As they wrote at the time in an April 18, 1999 article:
“Are we going to abandon our neighborhood center policies, which serve our community both practically and in our very human need for social interaction with our friends and neighbors?”
At the time they were roundly criticized for their opposition to the larger grocery stores, which now dominate the landscape in Davis, at the expense of the neighborhood grocery store.
Gone are the small grocery stores at University Mall, the Davis Manor, and now the Westlake Shopping Center.
Is this simply reactionary alarmism or is there a valid argument to be made that we ought to have a series of smaller, 20 to 25,000 square foot grocery stores serving their specific communities?
Instead of looking back to answer this question, let us look forward. The concept is smart growth. Smart growth looks to more dense, mixed use development, that seeks to reduce traffic and drive time through smart urban design practices.
We see this philosophy at work here in Davis when we talk about densification as opposed to sprawl. The idea is the more tightly compact people reside, the closer they are to the city centers and the less they will have to drive in order to do their shopping, drive to downtown, and go to work. This plan seeks to increase walkability and biking and to reduce the amount that people are forced to drive.
We seem to have the idea of densification down to a tee in our discussions.
As Kevin Wolf, chair of the Housing Element Steering Committee wrote a week and a half ago:
“Among my primary motivations to provide housing for the growing number of students and employees in town is to reduce the regional loss of habitat and prime agricultural land. When growth occurs in Davis, far less habitat and ag land is lost then if that growth is shifted to Woodland, Vacaville, Dixon or the suburbs around Sacramento. Davis has approximately twice the density compared to these areas, which means for every acre developed in Davis, two acres won’t be developed elsewhere.”
We understand densification even if we disagree on how much we need to densify. We also understand the need for more energy efficient design.
But another facet of smart growth is mixed-use planning. The reason one needs that is that if you place commercial development within residential development, you can enable people to walk and bike to do the bulk of their shopping. And when it comes to shopping, the most frequent form is food shopping.
However, our grocery store policies are at odds with those of our smart design desires. The more we consolidate shopping in larger, 40,000 square foot grocery stores, the more we have violated this principal. The vast majority of people who shop at the two Safeways and the Nugget on Covell and Poleline, are people who are driving to get their food. As these stores have flourished, many of the neighborhood stores have disappeared.
One of the discussions that arose recently at the planning commission was what to do with Westlake Shopping Center where Ray”s and Food Fair had formerly resided. This is a smaller, 22,000 square foot store that had once served West Davis. Now, West Davis must drive 1.5 to 2 miles to the Safeway on Covell in order to do their shopping. Over the course of a year, that is a lot of additional driving. Meaning the emission of a lot of additional carbon. Hence big stores located in central areas rather than neighborhoods increase our carbon footprint.
But really it is worse than that. During the Target discussion we talked about the impact of big box retail, but one interesting discussion that occurred last year when Stacy Mitchell came to speak was the impact of big box grocery stores.
Let us compare the Co-Op to Safeway. The Co-Op is locally owned and operated. The profits go to those who reside in this community. Food is in part produced locally, particularly the produce. At the end of the day, the money is deposited into the local bank. Safeway on the other hand, has corporate ownership. All profits go to the Oakland corporate office. The money at the end of the day is deposited in a bank in Oakland. The produce and food are all shipped in from out of town. In other words, yes Safeway produces revenue and some tax base but there is a tremendous amount of leakage. The whole operation relies on trucking to import the produce and food and export the money. From a city economic standpoint it is inefficient. From an environmental standpoint is increases the carbon footprint. And the large central local requires the individuals to drive to the store.
The argument here is that policies that produce smaller and more locally owned grocery stores would be better for the local economy and the local environment. But in order to do that we would have to limit the size of grocery stores. Our policies that allowed 40,000 square foot grocery stores to move in have produced undesirable results.
The city and the owner of Westlake appeared ready and willing to actually continue and proliferate those harmful policies but fortunately the planning commission stepped in and at least temporarily delayed it. To Kevin Wolf’s credit, he was one of those members of the public who came to the meeting and argued that we needed to hold out for a small grocery store.
If we are truly moving toward with this model of smart design, we cannot simply pick and choose which aspects we like, it has to be an entire package. We need to retain the character of our city by encouraging mixed-use planning and demanding that our city leaders look into ways to allow the neighborhood grocery store to remain competitive against the giant that we have already allowed to move in.
—Doug Paul Davis reporting
The carbon footprint picture is more complicated than presented here. Economies of scale in trucking(fewer truck trips to fewer locations) is a consideration.
The carbon footprint picture is more complicated than presented here. Economies of scale in trucking(fewer truck trips to fewer locations) is a consideration.
The carbon footprint picture is more complicated than presented here. Economies of scale in trucking(fewer truck trips to fewer locations) is a consideration.
The carbon footprint picture is more complicated than presented here. Economies of scale in trucking(fewer truck trips to fewer locations) is a consideration.
The carbon footprint is only as complicated as people wish to make it. If a community, such as Davis, is dedicated to having neighborhood grocery stores that are within walking and biking distance then they will make it a priority.
We can’t be preaching “green” and carrying on with actions that contradict what we claim to be a priority for Davis.
The carbon footprint is only as complicated as people wish to make it. If a community, such as Davis, is dedicated to having neighborhood grocery stores that are within walking and biking distance then they will make it a priority.
We can’t be preaching “green” and carrying on with actions that contradict what we claim to be a priority for Davis.
The carbon footprint is only as complicated as people wish to make it. If a community, such as Davis, is dedicated to having neighborhood grocery stores that are within walking and biking distance then they will make it a priority.
We can’t be preaching “green” and carrying on with actions that contradict what we claim to be a priority for Davis.
The carbon footprint is only as complicated as people wish to make it. If a community, such as Davis, is dedicated to having neighborhood grocery stores that are within walking and biking distance then they will make it a priority.
We can’t be preaching “green” and carrying on with actions that contradict what we claim to be a priority for Davis.
DPD said…
At the end of the day, the money is deposited into the local bank.
Actually, DPD, the Co-op sends much of its money to the local Credit Union (a financial cooperative-also owned by its members/owners-and based locally).
Just thought I would strengthen your point a bit.
DPD said…
At the end of the day, the money is deposited into the local bank.
Actually, DPD, the Co-op sends much of its money to the local Credit Union (a financial cooperative-also owned by its members/owners-and based locally).
Just thought I would strengthen your point a bit.
DPD said…
At the end of the day, the money is deposited into the local bank.
Actually, DPD, the Co-op sends much of its money to the local Credit Union (a financial cooperative-also owned by its members/owners-and based locally).
Just thought I would strengthen your point a bit.
DPD said…
At the end of the day, the money is deposited into the local bank.
Actually, DPD, the Co-op sends much of its money to the local Credit Union (a financial cooperative-also owned by its members/owners-and based locally).
Just thought I would strengthen your point a bit.
Thank you for the clarification.
Thank you for the clarification.
Thank you for the clarification.
Thank you for the clarification.
What about the issue of selection? I used to live in Dupont Circle Washington DC near a very small Safeway. It was convenient and I often walked to it, but the large Safeway in Georgetown was far better as far as what they could stock.
Smaller nearby stores are great, but having at least one larger one in town that sells some of the less commonly offered items seems important too.
What about the issue of selection? I used to live in Dupont Circle Washington DC near a very small Safeway. It was convenient and I often walked to it, but the large Safeway in Georgetown was far better as far as what they could stock.
Smaller nearby stores are great, but having at least one larger one in town that sells some of the less commonly offered items seems important too.
What about the issue of selection? I used to live in Dupont Circle Washington DC near a very small Safeway. It was convenient and I often walked to it, but the large Safeway in Georgetown was far better as far as what they could stock.
Smaller nearby stores are great, but having at least one larger one in town that sells some of the less commonly offered items seems important too.
