Universal Joint and Oak Grove Market Opening “Oakhurst Market” This Spring
Decatur Metro | December 23, 2010 | 5:45 pmMarc Brennan confirms with DM that the owners of Universal Joint and the Oak Grove Market up on LaVista Road have teamed up to open the “Oakhurst Market” in the old RealSource space in downtown Oakhurst by March 2011.
You want details. We got details. Straight from Mr. Brennan…
The market will be a small community market with a butcher on sight for our meat, chicken, and seafood program including our own sausage and a wide range of meat including all natural and grass fed products. The market will also provide: fresh produce from local farms, fresh prepared foods for both individuals and families, limited amount of essential grocery items, deli meats, fresh baked bread, a cheese program, a yogurt station, beer, and wine.
Marc welcomes any and all feedback from the community as to what other items they would like offered at the new market.
awesome news, should be a great addition to the neighborhood, can’t wait to be a frequent customer…
My hubby and I are very excited about this news.
This is awesome news!! I’d sure love somebody to build some sidewalk facing buildings in the huge parking lot in front of where Mulligan’s used to be
What a great Christmas gift for Oakhurst! Thanks guys!
Really incredible news! Excellent addition for Oakhurst and I can hardly wait to start shopping there. Way to go guys!
This is great news. I’ve been driving over to their LaVista store for years. They really are that good – an old fashioned butcher shop with excellent quality at reasonable prices. Also, good fresh prepared food for lunch. Nice people too. Welcome to Decatur, Oakhurst Market!
This beats Trader Joe’s
And nice symmetry—Oak-Grove and Oak-hurst.
yes, virginia, there is a santa claus!
rockin good news
That sound you just heard was heads exploding with excitement all over Oakhurst.
I guess that means it’s gonna be a good night to be a zombie in Oakhurst.
This news would only be better if everything in the store cost $1.00!
Does this mean we won’t be getting that Dollar
General?
We can only hope Santa brings us that news as well (No DG). Anyone here the latest on that?
hear
I am hoping they will have some merchandise (healthy food) the less affluent among us can afford. On the plus side, this sounds sort-of like the Candler Park Market. This is good news.
It’s great news, and I hope the same thing — that the market will manage to serve the whole community and not just the upper economic stratum. I haven’t seen any other merchant manage to deliver the local and fresh products they’re talking about, without having to charge a lot. I’m not saying the value isn’t there on the upscale side, but it simply is out of reach for a lot of people. I think the world of Marc and his leadership as a businessman who stands up and contributes to the community in ways that make a real difference. If anybody can bring us a market that’s close to being all things to all people, he and his partners are probably the ones who can. In any event, I hope it’s a ig success.
Are there examples of small neighborhood markets anywhere that can provide fresh produce without charging “a lot”? Because while the goal you mention is certainly a noble one, I’m not entirely convinced its actually all that achievable in 21st century America. (Unless of course you own the space and don’t need to pay monthly rent, as we learned is the case with the Candler Park Market.)
When we judge food to cost “a lot”, we’re obviously comparing to the prices at the national chains, who can afford the smaller profit margins because they’re selling a lot of stuff. As Decaturites well-know, outside of major urban centers, you need large parking lots to do this much business on a regular basis. So for most small shops in Decatur this is an unachievable goal. They need to offer value-added services (a friendly helpful face behind the counter) or just sell higher-end items with larger profit margins sought out by people with disposable income.
I bring this up, not because I don’t share your wish, but because sometimes when these sorts of statements are made here it can sound like a judgment against a retailer. (I’m not saying that’s the case here, it just inspired the train of thought.) Like they COULD offer cheaper food if they wanted, but they don’t…and THAT’S the problem with Decatur! (The most dramatic will state.)
However, I think they have their cause and effect backwards. Taking the market as an example, it’s not a local grocers fault that America’s average wage of hasn’t kept up with inflation since the 1970s and that the Fed has pushed the price of many staples through the floor with subsidies so only the largest farms and retailers can profit and that food costs less than it ever has in human history.
Could the Oakhurst Market offer a few basic items as loss-leaders and up-charge even more on fancy cheeses and alcohol? Sure. But realize that when we ask them to do this, we’re also asking them to take another major risk on top of the one they’ve already taken in opening a small market that deals in the least profitable of all retail items – food! – and is already fighting against people’s entrenched expectations created by economies of scale that they don’t have and that are strongly supported by our largest government and businesses.
Those are all excellent points, DM.
From the folks involved, it seems like they’ll strive to make it a truly community friendly market.
(Interesting read: http://www.oakgrovemarket.com/about_us )
It’ll mean a give & take relationship. Neighbors need to know upfront that prices will be higher because it won’t have a major chain’s buying clout. ( Key to warding off bad feelings: Don’t leave folks to come up with the wrong reasons!) The owners will need to offer up some valuable shelf space for price conscious pantry items. ( All around winner because high income folks use ’em too!) Make organic & conventionally grown local produce available. If feasible, make it a voucher friendly store. Warmly greet each shopper & emphasize friendly service. Oakhurst Market has wonderful potential to be the entire neighborhood’s “stop by” store. Really rooting for them to design a unique & profitable business model that can be admired & used everywhere!
* To the owners- It’s fantastic that y’all are seeking input! Please reach out to the non-wired–“on the block” — neighbors too. You’re bound to get lots of enthusiastic feedback!
a big success
Their Chicken nachos on Saturday are incredible. Great news for Oakhurst. Wish something like this would open in the old BP space in Emory Village… Or maybe just wish anything would open..
THANK YOU!!
Finally, exactly what many of us were wishing for. I can’t wait to be a frequent patron at their store!
Hooray! I had heard this privately, but am glad that we can now talk about it openly!
And as far as serving “the whole community and not just the upper economic stratum,” I say let the market decide that. A good business will evolve based on how they can best serve the community and make money while they are doing it. It is a business, not a social service organization.
If they can make money by providing products for lower income and higher income neighbors at the same time then I’m sure they will. But if they can’t make money serving one segment or the other – then they won’t.
That being said, I don’t think that anyone (including the owners) intends on this to be a replacement for a full scale grocery store. As DM said, there is only so much money they can make as a small store selling non-specialty products and services, since there is no way they can compete in price (and make money) with Kroger, Publix or Wal Mart.
Can’t wait!!! Now if only someone would open a roller rink
in the old Mulligans/church spot…
Perfect setting for that! Or ice rink if we need something more upscale. This time of year, it’s sometimes hard to find places to let kids let off steam if they are too big for the bouncy places.
Its hard to believe there use to be an indoor ice rink on Midway near Burger King and a big roller rink behind Firehouse Guitars on North Decatur where YDFM started.
Just bring back Mulligans!
How exciting- we will definitely be there. On a side note, and just to add some laughs, ran into Decatur Diner today as it appeared open. Nope. But, the smell of cigarettes wafting was a nice touch.
ooooo maybe they can carry Dr Enuf drinks from the tri-cities area
of east Tennessee (Johnson city /Kingsport / Bristol) we have to stock the car every few months when we go to the in lawsfor it.