Changes to the old Downtown Foodland on Lafayette

[Planner3357]

This is great news! I do enjoy the Honeybee, but from the sound of it, this will definitely have more amenities.

[Zacha341]

Yeah, I'd be willing to come downtown to shop there if the store has quality foods at a reasonable price. Detroit needs more grocery stores indeed!

This is good. I got a buddy who lives in Lafayette towers who has mentioned to me that it would be nice to have a place close by to get groceries.

Best of luck when you open

[stasu1213]

Some of you are really asking a lot out of this guy. Being open 24 hours/day, fully stocked at all times, hot bar, salad bar, organic foods, delivery, bill-paying station, and... competitive pricing!!

And yet, if he runs a "non-union shop," some of you will tear him a new one.

He had said that he was open for suggestions. You have to admit; the former Foodland wasn't fully stock at anytime. Tansil had started out on the wrong foot. Lance had mentioned that a bill paying station will be inputted. I still say keep it simple with the basic produce, canned and packaged goods, meats, and dairies then grow into serving hot foods and other items when a customer base is established. For God's sake do not start selling t shirts and other clothing items or dollar store type goods out of the store or you would be destine to fail

[downtownguy]

Lance, as someone who lives within walking distance, I say hooooooooooray for Lafayette Foods!!! Welcome to the neighborhood! Will this store be similar to your other stores? Would you mind giving us the locations of those stores, too?

[LafayetteFoods]

Thank you all for your comments! It's ok for everyone to express how they feel, I do not have a problem with that. Just so you all understand not everything can or will be the way we want it. We are going to do are best to keep everyone satisfied. The store will be a great store but also keep in mind NO TWO stores are the same. Lets get one thing straight, this will not be ran as a LIQUOR/PARTY STORE [[no t-shirts, lol). Keep the comments coming.
Thanks,
Lance

[Zacha341]

What? No lottery scratch-offs... or 'looses' [[cigarettes illegally sold individually out of the pack)? LOL --- --- !

Just kidding! The store sounds great and much needed. I'm looking forward to the grand opening. Please keep us posted!

Thank you all for your comments! It's ok for everyone to express how they feel, I do not have a problem with that. Just so you all understand not everything can or will be the way we want it. We are going to do are best to keep everyone satisfied. The store will be a great store but also keep in mind NO TWO stores are the same. Lets get one thing straight, this will not be ran as a LIQUOR/PARTY STORE [[no t-shirts, lol). Keep the comments coming.
Thanks,
Lance

[rencense]

Lance,

First off congrats on your success so far and best of luck to your new market! This is arguably about the best location for a grocery store in the city limits IMO. You will be walkable [[or at least bikable) to the growing downtown population, lafayette park, the whole elmwood area, and maybe even the w. village/ indian village area and the near east riverfront area. You already have the other major advantage of having experience with the business before but I'm sure there will still be a learning curve involved.

I often hear people bitch that there are no decent grocery stores in the city and usually go on the defense because I know of several that I frequent. Nonetheless, I'll admit that the city is still under served and could always use more. The unfortunate byproduct of this belief is it has helped build the perception of having to head just outside city limits for basic living needs [[see time's project detroit where someone in w village headed to grosse point everyday despite the fact that everything needed was much closer and in the city)

With all that outta the way there are a few things I'd focus on particularly well

1) visibility: You know all those kids moving into downtown? Well most likely if theyre not going to the burbs for groceries they're going to SW or midtown area. Meanwhile your store will now be the closest source and within walking distance. Lure them in and keep them happy and you'll have a stable customer base. Same goes for lafayette park area etc. Make the place easy to see and well lit [[one big problem is some great places aren't obvious unless you know where they are) I think it's also worth doing some advertising in the area [[at least early on so people know you're there)

2) quality: this probably seems obvious too but is worth restating. Many new residents in the area are probably coming from college where every other night ends with a forty and a frozen pizza [[at least this is my personal experience ) But now people often wish to live long enough to at least watch social security run out so keeping healthy food available and attractive is very important. This would include good quality fruits and veggies, lean fresh meats, and some frozen goods etc. Hopefully your proximity to eastern market makes getting produce easy! I'm not saying avoid junk food entirely but junk food is already pretty easy to find at party stores for jacked up prices. A decent beer and wine selection would also be popular [[but optional)

Those are the major points I have and everyone else has made useful suggestions. I also agree with the sentiment of quality over quality. I wouldn't try to spread yourself too thin at first if it sacrifices the basics. If you do it right I believe you'll be successful and help to slowly chip away at the quality of life issues that plague our fair city. It makes me sick when the local economy takes badly needed money circulation out of the city! That money should be in your pocket!

cheers!

[jt1]

Keep your hours consistent. If the store lists open until 8PM, then stay open until 8 even if it is slow.

Too many Detroit businesses use their hours as a basic guideline.

[esp1986]

The one suggestion I can give is that you get the word out. I would not know about this if it weren't for this forum. So get it in the News and Free Press, an opening grocery store is always big news in city limits. Do whatever you can to get the word out about groceries in the city limits... I have a lot of friends that still go out to the suburbs to go shopping.

[ResurgetCineribus]

I agree with esp1986. Countless times I have heard people mistakenly complain about the lack of groceries within Detroit. Hopefully you can change people's perceptions. Also, carry craft beer.