What about the issue of selection? I used to live in Dupont Circle Washington DC near a very small Safeway. It was convenient and I often walked to it, but the large Safeway in Georgetown was far better as far as what they could stock.
Smaller nearby stores are great, but having at least one larger one in town that sells some of the less commonly offered items seems important too.
Why do we say we love small stores but shop in the large stores? Perhaps because most parents have full-time jobs (out of town) and little time, so we default to “one-stop shopping.” We also can’t fit groceries for 2 adults,four children and the soccer team snacks into the basket of one bike. When you build a town of 5 bedroom homes, the “walkability” model has limitations. Urban neighborhoods tend to have many childless families or families with maybe one child (because it’s often hard to find urban housing for larger families). So your density model does not match the large family houses that have been built in Davis. This is the same reason there are so many SUVs in the grocery lots. Yes, you see many with but one person in the SUV – but they are on their way to school to pick up their three kids and their friends for baseball practice and soccer practice and music lessons, all at different ends of town, but all occurring at about the same time. I don’t know about you, but I can’t fit three boys and their friends and their sports equipment in a Prius, much as I would like to. If you want to “densify” these large families’ activities, you need to move all the after school activities of the kids back into the local schools – even the Boy Scouts. Right now, the schools don’t permit these activities on their grounds, so the activities – and the families – are dispersed inefficiently all over town.
Why do we say we love small stores but shop in the large stores? Perhaps because most parents have full-time jobs (out of town) and little time, so we default to “one-stop shopping.” We also can’t fit groceries for 2 adults,four children and the soccer team snacks into the basket of one bike. When you build a town of 5 bedroom homes, the “walkability” model has limitations. Urban neighborhoods tend to have many childless families or families with maybe one child (because it’s often hard to find urban housing for larger families). So your density model does not match the large family houses that have been built in Davis. This is the same reason there are so many SUVs in the grocery lots. Yes, you see many with but one person in the SUV – but they are on their way to school to pick up their three kids and their friends for baseball practice and soccer practice and music lessons, all at different ends of town, but all occurring at about the same time. I don’t know about you, but I can’t fit three boys and their friends and their sports equipment in a Prius, much as I would like to. If you want to “densify” these large families’ activities, you need to move all the after school activities of the kids back into the local schools – even the Boy Scouts. Right now, the schools don’t permit these activities on their grounds, so the activities – and the families – are dispersed inefficiently all over town.
Why do we say we love small stores but shop in the large stores? Perhaps because most parents have full-time jobs (out of town) and little time, so we default to “one-stop shopping.” We also can’t fit groceries for 2 adults,four children and the soccer team snacks into the basket of one bike. When you build a town of 5 bedroom homes, the “walkability” model has limitations. Urban neighborhoods tend to have many childless families or families with maybe one child (because it’s often hard to find urban housing for larger families). So your density model does not match the large family houses that have been built in Davis. This is the same reason there are so many SUVs in the grocery lots. Yes, you see many with but one person in the SUV – but they are on their way to school to pick up their three kids and their friends for baseball practice and soccer practice and music lessons, all at different ends of town, but all occurring at about the same time. I don’t know about you, but I can’t fit three boys and their friends and their sports equipment in a Prius, much as I would like to. If you want to “densify” these large families’ activities, you need to move all the after school activities of the kids back into the local schools – even the Boy Scouts. Right now, the schools don’t permit these activities on their grounds, so the activities – and the families – are dispersed inefficiently all over town.
Why do we say we love small stores but shop in the large stores? Perhaps because most parents have full-time jobs (out of town) and little time, so we default to “one-stop shopping.” We also can’t fit groceries for 2 adults,four children and the soccer team snacks into the basket of one bike. When you build a town of 5 bedroom homes, the “walkability” model has limitations. Urban neighborhoods tend to have many childless families or families with maybe one child (because it’s often hard to find urban housing for larger families). So your density model does not match the large family houses that have been built in Davis. This is the same reason there are so many SUVs in the grocery lots. Yes, you see many with but one person in the SUV – but they are on their way to school to pick up their three kids and their friends for baseball practice and soccer practice and music lessons, all at different ends of town, but all occurring at about the same time. I don’t know about you, but I can’t fit three boys and their friends and their sports equipment in a Prius, much as I would like to. If you want to “densify” these large families’ activities, you need to move all the after school activities of the kids back into the local schools – even the Boy Scouts. Right now, the schools don’t permit these activities on their grounds, so the activities – and the families – are dispersed inefficiently all over town.
We can talk about how much we WANT neighborhood grocery stores ALL day but unless WE actually shop there, it is all meaningless. Unless you only need a few items, or you prefer going to the store several times a week, most don’t walk or ride a bike as its tough to get very much home. And, the grocery business is way too competitive nowadays(1987 was a generation ago and then some…). The major chains don’t want to build them because the profit(evil word..sorry) margin is wafer thin even on a 50k sq.foot store. And besides, Costco opens Feb 22nd and while many won’t admit it, I plan to go there several times a year so that represents another drag on what Safeway or Nugget would get from me. The Costco model works and everyone shops there..the strange part is for some reason, some don’t admit to it. If you don’t like them, don’t shop there-that way there will be more room for my cart!
We can talk about how much we WANT neighborhood grocery stores ALL day but unless WE actually shop there, it is all meaningless. Unless you only need a few items, or you prefer going to the store several times a week, most don’t walk or ride a bike as its tough to get very much home. And, the grocery business is way too competitive nowadays(1987 was a generation ago and then some…). The major chains don’t want to build them because the profit(evil word..sorry) margin is wafer thin even on a 50k sq.foot store. And besides, Costco opens Feb 22nd and while many won’t admit it, I plan to go there several times a year so that represents another drag on what Safeway or Nugget would get from me. The Costco model works and everyone shops there..the strange part is for some reason, some don’t admit to it. If you don’t like them, don’t shop there-that way there will be more room for my cart!
We can talk about how much we WANT neighborhood grocery stores ALL day but unless WE actually shop there, it is all meaningless. Unless you only need a few items, or you prefer going to the store several times a week, most don’t walk or ride a bike as its tough to get very much home. And, the grocery business is way too competitive nowadays(1987 was a generation ago and then some…). The major chains don’t want to build them because the profit(evil word..sorry) margin is wafer thin even on a 50k sq.foot store. And besides, Costco opens Feb 22nd and while many won’t admit it, I plan to go there several times a year so that represents another drag on what Safeway or Nugget would get from me. The Costco model works and everyone shops there..the strange part is for some reason, some don’t admit to it. If you don’t like them, don’t shop there-that way there will be more room for my cart!
We can talk about how much we WANT neighborhood grocery stores ALL day but unless WE actually shop there, it is all meaningless. Unless you only need a few items, or you prefer going to the store several times a week, most don’t walk or ride a bike as its tough to get very much home. And, the grocery business is way too competitive nowadays(1987 was a generation ago and then some…). The major chains don’t want to build them because the profit(evil word..sorry) margin is wafer thin even on a 50k sq.foot store. And besides, Costco opens Feb 22nd and while many won’t admit it, I plan to go there several times a year so that represents another drag on what Safeway or Nugget would get from me. The Costco model works and everyone shops there..the strange part is for some reason, some don’t admit to it. If you don’t like them, don’t shop there-that way there will be more room for my cart!
The reason we have large grocery stores is because we as consumers want them. End of story.
Did someone miss the point about the changes in zoning? The whole point about the discussion was that by allowing 40K grocery stores, we have made neighborhood stores non-competitive.
The reason we have large grocery stores is because we as consumers want them. End of story.
Did someone miss the point about the changes in zoning? The whole point about the discussion was that by allowing 40K grocery stores, we have made neighborhood stores non-competitive.
The reason we have large grocery stores is because we as consumers want them. End of story.
