Grocers gather in Ferndale

**begingri** · April-10-11, 10:58 PM

BY ZLATI MEYER

DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Walk down Nine Mile just west of Woodward and you'll see them.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

One right after another, on both sides of Ferndale's tightly packed commercial street, almost like the products that line their own aisles.

The less-than-half-a-mile stretch is now home to five grocery stores -- Ferndale Foods, Western Market, Save-A-Lot, Natural Food Patch and Organic Food and Vitamin Center, from west to east. Organic Food and Vitamin Center is the newest; it opened in December.

Most of the shopkeepers, industry analysts and customers are confident all the stores can survive. Not only does Ferndale and nearby communities have enough residents to keep them all in business, but the various stores serve different consumer supermarket needs. Plus, they're close enough to food-shopping-challenged Detroit that they draw west-side shoppers northward.

Continued at: http://www.freep.com/article/20110410/BUSINESS06/104100439/0/SPORTS17/Grocers-gather-Ferndale?odyssey=nav|head

NorthEndere · April-11-11, 01:59 AM

It good you bolded that line, because it's basically the whole article in a nutshell. Tiny Ferndale hosts so many grocers for mostly just that reason. Were it not for a lack of grocers in much of Detroit, Ferndale would not be a grocing mecca.

I wonder how the Meijer at Gateway will affect all of this?

**oldredfordette** · April-11-11, 06:44 AM

Most of the stores listed above sell above-average produce and groceries at low prices.

Holiday in Royal Oak is also catching the overflow. You can tell when people come for the first time, when they hit the cheese island they stop and stare. It's funny.

**Dan** · April-11-11, 07:06 AM

yummmm cheese island......

**Bham1982** · April-11-11, 07:18 AM

I thought that it was fairly well-known that Detroit-bordering retail is dependent on the Detroit consumer.

I'm not sure that Northland, Eastland or Fairlane could keep their doors open absent Detroit shoppers. Even Livonia and Oakland Mall, I'm not so sure.

ferntruth · April-12-11, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by NorthEnder

It good you bolded that line, because it's basically the whole article in a nutshell. Tiny Ferndale hosts so many grocers for mostly just that reason. Were it not for a lack of grocers in much of Detroit, Ferndale would not be a grocing mecca.

I wonder how the Meijer at Gateway will affect all of this?

Gateway? What's that?

I love some of the Detroitists on DYES. I thought there was no food desert in Detroit, and that there were plenty of shopping options [[after all, you have Eastern Market). If thats the case, how can Ferndale be drawing shoppers from Detroit?

Detroit either has food shopping challenges or it doesn't? But either way, why hate on Ferndale for supplying what Detroit apparently can't or won't?

ferntruth · April-12-11, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

Why so many grocery stores along the Downtown Ferndale/9 Mile Rd. [[ Homosexual community) strip? COMPETITION! It will aslo help bring customers to other areas to shop around. They are the anchors that help out the exotic businesses and bring Downtown Ferndale bomming? I wish Detroit could do the same.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Because community markets brings business growth for Neda's sake.

I'm not sure what "Homosexual community" has to do with this subject but, you seem to like to mention Ferndale's Gay community an awful lot.
I think you may have some unresolved issues regarding your sexuality.

I think it's time you came out of the closet, for Neda's sake.

**casscorridor** · April-12-11, 11:20 AM

Only in Detroit would a half-mile long commercial strip having five grocery stores make a news story. In any major urban city, this would be commonplace.

Also, I hope people realize that there are many grocers lining Vernor in SW and Warren in Dearborn and Jos Campau in Hamtramck. Even Livernois in University District has a good number of grocers. But those places aren't white and yuppie so they don't make news.

**EastsideAl** · April-12-11, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by ferntruth

But either way, why hate on Ferndale for supplying what Detroit apparently can't or won't?

First of all, I don't think anyone is "hating on Ferndale" here [[well, except maybe Danny...).

But I love it how you put it like Detroiters have made some grand collective decision to refuse to have decent food shopping options in much of the city. The simple fact is that businesses are usually going to locate where they can attract the most traffic. And since white suburbanites are mostly reluctant to go into Detroit to shop, but black [[and white) Detroiters have proven willing to drive to nearby suburbs to shop, the choice pretty much makes itself.

Oh, and the Eastern Market is great for those of us who live close by and can block out a big chunk of our Saturday for shopping, but it's much further from the northwest side and most of northern Detroit than Ferndale and is, after all, pretty much a one day a week deal.

**Detroitej72** · April-12-11, 11:32 AM

I rarely have to leave Hamtramck to buy the groceries that I need. Somebody should write an article about how Hamtown has more diverse and ethnic grocery stores than any other city in the region. But then, as stated above, they tend to not attract the yuppie clientèle.

DetroitPole · April-13-11, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by ferntruth

Gateway? What's that?

