The Value and Importance of the Downtown Grocery Store
Decatur Metro | February 19, 2008This recent Washington Post article concerning the disappearance of NYC grocery stores has got me in a Jane Jacobs sort of mood today, thinking about how Decatur’s lack of a foot-friendly grocery store affects our sense of community. (And I apologize upfront to any potential Krogerites out there; I just can’t think of the Kroger on Commerce as accessible to pedestrians. Isolated by a stream of high-speed traffic and a massive cemetery, I rarely think of driving there, let alone taking a stroll to pick up hummus.)
As the article points out, though its often the poorer neighborhoods of our cities that struggle to retain grocery stores, it is also a very real threat for those living in more upscale areas. While poorer areas can lose their grocery stores to declining sales, stores in more upscale neighborhoods can be deterred or torn down as sky-high real estate prices make it harder to turn a profit.
Such is the case in NYC.
But how does that relate to Decatur? Simply put: this could or is happening to Decatur.
While we have numerous options when it comes to grocery stores within driving distance, there still are zilch that are easily accessed by foot. And the clock ticks at this possibility, as property value downtown continues to rise. While we surely are not (yet) a Druid Hills or Morningside in terms of affluence, even in early 2008 a downtown grocery store would be quite an expensive investment for whomever wanted to have a go at it. Especially with other grocery stores in such close proximity. However, I personally believe if done correctly, it would prove a successful and critical addition to a city that prides itself on “community”, but has no common place to shop for the essentials.
Many of us may frequent the Kroger on Commerce or (more likely) drive up Clairemont a short ways to shop at the Emory student-infested Publix at N. Decatur and Clairemont, but its just not the same as having a grocery store we can call our own. Attracting either a Trader Joe’s, Publix or (dare I say) “independent” grocery store to the hub of downtown would go a long way to eliminate the sense that we are becoming just another upper-class satellite city in the metro area full of boutiques that isn’t self-sufficient because we have nowhere to buy stuff we need on a daily basis.
Yes, there are many logistics that would need to be worked out. Like where are we going to put it and how much parking would be provided. But ultimately I think it could be a profitable entity that is a completely necessary piece of the city’s evolution.
But until the day when a developer with the available funds and foresight agrees with me, I will just patiently wait in my pedestrian-friendly, community-oriented city without a grocery store, insanely jealous of those that can pick up fruits and vegetables without ever setting foot in their car.
Latest from Decaturish
Maybe someone could talk Kroger Co. into shutting the current location down and reopening it in a yet-to-be-created space in the bottom of a mixed-use development?
Or…what about the parking lot behind the Wachovia building where the Decatur Market is currently held? Anybody doing anything with that? Wouldn’t be that much closer, but would be inside Commerce. Commerce is sort of like a little I285. Everything much outside of it isn’t walkable city to me.
I moved back to Atlanta from NYC in April, and of the many things I miss, the bodega right outside my door and the independent grocery store just a block away are high up the list. Sadly, my roommates up there e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago and said that the bodega closed and an upscale condo building is set to rise in its place.
My apartment, sadly, isn’t in a very walkable location (near downtown Decatur, but even if the area had a grocery store, it’d still be too long of a walk). But for downtown Decatur not to have one…that’s pretty bad. Rusty, are you talking about the old Wachovia high-rise at 315 W. Ponce, across the street from Watershed? If that’s the same building, I know there’s a development planned for there. Might be mixed-use. This group is concerned about the traffic that may accompany it:
http://www.decaturresidents.com
I think Rusty meant the Bank of America parking lot at Church and Commerce. That’s where the weekend market takes place at least.
There’s been a lot of talk of redeveloping that portion of Church…not exactly sure where the city is in the process of getting businesses in there. But a grocery store at the corner might stoke the fire.
Decaturite, yeah, that’s what I meant. I get those two mixed up sometimes.
And Thomas,
I was in New York last summer, staying with a friend in Brooklyn. It seemed like there was a little independent grocer with a small deli in it on every block. It was great when I got up in the morning to be able to cross the street and get a really kick-ass bacon-egg-and-cheese bagel.
Don’t forget, though, that viability of such operations is contingent on a few things downtown Decatur has some challenges with: Population density, for one. Unfortunately, these beloved corner indies feed off exactly the type of concentrations of people that’s being fought down at the Wachovia building. Another key is older building stock. There’s no way a small, indy grocer can survive having to pay the $28 sq. ft. it costs to go into the newbies.
There’s also a question of culture. Brooklynites are used to shopping for a day or two’s worth of stuff because they’ve got modest places that hold about that much stuff. Unfortunately, we’ve got ourselves some suburban shopping habits down in these parts. A tough nut to crack.