Did someone miss the point about the changes in zoning? The whole point about the discussion was that by allowing 40K grocery stores, we have made neighborhood stores non-competitive.
The reason we have large grocery stores is because we as consumers want them. End of story.
Did someone miss the point about the changes in zoning? The whole point about the discussion was that by allowing 40K grocery stores, we have made neighborhood stores non-competitive.
Check out the parking lot activity at the Coop in downtown Davis. Even in this most optimum of locations and demographics,biking is significant but car travel clearly predominates. Biking around town is great for those who can and want to do it but electric cars are the real future alternative for short trips around town. Grocery stores that are “walkable” to their customers draw customers in much more urban and higher residential density conditions than Davis envisions in its future. If Davis ever shuts down sprawling peripheral residential growth with an urban limit line and accepts real urban density living conditions, “walkable” grocery stores will be a possibility.
Check out the parking lot activity at the Coop in downtown Davis. Even in this most optimum of locations and demographics,biking is significant but car travel clearly predominates. Biking around town is great for those who can and want to do it but electric cars are the real future alternative for short trips around town. Grocery stores that are “walkable” to their customers draw customers in much more urban and higher residential density conditions than Davis envisions in its future. If Davis ever shuts down sprawling peripheral residential growth with an urban limit line and accepts real urban density living conditions, “walkable” grocery stores will be a possibility.
Check out the parking lot activity at the Coop in downtown Davis. Even in this most optimum of locations and demographics,biking is significant but car travel clearly predominates. Biking around town is great for those who can and want to do it but electric cars are the real future alternative for short trips around town. Grocery stores that are “walkable” to their customers draw customers in much more urban and higher residential density conditions than Davis envisions in its future. If Davis ever shuts down sprawling peripheral residential growth with an urban limit line and accepts real urban density living conditions, “walkable” grocery stores will be a possibility.
Check out the parking lot activity at the Coop in downtown Davis. Even in this most optimum of locations and demographics,biking is significant but car travel clearly predominates. Biking around town is great for those who can and want to do it but electric cars are the real future alternative for short trips around town. Grocery stores that are “walkable” to their customers draw customers in much more urban and higher residential density conditions than Davis envisions in its future. If Davis ever shuts down sprawling peripheral residential growth with an urban limit line and accepts real urban density living conditions, “walkable” grocery stores will be a possibility.
Why do we say we love small stores but shop in the large stores?
AND THE REST OF WHAT YOU SAID AT 1042 AM….VERY well said!!…presented a lot of ideas and realities that many don’t think about. I thought I had knew it all but I just learned something. Great input. Too bad are city “leaders” don’t ever bother to think about what you just wrote.
Why do we say we love small stores but shop in the large stores?
AND THE REST OF WHAT YOU SAID AT 1042 AM….VERY well said!!…presented a lot of ideas and realities that many don’t think about. I thought I had knew it all but I just learned something. Great input. Too bad are city “leaders” don’t ever bother to think about what you just wrote.
Why do we say we love small stores but shop in the large stores?
AND THE REST OF WHAT YOU SAID AT 1042 AM….VERY well said!!…presented a lot of ideas and realities that many don’t think about. I thought I had knew it all but I just learned something. Great input. Too bad are city “leaders” don’t ever bother to think about what you just wrote.
Why do we say we love small stores but shop in the large stores?
AND THE REST OF WHAT YOU SAID AT 1042 AM….VERY well said!!…presented a lot of ideas and realities that many don’t think about. I thought I had knew it all but I just learned something. Great input. Too bad are city “leaders” don’t ever bother to think about what you just wrote.
Incentives, disincentives that alter the economic playing field to fit the vision of Davis’ future will be necessary to change the picture. We need Council members who are willing to test the legal boundaries(?interference with business legal challenges?)of putting ordinances into place to support this vision. Councilman Heystek attempted to broach this approach with his idea about big-box(Target)operations having to offer minimum wage and benefits packages. Not surprisingly,this concept was immediately shot down by the Gang of three(Saylor, Souza and Asmundson).
Incentives, disincentives that alter the economic playing field to fit the vision of Davis’ future will be necessary to change the picture. We need Council members who are willing to test the legal boundaries(?interference with business legal challenges?)of putting ordinances into place to support this vision. Councilman Heystek attempted to broach this approach with his idea about big-box(Target)operations having to offer minimum wage and benefits packages. Not surprisingly,this concept was immediately shot down by the Gang of three(Saylor, Souza and Asmundson).
Incentives, disincentives that alter the economic playing field to fit the vision of Davis’ future will be necessary to change the picture. We need Council members who are willing to test the legal boundaries(?interference with business legal challenges?)of putting ordinances into place to support this vision. Councilman Heystek attempted to broach this approach with his idea about big-box(Target)operations having to offer minimum wage and benefits packages. Not surprisingly,this concept was immediately shot down by the Gang of three(Saylor, Souza and Asmundson).
Incentives, disincentives that alter the economic playing field to fit the vision of Davis’ future will be necessary to change the picture. We need Council members who are willing to test the legal boundaries(?interference with business legal challenges?)of putting ordinances into place to support this vision. Councilman Heystek attempted to broach this approach with his idea about big-box(Target)operations having to offer minimum wage and benefits packages. Not surprisingly,this concept was immediately shot down by the Gang of three(Saylor, Souza and Asmundson).
That’s nice that that is what consumers want. I’m not sure they actually do want what they have, they’ve just been given no good alternatives. But the other point is that those practices are not sustainable into the future. We need to design our cities to reduce car traffic and trips. We need to reduce mileage driven. We need to encourage new and different ways to conduct our lives, otherwise our children and grandchildren will not live in the affluence that we have come to expect.
We can pay lip service to global warming and carbon footprints all we want, but at the end of the day are we really willing to give things up? Are we willing to sacrifice? Are we willing to make tradeoffs or is this just more rhetoric to make us feel good about ourselves.
This is why I don’t take the council majority seriously when they talk about global warming because it comes with no changes in real planning patterns. Who cares if the city gives up plastic bottles, they still sell them in the vending machines.
That’s nice that that is what consumers want. I’m not sure they actually do want what they have, they’ve just been given no good alternatives. But the other point is that those practices are not sustainable into the future. We need to design our cities to reduce car traffic and trips. We need to reduce mileage driven. We need to encourage new and different ways to conduct our lives, otherwise our children and grandchildren will not live in the affluence that we have come to expect.
We can pay lip service to global warming and carbon footprints all we want, but at the end of the day are we really willing to give things up? Are we willing to sacrifice? Are we willing to make tradeoffs or is this just more rhetoric to make us feel good about ourselves.
This is why I don’t take the council majority seriously when they talk about global warming because it comes with no changes in real planning patterns. Who cares if the city gives up plastic bottles, they still sell them in the vending machines.
That’s nice that that is what consumers want. I’m not sure they actually do want what they have, they’ve just been given no good alternatives. But the other point is that those practices are not sustainable into the future. We need to design our cities to reduce car traffic and trips. We need to reduce mileage driven. We need to encourage new and different ways to conduct our lives, otherwise our children and grandchildren will not live in the affluence that we have come to expect.
We can pay lip service to global warming and carbon footprints all we want, but at the end of the day are we really willing to give things up? Are we willing to sacrifice? Are we willing to make tradeoffs or is this just more rhetoric to make us feel good about ourselves.
This is why I don’t take the council majority seriously when they talk about global warming because it comes with no changes in real planning patterns. Who cares if the city gives up plastic bottles, they still sell them in the vending machines.
That’s nice that that is what consumers want. I’m not sure they actually do want what they have, they’ve just been given no good alternatives. But the other point is that those practices are not sustainable into the future. We need to design our cities to reduce car traffic and trips. We need to reduce mileage driven. We need to encourage new and different ways to conduct our lives, otherwise our children and grandchildren will not live in the affluence that we have come to expect.