I love some of the Detroitists on DYES. I thought there was no food desert in Detroit, and that there were plenty of shopping options [[after all, you have Eastern Market). If thats the case, how can Ferndale be drawing shoppers from Detroit?

Detroit either has food shopping challenges or it doesn't? But either way, why hate on Ferndale for supplying what Detroit apparently can't or won't?

Here is the double-standard:

Suburbanites who patronize Detroit's institutions are touted as "helping the city" "supporters" and "boosters."

Whereas Detroiters spending their cash at suburban institutions and these suburban establishments are "supplying" Detroiters.

How wonderful you all are. God bless you.

These are not foodbanks we are talking about. These are grocery stores.

I'd be interested to see what it would be like if Detroiters instantly stopped spending any money in the suburbs. I bet Woodward north of 8mile would start to look a lot more like Woodward south of 8mile.

Also, the City of Detroit does not "supply" food or build grocery stores. These are independent businesses. Detroit needs to create a safe, clean, fairly-taxed environment that is friendly to grocery stores. Yes, they could certainly take notes from Ferndale's example.

Also, I'm pretty sure I see more than just "Detroitists" at Eastern Market and HoneyBee, does that then imply there is a food desert in the suburbs?

**Zacha341** · April-13-11, 01:48 PM

I 'love' Holiday when I can afford it! I too stared at the 'cheese island' my first visit! LOL! Great meats, and bulk seasonings you can by right there in the meat section. Love their baked goods and salad bar. Ummm!

Originally Posted by oldredfordette

Most of the stores listed above sell above-average produce and groceries at low prices.

Holiday in Royal Oak is also catching the overflow. You can tell when people come for the first time, when they hit the cheese island they stop and stare. It's funny.

**Zacha341** · April-13-11, 01:57 PM

Yes, many Detroiter's who are not trapped in the city and able to drive to a border suburb like Ferndale do shop those stores. And other stores in the city where they can be found, and they can... NOW that gas prices are so high I am finding myself more prone to do grocery shopping in Detroit... using for example University Market [[on WSU campus) even though the prices are higher. No need to save a dollar on produce but burn gas canceling out the savings.

Originally Posted by DetroitPole

Here is the double-standard:

Suburbanites who patronize Detroit's institutions are touted as "helping the city" "supporters" and "boosters."

Whereas Detroiters spending their cash at suburban institutions and these suburban establishments are "supplying" Detroiters.

How wonderful you all are. God bless you.

These are not foodbanks we are talking about. These are grocery stores.

I'd be interested to see what it would be like if Detroiters instantly stopped spending any money in the suburbs. I bet Woodward north of 8mile would start to look a lot more like Woodward south of 8mile.

Also, the City of Detroit does not "supply" food or build grocery stores. These are independent businesses. Detroit needs to create a safe, clean, fairly-taxed environment that is friendly to grocery stores. Yes, they could certainly take notes from Ferndale's example.

Also, I'm pretty sure I see more than just "Detroitists" at Eastern Market and HoneyBee, does that then imply there is a food desert in the suburbs?

**DetroitPlanner** · April-13-11, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by ferntruth

I'm not sure what "Homosexual community" has to do with this subject but, you seem to like to mention Ferndale's Gay community an awful lot.
I think you may have some unresolved issues regarding your sexuality.

I think it's time you came out of the closet, for Neda's sake.

Danny's an equal opportunity descriptive labeler. Watch him long enough he will address ethnicities, ages, economic or religious groups too.

**maxx** · April-13-11, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

I rarely have to leave Hamtramck to buy the groceries that I need. Somebody should write an article about how Hamtown has more diverse and ethnic grocery stores than any other city in the region. But then, as stated above, they tend to not attract the yuppie clientèle.

Why not start a thread on Hamtramck's different grocery stores. Maybe it will catch the eye of some journalist looking for a feature.

**Gistok** · April-13-11, 02:45 PM

I love how these threats always start and how quickly they turn sour... the same cast of characters go off on making it a Detroit vs. suburbs thing... blah blah blah.... and then Danny adds his own unique twist that makes the already absurd discussion into an online version of a Marx Brothers mayhem movie ...

Detroit and its' suburbs... a symbiotic relationship.... both sides need each other... whether a news item is about one side or the other... who the hell cares? Last time I checked the dailies are sold on both sides of the divide..

9mile&seneca · April-13-11, 03:48 PM

These people crossing 8mile are only buying groceries that no suburbanites want.

**lizaanne** · April-14-11, 08:26 AM

Not everyone living in Ferndale is a dual male income household. There are struggling normal families in Ferndale, just like in Detroit. The reason these five grocers work in this area is due to a number of reasons - proximity to Detroit, widely mixed incomes in the immediate area [[hence the difference between Western Market and SaveaLot), great variety between the grocers, and a great foot traffic area where you don't always have to worry about getting mugged.

So - it is what it is. It has grown organically [[pardon the pun) because of where it is and who lives there. Not sure why it's even considered news.