My solution? For now, rebuild the Kroger in its own front parking lot and tame the bejeeze out of Commerce. The way we cater to cars on Commerce, you’d think it was the Perimeter.
SD
First, there is no part of Decatur that is not walkable–the entire city is but four square miles. And crossing Commerce is not that difficult, there are numerous traffic lights.
As for the Kroger, it is truly a terrible store, a throw-back to the pre-redeveloped days of Decatur. For anyone driving, Publix is really close enough to almost always avoid that Kroger.
Decatur would benefit by the addition of a good, and clean, market.
Agree with Rob. The Kroger on Commerce is a third-world hellhole. They can’t seem to clean up their act (or their produce or their meat dept) so it seems that they’re more of a drain on the community than a benefit.
But I agree that the location is eminently walkable. Just don’t enjoy the “dead” block–regardless of which way I walk–to get to and from.
That said, why isn’t something being done with the stretch of Church between Ponce and Commerce? So many necessary services could go in there. What’s the holdout?
And, completely unrelated, I’d like to see a local movie theatre (perhaps the vacant bldg on the square on Sycamore–the former bank?) What an amazing benefit that would be to the community.
Surely it’s off the beaten path from downtown Decatur, but what about the vacant grocery store-sized building off E. Lake in Oakhurst? If a TJ’s or Fresh Market-type shop went in there, I definitely wouldn’t complain. At least there’s parking…
Church Street between Ponce de Leon and Commerce Drive is scheduled for a streetscape improvement. Typically we hold off on spending public grant dollars on streetscapes in areas where we anticipate private sector development. The eastern side of Church Street in that block is owned by Selig Enterprises and development conversations have been bubbling over the past year. The economic situation will probably slow down prospective developments for a bit but we anticipate a project of some sort in the near future. Eventually, that block will receive the same streetscape treatment as the rest of downtown. Church Street north of Commerce Drive is proposed to have bicycle lanes added, lane widths reduced and the number of travel lanes reduced with an improved center turn lane. This plan is included in the Community Transportation Plan that can be found on the city’s website.
. . . and on the grocery store discussion. We continue to look at grocery store options. It can be difficult to find an “urban” concept store that doesn’t require 30,000 sf of space and a huge parking lot. While we work on opportunities to work a smaller market concept into future redevelopment projects downtown, I would encourage you as customers to make your feelings known to the Kroger management staff. It’s easier to work to work on them to demand a better product than it is to get a new market. In this case, the customer really has a lot more power to influence change and improved products. Put it in writing, let them know what you want – you carry a great deal of weight.
First, we do have plans for streetscape improvements in the Church Street block between Commerce Drive and Ponce de Leon. However, because a major portion of the property (the eastern side) is a potential redevelopment site, we typically wait on developments and let the private developer pay for the streetscape improvements. I would anticipate some type of project bubbling up in the near future. The Community Transportation Plan (on the city’s website) includes improvements to Church Street north of Commerce Drive to the city limits that would add bicycle lanes to both sides of the street, reduce lane widths and the number of travel lanes with a center turn lane. The study confirmed that traffic volume could be handled very efficiently with this new design and that speeds would be reduced to the posted level.
On the Kroger/grocery store debate. . . we continue to market to alternative grocery store chains and would see them as part of a mixed use development somewhere in downtown Decatur. It can be hard to find one that will build an urban concept store because many are still stuck in the 30,000 + sq ft in a sea of parking model. In the short term, I would speak directly to the manager of the downtown Kroger and make your concerns known. If you have specific products or recommendations, put them in writing to the manager and copy the corporate offices. It’s easier to change what we have than it is to try and build something new and customers really do carry a lot of weight. Maybe we can help mobilize a community effort to get some changes in quality.
Could we start a grass roots movement to entice Trader Joe’s to open a store in Decatur?!!!!
It’s always interesting to me how stores like Trader Joes start out in places that should be a perfect fit for Decatur but once they go corporate and start expanding they only want to look at places like Alpharetta. It isn’t impossible and certainly is one we continue to work. I think a grassroots movement would be great! I wonder if folks have tried Sawicki’s Market down from Taco Mac. She’s really trying to develop the type of urban market that folks are describing. Lynn Sawicki lives in Decatur and I’m sure that she would welcome suggestions on expanding her selections. It’s an amazing place for meat and fish and she’ll give you advice on how to prepare it. Many of the vegetables in the spring and summer come from her personal garden. The selection isn’t large but if people are looking for the neighborhood market option like Europe or NYC this is it. As with all of our small retailers, they are feeling the economic pinch so I urge people to shop locally. If they haven’t tried Sawicki’s at 250 W. Ponce de Leon – between Heliptrope and Kaleidescope — you should.