We can pay lip service to global warming and carbon footprints all we want, but at the end of the day are we really willing to give things up? Are we willing to sacrifice? Are we willing to make tradeoffs or is this just more rhetoric to make us feel good about ourselves.
This is why I don’t take the council majority seriously when they talk about global warming because it comes with no changes in real planning patterns. Who cares if the city gives up plastic bottles, they still sell them in the vending machines.
A solution would be to encourage ethnic grocery stores to move into the small size stores. There is real demand for West Asian food and Indian Food. The products are a little different but they add to the spice of life.
Add one of those stores and I guarantee the the parking lot will be full.
A solution would be to encourage ethnic grocery stores to move into the small size stores. There is real demand for West Asian food and Indian Food. The products are a little different but they add to the spice of life.
Add one of those stores and I guarantee the the parking lot will be full.
A solution would be to encourage ethnic grocery stores to move into the small size stores. There is real demand for West Asian food and Indian Food. The products are a little different but they add to the spice of life.
Add one of those stores and I guarantee the the parking lot will be full.
A solution would be to encourage ethnic grocery stores to move into the small size stores. There is real demand for West Asian food and Indian Food. The products are a little different but they add to the spice of life.
Add one of those stores and I guarantee the the parking lot will be full.
But that doesn’t address the problems laid out in this blog which have to do with carbon footprint and sustainability.
But that doesn’t address the problems laid out in this blog which have to do with carbon footprint and sustainability.
But that doesn’t address the problems laid out in this blog which have to do with carbon footprint and sustainability.
But that doesn’t address the problems laid out in this blog which have to do with carbon footprint and sustainability.
Regretfully, the following statement earlier by anonymous is not true. I think it important to correct this post as it raises some interesting questions.
Actually, DPD, the Co-op sends much of its money to the local Credit Union (a financial cooperative-also owned by its members/owners-and based locally).
The Davis Food Co-op does not send much of its money to Yolo Federal Credit Union in fact it sends very little. I would imagine that at most the DFC has on deposit a couple of CD’s amounting to no more than $200,000 at the Yolo Federal Credit Union. We can all check the balance sheet of the DFC to see where the money is but I can assure you it is not the YFCU.
It should be understood that I have no problem with the DFC not having its main banking relationship with the YFUC. The Yolo Federal Credit Union does not yet have the capacity to manage a $15 million dollar commercial business.
For most of its years the Davis Food Co-op had its main banking relationship with First Northern Bank. FNB, based in Dixon has always had a strong relationship with Davis and Yolo County. First Northern Bank has been a great supporter of local co-ops and non profits and has annually for the last eight years given about $5,000 to the Davis Cooperative Development Fund which helps develop other co-ops in Davis and Yolo County.
In addition, First Northern sponsored grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank board of over one million dollars for co-ops and non profit housing in Davis. Union Bank has not sponsored any grant for affordable housing in Davis. There are real benefits to keeping your business local.
However that beneficial relationship with FNB just recently came to an end.
This year (2008), the Davis Food Co-op will have moved its’ banking relationship to Union Bank. I and others associated with the DFC have raised our concern that the DFC while encouraging me to eat local and live local decided to change its banking relations to be with a foreign owned multi national bank. So, you could say that the money that goes into the co-op everyday goes to a bank HQ’d in Japan.
I regret that the DFC made the decision to move from a locally owned bank to one in Japan. They claim that the savings of the loan package they got from Union Bank made it worthwhile.
I say to people you get the world you invest in and you get the world you shop in.
Solidarity at the local level will get us the society we want. All we have to do is to watch where we shop and where we bank.
The move from First Northern Bank to Union Bank will cost us about $30,000 in funds for co-op development in Davis and Yolo County. The board of the DFC does not seem to care although we have brought it up with them at a board meeting.
I am former 17 year member of the board of DFC, a board member of YFCU and on the board of the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation which is trustee for the Davis Cooperative Development Fund. I care strongly about keeping the economy local.
Regretfully, the following statement earlier by anonymous is not true. I think it important to correct this post as it raises some interesting questions.
Actually, DPD, the Co-op sends much of its money to the local Credit Union (a financial cooperative-also owned by its members/owners-and based locally).
The Davis Food Co-op does not send much of its money to Yolo Federal Credit Union in fact it sends very little. I would imagine that at most the DFC has on deposit a couple of CD’s amounting to no more than $200,000 at the Yolo Federal Credit Union. We can all check the balance sheet of the DFC to see where the money is but I can assure you it is not the YFCU.
It should be understood that I have no problem with the DFC not having its main banking relationship with the YFUC. The Yolo Federal Credit Union does not yet have the capacity to manage a $15 million dollar commercial business.
For most of its years the Davis Food Co-op had its main banking relationship with First Northern Bank. FNB, based in Dixon has always had a strong relationship with Davis and Yolo County. First Northern Bank has been a great supporter of local co-ops and non profits and has annually for the last eight years given about $5,000 to the Davis Cooperative Development Fund which helps develop other co-ops in Davis and Yolo County.
In addition, First Northern sponsored grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank board of over one million dollars for co-ops and non profit housing in Davis. Union Bank has not sponsored any grant for affordable housing in Davis. There are real benefits to keeping your business local.
However that beneficial relationship with FNB just recently came to an end.
This year (2008), the Davis Food Co-op will have moved its’ banking relationship to Union Bank. I and others associated with the DFC have raised our concern that the DFC while encouraging me to eat local and live local decided to change its banking relations to be with a foreign owned multi national bank. So, you could say that the money that goes into the co-op everyday goes to a bank HQ’d in Japan.
I regret that the DFC made the decision to move from a locally owned bank to one in Japan. They claim that the savings of the loan package they got from Union Bank made it worthwhile.
I say to people you get the world you invest in and you get the world you shop in.
Solidarity at the local level will get us the society we want. All we have to do is to watch where we shop and where we bank.
The move from First Northern Bank to Union Bank will cost us about $30,000 in funds for co-op development in Davis and Yolo County. The board of the DFC does not seem to care although we have brought it up with them at a board meeting.
I am former 17 year member of the board of DFC, a board member of YFCU and on the board of the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation which is trustee for the Davis Cooperative Development Fund. I care strongly about keeping the economy local.
Regretfully, the following statement earlier by anonymous is not true. I think it important to correct this post as it raises some interesting questions.
Actually, DPD, the Co-op sends much of its money to the local Credit Union (a financial cooperative-also owned by its members/owners-and based locally).
The Davis Food Co-op does not send much of its money to Yolo Federal Credit Union in fact it sends very little. I would imagine that at most the DFC has on deposit a couple of CD’s amounting to no more than $200,000 at the Yolo Federal Credit Union. We can all check the balance sheet of the DFC to see where the money is but I can assure you it is not the YFCU.
It should be understood that I have no problem with the DFC not having its main banking relationship with the YFUC. The Yolo Federal Credit Union does not yet have the capacity to manage a $15 million dollar commercial business.
For most of its years the Davis Food Co-op had its main banking relationship with First Northern Bank. FNB, based in Dixon has always had a strong relationship with Davis and Yolo County. First Northern Bank has been a great supporter of local co-ops and non profits and has annually for the last eight years given about $5,000 to the Davis Cooperative Development Fund which helps develop other co-ops in Davis and Yolo County.
In addition, First Northern sponsored grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank board of over one million dollars for co-ops and non profit housing in Davis. Union Bank has not sponsored any grant for affordable housing in Davis. There are real benefits to keeping your business local.
However that beneficial relationship with FNB just recently came to an end.
This year (2008), the Davis Food Co-op will have moved its’ banking relationship to Union Bank. I and others associated with the DFC have raised our concern that the DFC while encouraging me to eat local and live local decided to change its banking relations to be with a foreign owned multi national bank. So, you could say that the money that goes into the co-op everyday goes to a bank HQ’d in Japan.
