn't stock.

[iheartthed]

With subsidies and on-site DPD protection, the goodwill and PR they get trumps whatever risk of loss they could ever possibly incur. If the store can turn a profit, great, but not required. With a Starbucks and Meijer, Woodward & 8 Mile is all but assured. It would tap into Ferndale and white collar commuters who use Woodward, as well as Meijer shoppers who are craving organic staples, etc. Meijer doesn't stock.

I don't think Whole Foods wants to be located anywhere near Meijer.

[Zacha341]

I hear you on that, but HF is VERY high. You really need to be making a very strong income to shop there full-time. And I find their juice option to limited. I'd prefer to see a Trader Joes, which while not fully organic is a more affordable bridge to off the full process, fructose stuff.

Good for them. Detroiters need real food, not pathetic synthetics.

[Zacha341]

As appose to Grand River and Hubble [[jokes)......

Somewhere on Grand River in Rosedale Park area.