Clamor for Trader Joe's Heard By Creative Loafing
Decatur Metro | June 5, 2008There’s something to be said for being the home of local newspaper writers.
Both Creative Loafing’s Thomas Wheatley and Andisheh Nouraee live in the Decatur area and generally show a special interest/affinity for our little city. Both have commented on this site in the past, especially Wheatley, and often topics started in Decatur forums (be it on blogs or message boards) go citywide on a newspaper site.
Thus is the case with my recent posting entitled “When Publix Just Ain’t Enough“. The letter to the community that inspired the post showed up a couple days later on the Oakhurst Message Board and started a dialog, which Wheatley recently highlighted on CL’s Fresh Loaf blog in a posted called “Oakhurst Residents Push for Trader Joe’s“.
Earlier I said that I loved spreading TJ’s rumors because they generally catch fire faster than a thatched-roof. And while that might be true, at this point I wanted to highlight a couple points regarding this very issue already addressed by the city in a February post entitled “The Value and Importance of a Downtown Grocery“.
Click the continuation to read 2 different comments from Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne that directly respond to bringing a TJ’s into Decatur…
“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.”
“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.”
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I do hope the City will continue to use whatever leverage they may possess to bring a grocery to those of us on the south side of the tracks. Of course, we all know that the Big H Center would work, but no retailer has been able to come close to “terms” with the owner of the property. I guess that eminent domain may not be applicable in this situation!
The small Kroger in downtown Decatur is too jam packed with overflow merchandise, poor selection, narrow aisles, etc. etc., it just doesn’t work for our city. I am surprised the entries conform to firecode/ADA compliance, as it is often packed with…well…everything but the kitchen sink. The store is ill-kempt, often with trash overflowing containers, blowing through the parking lot and just seems unclean to where I and many other Decaturites just won’t shop there. It certainly does not reflect well on our town.
With the intense focus on pedestrian friendly city and amenities, I strongly feel that a grocery store should be a priority for the DDA. Restaurants, gift shops, clothing, bars….we have plenty, thank you. But a basic service like groceries is a need not met in our town….not even close.
The owner of the “Oakhurst Grocery” property has done everything in his power to hold back the resurgence of the neighborhood. He and he alone is responsible for the lack of a grocery store in that property – he is stubborn and unreasonable and we are ALL paying for it. The economy and vitality of the Oakhurst Village would be improved immeasurably by something, anything, taking over the blighted piece of vacant parking lot and commercial property he is holding hostage.
Letters and emails to Trader Joe’s are nice, but they are not the solution. Trader Joe’s has already tried to work with the owner of that property, and like everyone else who has approached him with offers and options, he has responded with a mix of paranoia and bad faith negotiations. He is the problem. He is holding us back, our neighborhood back, our town back.
It’s not that I have the solution – I don’t know how you deal with such a flawed person to bring about a desired outcome. I’m just pointing out the problem. And I don’t think it’s going to be solved by begging Trader Joe’s to come to town – as much as I’d love them to do so.
I believe it is owned by Vision Properties…can probably Google to get phone number to call owner…maybe there is a sign at Big H Center?
In defense of the little Kroger – yes, it’s closely packed and has a limited selection. I’ve never thought it was dirty though – I’d be interested in seeing the health inspection reports. Small older locations often appear kind of run-down no matter what the staff does to keep up with them. I don’t shop there when I have a big grocery list to fill. But for a quick trip to get a couple of things – the ease of running in and out quickly, the small accessible parking lot and the super-friendly cashiers beats other area stores hands-down for me.