I regret that the DFC made the decision to move from a locally owned bank to one in Japan. They claim that the savings of the loan package they got from Union Bank made it worthwhile.
I say to people you get the world you invest in and you get the world you shop in.
Solidarity at the local level will get us the society we want. All we have to do is to watch where we shop and where we bank.
The move from First Northern Bank to Union Bank will cost us about $30,000 in funds for co-op development in Davis and Yolo County. The board of the DFC does not seem to care although we have brought it up with them at a board meeting.
I am former 17 year member of the board of DFC, a board member of YFCU and on the board of the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation which is trustee for the Davis Cooperative Development Fund. I care strongly about keeping the economy local.
Regretfully, the following statement earlier by anonymous is not true. I think it important to correct this post as it raises some interesting questions.
Actually, DPD, the Co-op sends much of its money to the local Credit Union (a financial cooperative-also owned by its members/owners-and based locally).
The Davis Food Co-op does not send much of its money to Yolo Federal Credit Union in fact it sends very little. I would imagine that at most the DFC has on deposit a couple of CD’s amounting to no more than $200,000 at the Yolo Federal Credit Union. We can all check the balance sheet of the DFC to see where the money is but I can assure you it is not the YFCU.
It should be understood that I have no problem with the DFC not having its main banking relationship with the YFUC. The Yolo Federal Credit Union does not yet have the capacity to manage a $15 million dollar commercial business.
For most of its years the Davis Food Co-op had its main banking relationship with First Northern Bank. FNB, based in Dixon has always had a strong relationship with Davis and Yolo County. First Northern Bank has been a great supporter of local co-ops and non profits and has annually for the last eight years given about $5,000 to the Davis Cooperative Development Fund which helps develop other co-ops in Davis and Yolo County.
In addition, First Northern sponsored grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank board of over one million dollars for co-ops and non profit housing in Davis. Union Bank has not sponsored any grant for affordable housing in Davis. There are real benefits to keeping your business local.
However that beneficial relationship with FNB just recently came to an end.
This year (2008), the Davis Food Co-op will have moved its’ banking relationship to Union Bank. I and others associated with the DFC have raised our concern that the DFC while encouraging me to eat local and live local decided to change its banking relations to be with a foreign owned multi national bank. So, you could say that the money that goes into the co-op everyday goes to a bank HQ’d in Japan.
I regret that the DFC made the decision to move from a locally owned bank to one in Japan. They claim that the savings of the loan package they got from Union Bank made it worthwhile.
I say to people you get the world you invest in and you get the world you shop in.
Solidarity at the local level will get us the society we want. All we have to do is to watch where we shop and where we bank.
The move from First Northern Bank to Union Bank will cost us about $30,000 in funds for co-op development in Davis and Yolo County. The board of the DFC does not seem to care although we have brought it up with them at a board meeting.
I am former 17 year member of the board of DFC, a board member of YFCU and on the board of the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation which is trustee for the Davis Cooperative Development Fund. I care strongly about keeping the economy local.
“That’s nice that that is what consumers want. I’m not sure they actually do want what they have, they’ve just been given no good alternatives.”
Whenever consumers have had the choice between small stores and large full-service stores, they’ve chosen large stores.
“That’s nice that that is what consumers want. I’m not sure they actually do want what they have, they’ve just been given no good alternatives.”
Whenever consumers have had the choice between small stores and large full-service stores, they’ve chosen large stores.
“That’s nice that that is what consumers want. I’m not sure they actually do want what they have, they’ve just been given no good alternatives.”
Whenever consumers have had the choice between small stores and large full-service stores, they’ve chosen large stores.
“That’s nice that that is what consumers want. I’m not sure they actually do want what they have, they’ve just been given no good alternatives.”
Whenever consumers have had the choice between small stores and large full-service stores, they’ve chosen large stores.
Vincente seems to want to take away that choice, because he doesn’t think consumers know what is best for themselves.
Vincente seems to want to take away that choice, because he doesn’t think consumers know what is best for themselves.
Vincente seems to want to take away that choice, because he doesn’t think consumers know what is best for themselves.
Vincente seems to want to take away that choice, because he doesn’t think consumers know what is best for themselves.
You didn’t read my answer very carefully. My main complaint is not that consumers do not know what’s best for themselves, it’s that their individuals actions do not maximize the public benefit when we speak of the future sustainability.
You didn’t read my answer very carefully. My main complaint is not that consumers do not know what’s best for themselves, it’s that their individuals actions do not maximize the public benefit when we speak of the future sustainability.
You didn’t read my answer very carefully. My main complaint is not that consumers do not know what’s best for themselves, it’s that their individuals actions do not maximize the public benefit when we speak of the future sustainability.
You didn’t read my answer very carefully. My main complaint is not that consumers do not know what’s best for themselves, it’s that their individuals actions do not maximize the public benefit when we speak of the future sustainability.
God bless Target. Bless the
yes on K campaign and Jay Zeigler and Associates for blessing Davis with decent shopping options.
I’m sorry, but everytime I step inside the CO-OP I wish I was at Safeway or Nugget. CO-OP is an acronym for “mediocre.”
I didn’t know how inferior Avid Reader was until Borders got here and gave us high selections and bargain prices.
I would have preferred WAL-MART instead, but Target barely made it so I won’t push it.
Anyhow, all three shopping centers at westlake were disasters. You can scream for PO-OP and mom &pop all you want. They fail. They fail at Westlake and they will keep failing unless they can ride the coattails of Safeway, Target, or Best Buy.
God bless Target. Bless the
yes on K campaign and Jay Zeigler and Associates for blessing Davis with decent shopping options.
I’m sorry, but everytime I step inside the CO-OP I wish I was at Safeway or Nugget. CO-OP is an acronym for “mediocre.”
I didn’t know how inferior Avid Reader was until Borders got here and gave us high selections and bargain prices.
I would have preferred WAL-MART instead, but Target barely made it so I won’t push it.
Anyhow, all three shopping centers at westlake were disasters. You can scream for PO-OP and mom &pop all you want. They fail. They fail at Westlake and they will keep failing unless they can ride the coattails of Safeway, Target, or Best Buy.
God bless Target. Bless the
yes on K campaign and Jay Zeigler and Associates for blessing Davis with decent shopping options.
I’m sorry, but everytime I step inside the CO-OP I wish I was at Safeway or Nugget. CO-OP is an acronym for “mediocre.”
I didn’t know how inferior Avid Reader was until Borders got here and gave us high selections and bargain prices.
I would have preferred WAL-MART instead, but Target barely made it so I won’t push it.
Anyhow, all three shopping centers at westlake were disasters. You can scream for PO-OP and mom &pop all you want. They fail. They fail at Westlake and they will keep failing unless they can ride the coattails of Safeway, Target, or Best Buy.
God bless Target. Bless the
yes on K campaign and Jay Zeigler and Associates for blessing Davis with decent shopping options.
I’m sorry, but everytime I step inside the CO-OP I wish I was at Safeway or Nugget. CO-OP is an acronym for “mediocre.”
I didn’t know how inferior Avid Reader was until Borders got here and gave us high selections and bargain prices.
I would have preferred WAL-MART instead, but Target barely made it so I won’t push it.