[DetBill]

Very glad to hear this, as one living across the street at 1300, I can personally attest there is alot of good potential customers in the general area. As long as the shelves are stocked well with good merchandise and produce , the place is CLEAN, and service is good at reasonable prices, I think you will do just fine and keep us customers. We really would appreciate the convenience. I really think if you took one good trip to honey bee market [[[[ a prime role model) that you would see what can be done succesfully. That place is very well ran, great merchandise and always a pleasure to walk in..
Good luck on you store, I and many others really hope it does well.

[LafayetteFoods]

Thank you all. There's no doubt that the hours of business will be respected from open to close. As of now the store hours are not set in stone. We will heavily advertise prior to the grand opening. It is very important.

[Detroit2MeetU]

Based on the fact that you are on this forum, I have a feeling you are well aware of the types of products and services people in the city have been craving. However, I would like to second the hot food bar, quality deli and meat counter, and fresh bread.

[Ravine]

Yes. Clean. Actually clean, not clean as in "smells like cleaning solution." We have a lot of that, here in Detroit.

Also: I understand the need, especially on the part of owners who are not connected to large corporations, to keep overhead costs down, but!!-- speaking of overhead-- do yourself a favor by keeping the store well-lit.
Frequently combined with the odor to which I referred, the dimly-lit look conveys a crummy, sub-standard impression, and I tend to figure that a store whose ownership is too damn cheap to pay for adequate lighting is a store from whom I might expect to see the old "package up some gray-brown meat with some fresh stuff on top of it" stunt.
And keep in mind that many Detroiters, having learned a thing or two from experience, do indeed go to the trouble to check the dates on everything.
And, speaking for myself only, when I see items on which the price-tag has just happened to conveniently end up being directly over the "sell-by" date, I A) automatically assume that the "sell-by" date had already been passed when the item was priced, and B) identify that store as being a low-life operation to which I shall not be returning.

[English]

I wish you could try to open sooner but as long as you open that would be a plus. Maybe more store would open in that mall. Get the owner to shovel the staircase that leads from Lafayette Towers parking lot down to the strip mall. Lots of snow and ice there. Keep the store practical. Home deliveries is a good idea but lets start from the basics first. You will do good in that area alone if you keep everything up to par. Your store by floor space is almost as large as the new Kroger in Grosse Pointe. I say concetrate more on groceries, meats, cleaning, and dairy products first. I would rather have updated meat and dairy on the shelves and freezer than being concern about a hot foods section. Have a butcher on site to cut the fresh meat if needed. Give it that simple "Moms and Pops" feel without all of the fanfare and glitter. Don't try to sale t-shirts and other so-called ghetto items.

Amen... says a girl who grew up in the westside ghettos. A commitment to quality is so important. Keeping the store clean, good customer service, and making sure that the produce, meat, and dairy are fresh will go a long way. So many grocers in the city seem to fail on these basic three measures.

[English]

Thank you all. There's no doubt that the hours of business will be respected from open to close. As of now the store hours are not set in stone. We will heavily advertise prior to the grand opening. It is very important.

Be sure to advertise at my job, Wayne State. Although you're a bit further from Midtown than some of the other stores, you have a fairly large student population there with an increasing number of full time students who reside in the dorms, campus owned apartments, and the area nearby. Many of them drive to the 'burbs to do their shopping, but with a little creative marketing you'd have a great customer base right there.

One of the BEST supermarkets in the city is Honey Bee. If we could get something similar in LP, it would be just great:
http://www.honeybeemkt.com/

[stasu1213]

You have a great advantage over other grocery stores that are near downtown detroit. You have a gigantic parkling lot in front and on the side of you. People who work at the GM hq, Compuware, BCBS, Quicken Loan, etc could jump in their cars on their lunch break or on the way home and park for free without having to fight for a space. You will be the first true Market in or near downtown Detroit. You will be accesible to all the businesses and residents in and around downtown detroit. The strip mall itself has great potentials. A cafe or coffee shop could open at the other corner where Paris Cafe once was. A sheriffs or police mini station could be in the strip mall also. You anchoring that strip mall could be a magnet to other potential small business and services. Without worrying about Kwame to pay to play with.

[English]

A cafe or coffee shop could open at the other corner where Paris Cafe once was.

I know this is off topic, but yes, please! I hope that someone does it. I really miss Paris Cafe.

[gnome]

L.F., Just do what you already know, do it well and make sure the place isn't only clean, but spotlessly clean.

keep the windows clear of advertisements and gaudy banners. clean,clean,clean

[stasu1213]

Make sure Crains mention your opening a market in that location also

[LafayetteFoods]

Any suggestions are welcome thank you

[Det_ard]

Start a Facebook business page. Learn how to effectively use it to communicate with your customers. Ask around if you don't know, you don't want to tick off your clientele. You could have it up and running in less than an hour. You can post every few days about specials, new services, some great new food you're carrying, ask for suggestions, etc. You don't want to overtly sell, like a commercial, rather have a helpful conversation with the people that are or might be your customers. It can generate a lot of buzz.

Its free and the way things are trending, probably more helpful to your business than a webpage [[but have one of those too).

[GPCharles]

Best of luck to you. I hope you can keep your shrink under control, w/o a police state mentality.

[English]

^The way to do that is to offer goods, services, and an ambiance with little appeal to those doing the shrinkage.

[NorthEndere]

It cool to have someone building a market with customer participation. It would be nice if this was common all around the country in towns big and small, you know, [[near) instant feedback. Maybe, this is something that could take off in Detroit, and used as an example for other cities.