Taylor Gibraltar Trade Center closing to make room for: another Menard's!

[SDCC]

Went to many a gun shows downriver...Menard's is kinda junkie...Costco is on point...

[rooms222]

Went to many a gun shows downriver...Menard's is kinda junkie...Costco is on point...

Maybe they should have the Briggs Trade Center at Michigan and Trumbull for a couple of decades or so, until the area can support a big box store.......

[Wesley Mouch]

The message I take from this is that downriver Detroit must be rebounding. I think downriver was hit very hard by the banker's crisis. Perhaps Menards counted cars in the Home Depot and Lowes nearby and realized there's room.

They're rather a small-town chain, afaik. I think they're right that there's room for a player that's a little bit less sophisticated than HD/Lowes... but from my experience beats them on prices.

[313WX]

The message I take from this is that downriver Detroit must be rebounding.

That's one way to look at it.

On the other hand, Menard's already stated they were going to be expanding across Metro Detroit, since it's a new market for them. This could simply be a case of them increasing their investment in a market that was already underserved by them [[after all, even with stagnant growth, I think a region with ~4 Million people can support more than 2 Menard's), versus this having any bearing on Downriver's health. Now if there were more Home Depot or Lowe's stores opening, then it may be a different story.

If anything, the fact that the Gilbralter Trade Center, who has been around for decades, has decided to close out of its locations suggests to me that things aren't as sunshine-y as some would like to them to me, as that means they're getting fewer vendors to invest in booths due to decreased traffic from customers who can afford what the vendors have to offer.

[JDKeepsmiling]

That's one way to look at it.

On the other hand, Menard's already stated they were going to be expanding across Metro Detroit, since it's a new market for them. This could simply be a case of them increasing their investment in a market that was already underserved by them [[after all, even with stagnant growth, I think a region with ~4 Million people can support more than 2 Menard's), versus this having any bearing on Downriver's health. Now if there were more Home Depot or Lowe's stores opening, then it may be a different story.

If anything, the fact that the Gilbralter Trade Center, who has been around for decades, has decided to close out of its locations suggests to me that things aren't as sunshine-y as some would like to them to me, as that means they're getting fewer vendors to invest in booths due to decreased traffic from customers who can afford what the vendors have to offer.

When I was a kid, in the late 80's and early 90's, you could find all kinds of cool stuff at the Trade Center. I used to love wandering around, looking at all the various things that the sellers specialized in. In the late 90's the place really changed, and went to a bunch of people selling cheap Chinese stuff that they somehow imported or had a line on getting "wholesale". I will not be sad to see the place go.

[Danny]

Adieu, Glibraltar Trade Center. Menard's is coming soon.

It's unbelievable that Menard's is making Few SE Michigan Locations. There's one in Livonia and Harrison TWP.

[Danny]

"Save great money at Menard's!"

[compn]

They're rather a small-town chain, afaik. I think they're right that there's room for a player that's a little bit less sophisticated than HD/Lowes... but from my experience beats them on prices.

"Menards, Inc. is the third largest retailer after Home Depot and Lowes in the home improvement industry of the United States"

[Wesley Mouch]

"Menards, Inc. is the third largest retailer after Home Depot and Lowes in the home improvement industry of the United States"

Thanks for that info. I'm surprised, since I've seen them in fairly small towns in rural Michigan.

They are only in 14 states; from their website:

A family-owned company started in 1960, Menards® is headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and has 280 home improvement stores located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Today, Menards® is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it's no wonder our famous slogan – SAVE BIG MONEY® – is so widely known and easy to remember.

[scooter]

Menards in not cheapr than Lowes and Homedepot, way to expensive, all the stores i been too, on the west part of the state

[Meddle]

Perhaps Menards counted cars in the Home Depot and Lowes nearby and realized there's room.

If those two are already there, I don't see room for a third.


I remember Schoolcraft and Middlebelt and the surrounding area with Forest City turned Handy Andy, Builder's Square, Home Depot and Home Quarters all within a mile or so. Wasn't long before they started dying off.

[Hermod]

Builder's Square, Home Depot and Home Quarters all within a mile or so. Wasn't long before they started dying off.

Hechinger's became Home Quarters and bought Builder's Square. It wasn't the individual stores, it was the head office in the DC area. Mr Hechinger had an aversion to closing unprofitable stores and as a result lost the whole company.

[That Great Guy]

A Win Win situation

If the August SMART fails and mass transit ends, the bus drivers can work there

If the tax wins, then Detroit residents can take the SMART bus there and work?

Are they Union? does anyone know?

[mtburb]

If the tax wins, then Detroit residents can take the SMART bus there and work?

It's possible-route #125 runs right past the Eureka entrance into the GTC.

[mtburb]

Perhaps Menards counted cars in the Home Depot and Lowes nearby and realized there's room.

As a matter of fact, the Home Depot is literally kitty-corner across Eureka from the GTC...the nearest Lowe's, however, is actually in Southgate [[at the northwest corner of Trenton, Pennsylvania and Fort).