Anyhow, all three shopping centers at westlake were disasters. You can scream for PO-OP and mom &pop all you want. They fail. They fail at Westlake and they will keep failing unless they can ride the coattails of Safeway, Target, or Best Buy.
i find it ironic that people keep mentioning “choice” as the reason why big stores thrive, when all the groceries on the west side of town have closed down, forcing us to “choose” the bigger ones.
i never used to go to nugget or marketplace until state market and rays/food fair closed. so that “choice” was more or less made for me.
university mall never should have been rezoned to allow the kitsch emporium to replace IGA. at least this time around the city council hasn’t been as willing to rezone westlake.
i find it ironic that people keep mentioning “choice” as the reason why big stores thrive, when all the groceries on the west side of town have closed down, forcing us to “choose” the bigger ones.
i never used to go to nugget or marketplace until state market and rays/food fair closed. so that “choice” was more or less made for me.
university mall never should have been rezoned to allow the kitsch emporium to replace IGA. at least this time around the city council hasn’t been as willing to rezone westlake.
i find it ironic that people keep mentioning “choice” as the reason why big stores thrive, when all the groceries on the west side of town have closed down, forcing us to “choose” the bigger ones.
i never used to go to nugget or marketplace until state market and rays/food fair closed. so that “choice” was more or less made for me.
university mall never should have been rezoned to allow the kitsch emporium to replace IGA. at least this time around the city council hasn’t been as willing to rezone westlake.
i find it ironic that people keep mentioning “choice” as the reason why big stores thrive, when all the groceries on the west side of town have closed down, forcing us to “choose” the bigger ones.
i never used to go to nugget or marketplace until state market and rays/food fair closed. so that “choice” was more or less made for me.
university mall never should have been rezoned to allow the kitsch emporium to replace IGA. at least this time around the city council hasn’t been as willing to rezone westlake.
???? 1:57 –
If you like Walmart and Target so much then move to Natomas or Elk Grove, I don’t say this to be mean, but, if you don’t like the Co-op then don’t shop there. It’s simple. And, if you like big box stores, then you may want to consider living in a community that values big box stores. The two that I can think of that are close by are Natomas and Elk Grove.
Those of us that live here like Davis because of the congestion that it does not have. More stores would be nice, but on a small scale not some big box stores.
I hope you understand my point.
???? 1:57 –
If you like Walmart and Target so much then move to Natomas or Elk Grove, I don’t say this to be mean, but, if you don’t like the Co-op then don’t shop there. It’s simple. And, if you like big box stores, then you may want to consider living in a community that values big box stores. The two that I can think of that are close by are Natomas and Elk Grove.
Those of us that live here like Davis because of the congestion that it does not have. More stores would be nice, but on a small scale not some big box stores.
I hope you understand my point.
???? 1:57 –
If you like Walmart and Target so much then move to Natomas or Elk Grove, I don’t say this to be mean, but, if you don’t like the Co-op then don’t shop there. It’s simple. And, if you like big box stores, then you may want to consider living in a community that values big box stores. The two that I can think of that are close by are Natomas and Elk Grove.
Those of us that live here like Davis because of the congestion that it does not have. More stores would be nice, but on a small scale not some big box stores.
I hope you understand my point.
???? 1:57 –
If you like Walmart and Target so much then move to Natomas or Elk Grove, I don’t say this to be mean, but, if you don’t like the Co-op then don’t shop there. It’s simple. And, if you like big box stores, then you may want to consider living in a community that values big box stores. The two that I can think of that are close by are Natomas and Elk Grove.
Those of us that live here like Davis because of the congestion that it does not have. More stores would be nice, but on a small scale not some big box stores.
I hope you understand my point.
Want Walkable Community said:
“And, if you like big box stores, then you may want to consider living in a community that values big box stores.”
Target won, so that point is moot.
“If you like Walmart and Target so much then move to Natomas or Elk Grove”
I won’t have to, so that point is also moot.
“if you don’t like the Co-op then don’t shop there.”
I don’t.
“I hope you understand my point.”
I do and have a nice day.
Want Walkable Community said:
“And, if you like big box stores, then you may want to consider living in a community that values big box stores.”
Target won, so that point is moot.
“If you like Walmart and Target so much then move to Natomas or Elk Grove”
I won’t have to, so that point is also moot.
“if you don’t like the Co-op then don’t shop there.”
I don’t.
“I hope you understand my point.”
I do and have a nice day.
Want Walkable Community said:
“And, if you like big box stores, then you may want to consider living in a community that values big box stores.”
Target won, so that point is moot.
“If you like Walmart and Target so much then move to Natomas or Elk Grove”
I won’t have to, so that point is also moot.
“if you don’t like the Co-op then don’t shop there.”
I don’t.
“I hope you understand my point.”
I do and have a nice day.
Want Walkable Community said:
“And, if you like big box stores, then you may want to consider living in a community that values big box stores.”
Target won, so that point is moot.
“If you like Walmart and Target so much then move to Natomas or Elk Grove”
I won’t have to, so that point is also moot.
“if you don’t like the Co-op then don’t shop there.”
I don’t.
“I hope you understand my point.”
I do and have a nice day.
Target will fail in Davis. They will stay two to three years and then we will have a “green” empty tilt-up.
Target will fail in Davis. They will stay two to three years and then we will have a “green” empty tilt-up.
Target will fail in Davis. They will stay two to three years and then we will have a “green” empty tilt-up.
Target will fail in Davis. They will stay two to three years and then we will have a “green” empty tilt-up.
I lived in Davis from 1981-1984; was a student at UCD from late 1981-1983, worked as a researcher on campus from 1983-1984. At the end of 1984, I left to take a job in the Bay Area, where I’ve lived ever since.
During my years in Davis the grocery store selection was rather good for a city of its size at the time. There was the semi-upscale Safeway across the way from the University,a middle-range Lucky supermarket in town, the independent State Market (which was local), the Nugget (another local-guy) out on Mace, and the Co-op in its old, cubby-hole location.
Later (late 1982-early 1983 I believe) the fairly-upscale independent (forget the name) moved into the old grocery store building in the small shopping center near downtown. Since I lived less than five minutes away by foot, this was heaven.
As those who lived in Davis during these years will remember however, the independent grocer had financial problem upon financial probelm and lasted only a short time before closing down. (This is the current location of the Co-op. The Co-op moved into the building in early 1984 or so I believe.)
Today, Davis doesn’t have much more in the way of grocery choices than it did those 24 years ago. There’s an additional Safeway I believe…and the Nugget Market in town–which I believe is a great addition to the community.
There is a small-format grocery store revolution going on in the U.S.–especially in the Western U.S.–today. As such, if Davis is looking for smaller grocery stores to locate in the city, it couldn’t have picked a better time.
Of course, there is Trader Joe’s, which average about 10,000 square feet in size. I won’t go into TJ’s as near-everbody is familar with the popular stores.
The latest innovation, so to speak, is Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. These stores are from the British retailer Tesco–its first entry into the U.S. market. (Tesco is the third largest retailer in the world.)
Tesco opened its first Fresh & Easy–the stores are part basic grocery store, part Trader Joes–in Southern California in November, 2007. There are currently 35 Fresh & Easy stores in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada–with many more on the way.
The stores are coming to Northern California later this year. Just the other day Tesco locked-up 4 locations in Sacramento. They also have thus far about 5 locations in the Bay Area locked-up.
You can learn more about Fresh & Easy here:
http://www.freshneasybuzz.blogspot.com/
and here, below:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/
Both of these blogs write alot about small grocery stores, including Fresh & Easy–but many others as well. Just do a search on key words like small-format grocery stores, and look through the archives.
Wal-Mart also has created a new 20,000 square foot grocery store format. It plans to open the first stores later this year in Arizona. Safeway is creating their own 20,000 square foot format stores as well. 4-5 will open late this year in the San Jose area. There are many more coming from other grocery chains.
Of course, this gets us to the local-ownership concern.
First, representatives from Tesco’s Fresh & Easy have talked with people in Davis about putting at least one store in the city. This is ongoing from what I understand.
Second, since small-format grocery stores (defined as between about 10,000 -to- 25,000 square feet) are so popular at present, it should be much easier for local community groups and the city of Davis to work with local grocers–like Nugget, Raley’s, independents, ect.–to get them to consider opening such stores at the sites you describe. (Arm yourselves with the facts. many grocers aren’t even familar with waht’s going on.)
Of course, based on the argument that the Co-op is the best alternative (shopper-owned, ect.), a logical thing would be for the Co-op to locate a second store in town in these neighborhoods you talk about. However, I doubt if that is what the majority of Davis shoppers really want; hence that dilema.I also doubt if the Co-op wants to take that risk.
If surveyed, I would bet a majority of Davis shoppers want small-format stores in those neighborhoods that offer a mix of basic groceries at affordable prices, specialty, natural and organic foods and groceries, along with some bells & Whistles such as in-store prepared foods and the like. A smaller version of Whole Foods Market if you will.
Whole Foods is in fact getting ready to open a brand new prototype store in Boulder Colorado called “Whole Foods Express.” The store is about 15,000 -to- 20,000 square feet. It will be a smaller version of a Whole Foods Market, with some differences.
I suggest you folks contact Walter Robb. He is Whole Foods’ Co-President. He works out of Whole Foods’ Bay Area office (in Emeryville) rather than at corporate headquarters in Austin, Texas. He also is a long-time Bay Area resident–and knows Davis well. A Whole Foods Express, while not a local-guy, might be an interesting solution to Davis’ needs for smaller, neighborhood grocery stores, while at the same time being able to offer what the majority of the city’s residents actually want. There are lots of Davis residents who shop at the Whole Foods store in Sacramento, taking with them lots of dollars that could be spent in town.
Davis also might be a great west coast location for Whole Foods to test the Express stores, in addition to Boulder. There are lots of similarities between the two cities.
Natural Specialty Foods Memo, linked below, has some good information on Whole Foods Express for reference:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/
Although I’ve been away for many years, my thoughts remain fond ones for Davis. I love the Bay Area but may return someday soon. Enjoy your blog–and look forward to keeping up with the goings on in Davis even more so in the coming months.
I lived in Davis from 1981-1984; was a student at UCD from late 1981-1983, worked as a researcher on campus from 1983-1984. At the end of 1984, I left to take a job in the Bay Area, where I’ve lived ever since.
During my years in Davis the grocery store selection was rather good for a city of its size at the time. There was the semi-upscale Safeway across the way from the University,a middle-range Lucky supermarket in town, the independent State Market (which was local), the Nugget (another local-guy) out on Mace, and the Co-op in its old, cubby-hole location.
Later (late 1982-early 1983 I believe) the fairly-upscale independent (forget the name) moved into the old grocery store building in the small shopping center near downtown. Since I lived less than five minutes away by foot, this was heaven.
As those who lived in Davis during these years will remember however, the independent grocer had financial problem upon financial probelm and lasted only a short time before closing down. (This is the current location of the Co-op. The Co-op moved into the building in early 1984 or so I believe.)
Today, Davis doesn’t have much more in the way of grocery choices than it did those 24 years ago. There’s an additional Safeway I believe…and the Nugget Market in town–which I believe is a great addition to the community.
There is a small-format grocery store revolution going on in the U.S.–especially in the Western U.S.–today. As such, if Davis is looking for smaller grocery stores to locate in the city, it couldn’t have picked a better time.
Of course, there is Trader Joe’s, which average about 10,000 square feet in size. I won’t go into TJ’s as near-everbody is familar with the popular stores.
The latest innovation, so to speak, is Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. These stores are from the British retailer Tesco–its first entry into the U.S. market. (Tesco is the third largest retailer in the world.)
Tesco opened its first Fresh & Easy–the stores are part basic grocery store, part Trader Joes–in Southern California in November, 2007. There are currently 35 Fresh & Easy stores in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada–with many more on the way.
The stores are coming to Northern California later this year. Just the other day Tesco locked-up 4 locations in Sacramento. They also have thus far about 5 locations in the Bay Area locked-up.
You can learn more about Fresh & Easy here:
http://www.freshneasybuzz.blogspot.com/
and here, below:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/
Both of these blogs write alot about small grocery stores, including Fresh & Easy–but many others as well. Just do a search on key words like small-format grocery stores, and look through the archives.
Wal-Mart also has created a new 20,000 square foot grocery store format. It plans to open the first stores later this year in Arizona. Safeway is creating their own 20,000 square foot format stores as well. 4-5 will open late this year in the San Jose area. There are many more coming from other grocery chains.
Of course, this gets us to the local-ownership concern.
First, representatives from Tesco’s Fresh & Easy have talked with people in Davis about putting at least one store in the city. This is ongoing from what I understand.
Second, since small-format grocery stores (defined as between about 10,000 -to- 25,000 square feet) are so popular at present, it should be much easier for local community groups and the city of Davis to work with local grocers–like Nugget, Raley’s, independents, ect.–to get them to consider opening such stores at the sites you describe. (Arm yourselves with the facts. many grocers aren’t even familar with waht’s going on.)
Of course, based on the argument that the Co-op is the best alternative (shopper-owned, ect.), a logical thing would be for the Co-op to locate a second store in town in these neighborhoods you talk about. However, I doubt if that is what the majority of Davis shoppers really want; hence that dilema.I also doubt if the Co-op wants to take that risk.
If surveyed, I would bet a majority of Davis shoppers want small-format stores in those neighborhoods that offer a mix of basic groceries at affordable prices, specialty, natural and organic foods and groceries, along with some bells & Whistles such as in-store prepared foods and the like. A smaller version of Whole Foods Market if you will.
Whole Foods is in fact getting ready to open a brand new prototype store in Boulder Colorado called “Whole Foods Express.” The store is about 15,000 -to- 20,000 square feet. It will be a smaller version of a Whole Foods Market, with some differences.
I suggest you folks contact Walter Robb. He is Whole Foods’ Co-President. He works out of Whole Foods’ Bay Area office (in Emeryville) rather than at corporate headquarters in Austin, Texas. He also is a long-time Bay Area resident–and knows Davis well. A Whole Foods Express, while not a local-guy, might be an interesting solution to Davis’ needs for smaller, neighborhood grocery stores, while at the same time being able to offer what the majority of the city’s residents actually want. There are lots of Davis residents who shop at the Whole Foods store in Sacramento, taking with them lots of dollars that could be spent in town.
Davis also might be a great west coast location for Whole Foods to test the Express stores, in addition to Boulder. There are lots of similarities between the two cities.
Natural Specialty Foods Memo, linked below, has some good information on Whole Foods Express for reference:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/
Although I’ve been away for many years, my thoughts remain fond ones for Davis. I love the Bay Area but may return someday soon. Enjoy your blog–and look forward to keeping up with the goings on in Davis even more so in the coming months.
I lived in Davis from 1981-1984; was a student at UCD from late 1981-1983, worked as a researcher on campus from 1983-1984. At the end of 1984, I left to take a job in the Bay Area, where I’ve lived ever since.
During my years in Davis the grocery store selection was rather good for a city of its size at the time. There was the semi-upscale Safeway across the way from the University,a middle-range Lucky supermarket in town, the independent State Market (which was local), the Nugget (another local-guy) out on Mace, and the Co-op in its old, cubby-hole location.
Later (late 1982-early 1983 I believe) the fairly-upscale independent (forget the name) moved into the old grocery store building in the small shopping center near downtown. Since I lived less than five minutes away by foot, this was heaven.
As those who lived in Davis during these years will remember however, the independent grocer had financial problem upon financial probelm and lasted only a short time before closing down. (This is the current location of the Co-op. The Co-op moved into the building in early 1984 or so I believe.)
Today, Davis doesn’t have much more in the way of grocery choices than it did those 24 years ago. There’s an additional Safeway I believe…and the Nugget Market in town–which I believe is a great addition to the community.
There is a small-format grocery store revolution going on in the U.S.–especially in the Western U.S.–today. As such, if Davis is looking for smaller grocery stores to locate in the city, it couldn’t have picked a better time.
Of course, there is Trader Joe’s, which average about 10,000 square feet in size. I won’t go into TJ’s as near-everbody is familar with the popular stores.
The latest innovation, so to speak, is Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. These stores are from the British retailer Tesco–its first entry into the U.S. market. (Tesco is the third largest retailer in the world.)
Tesco opened its first Fresh & Easy–the stores are part basic grocery store, part Trader Joes–in Southern California in November, 2007. There are currently 35 Fresh & Easy stores in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada–with many more on the way.
The stores are coming to Northern California later this year. Just the other day Tesco locked-up 4 locations in Sacramento. They also have thus far about 5 locations in the Bay Area locked-up.
You can learn more about Fresh & Easy here:
http://www.freshneasybuzz.blogspot.com/
and here, below:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/
Both of these blogs write alot about small grocery stores, including Fresh & Easy–but many others as well. Just do a search on key words like small-format grocery stores, and look through the archives.
Wal-Mart also has created a new 20,000 square foot grocery store format. It plans to open the first stores later this year in Arizona. Safeway is creating their own 20,000 square foot format stores as well. 4-5 will open late this year in the San Jose area. There are many more coming from other grocery chains.
Of course, this gets us to the local-ownership concern.
First, representatives from Tesco’s Fresh & Easy have talked with people in Davis about putting at least one store in the city. This is ongoing from what I understand.
Second, since small-format grocery stores (defined as between about 10,000 -to- 25,000 square feet) are so popular at present, it should be much easier for local community groups and the city of Davis to work with local grocers–like Nugget, Raley’s, independents, ect.–to get them to consider opening such stores at the sites you describe. (Arm yourselves with the facts. many grocers aren’t even familar with waht’s going on.)
Of course, based on the argument that the Co-op is the best alternative (shopper-owned, ect.), a logical thing would be for the Co-op to locate a second store in town in these neighborhoods you talk about. However, I doubt if that is what the majority of Davis shoppers really want; hence that dilema.I also doubt if the Co-op wants to take that risk.
If surveyed, I would bet a majority of Davis shoppers want small-format stores in those neighborhoods that offer a mix of basic groceries at affordable prices, specialty, natural and organic foods and groceries, along with some bells & Whistles such as in-store prepared foods and the like. A smaller version of Whole Foods Market if you will.
Whole Foods is in fact getting ready to open a brand new prototype store in Boulder Colorado called “Whole Foods Express.” The store is about 15,000 -to- 20,000 square feet. It will be a smaller version of a Whole Foods Market, with some differences.
I suggest you folks contact Walter Robb. He is Whole Foods’ Co-President. He works out of Whole Foods’ Bay Area office (in Emeryville) rather than at corporate headquarters in Austin, Texas. He also is a long-time Bay Area resident–and knows Davis well. A Whole Foods Express, while not a local-guy, might be an interesting solution to Davis’ needs for smaller, neighborhood grocery stores, while at the same time being able to offer what the majority of the city’s residents actually want. There are lots of Davis residents who shop at the Whole Foods store in Sacramento, taking with them lots of dollars that could be spent in town.
Davis also might be a great west coast location for Whole Foods to test the Express stores, in addition to Boulder. There are lots of similarities between the two cities.
Natural Specialty Foods Memo, linked below, has some good information on Whole Foods Express for reference:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/
Although I’ve been away for many years, my thoughts remain fond ones for Davis. I love the Bay Area but may return someday soon. Enjoy your blog–and look forward to keeping up with the goings on in Davis even more so in the coming months.
I lived in Davis from 1981-1984; was a student at UCD from late 1981-1983, worked as a researcher on campus from 1983-1984. At the end of 1984, I left to take a job in the Bay Area, where I’ve lived ever since.
During my years in Davis the grocery store selection was rather good for a city of its size at the time. There was the semi-upscale Safeway across the way from the University,a middle-range Lucky supermarket in town, the independent State Market (which was local), the Nugget (another local-guy) out on Mace, and the Co-op in its old, cubby-hole location.
Later (late 1982-early 1983 I believe) the fairly-upscale independent (forget the name) moved into the old grocery store building in the small shopping center near downtown. Since I lived less than five minutes away by foot, this was heaven.
As those who lived in Davis during these years will remember however, the independent grocer had financial problem upon financial probelm and lasted only a short time before closing down. (This is the current location of the Co-op. The Co-op moved into the building in early 1984 or so I believe.)
Today, Davis doesn’t have much more in the way of grocery choices than it did those 24 years ago. There’s an additional Safeway I believe…and the Nugget Market in town–which I believe is a great addition to the community.
There is a small-format grocery store revolution going on in the U.S.–especially in the Western U.S.–today. As such, if Davis is looking for smaller grocery stores to locate in the city, it couldn’t have picked a better time.
Of course, there is Trader Joe’s, which average about 10,000 square feet in size. I won’t go into TJ’s as near-everbody is familar with the popular stores.
The latest innovation, so to speak, is Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. These stores are from the British retailer Tesco–its first entry into the U.S. market. (Tesco is the third largest retailer in the world.)
Tesco opened its first Fresh & Easy–the stores are part basic grocery store, part Trader Joes–in Southern California in November, 2007. There are currently 35 Fresh & Easy stores in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada–with many more on the way.
The stores are coming to Northern California later this year. Just the other day Tesco locked-up 4 locations in Sacramento. They also have thus far about 5 locations in the Bay Area locked-up.
You can learn more about Fresh & Easy here:
http://www.freshneasybuzz.blogspot.com/
and here, below:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/
Both of these blogs write alot about small grocery stores, including Fresh & Easy–but many others as well. Just do a search on key words like small-format grocery stores, and look through the archives.
Wal-Mart also has created a new 20,000 square foot grocery store format. It plans to open the first stores later this year in Arizona. Safeway is creating their own 20,000 square foot format stores as well. 4-5 will open late this year in the San Jose area. There are many more coming from other grocery chains.
Of course, this gets us to the local-ownership concern.
First, representatives from Tesco’s Fresh & Easy have talked with people in Davis about putting at least one store in the city. This is ongoing from what I understand.
Second, since small-format grocery stores (defined as between about 10,000 -to- 25,000 square feet) are so popular at present, it should be much easier for local community groups and the city of Davis to work with local grocers–like Nugget, Raley’s, independents, ect.–to get them to consider opening such stores at the sites you describe. (Arm yourselves with the facts. many grocers aren’t even familar with waht’s going on.)
Of course, based on the argument that the Co-op is the best alternative (shopper-owned, ect.), a logical thing would be for the Co-op to locate a second store in town in these neighborhoods you talk about. However, I doubt if that is what the majority of Davis shoppers really want; hence that dilema.I also doubt if the Co-op wants to take that risk.
If surveyed, I would bet a majority of Davis shoppers want small-format stores in those neighborhoods that offer a mix of basic groceries at affordable prices, specialty, natural and organic foods and groceries, along with some bells & Whistles such as in-store prepared foods and the like. A smaller version of Whole Foods Market if you will.
Whole Foods is in fact getting ready to open a brand new prototype store in Boulder Colorado called “Whole Foods Express.” The store is about 15,000 -to- 20,000 square feet. It will be a smaller version of a Whole Foods Market, with some differences.
I suggest you folks contact Walter Robb. He is Whole Foods’ Co-President. He works out of Whole Foods’ Bay Area office (in Emeryville) rather than at corporate headquarters in Austin, Texas. He also is a long-time Bay Area resident–and knows Davis well. A Whole Foods Express, while not a local-guy, might be an interesting solution to Davis’ needs for smaller, neighborhood grocery stores, while at the same time being able to offer what the majority of the city’s residents actually want. There are lots of Davis residents who shop at the Whole Foods store in Sacramento, taking with them lots of dollars that could be spent in town.
Davis also might be a great west coast location for Whole Foods to test the Express stores, in addition to Boulder. There are lots of similarities between the two cities.
Natural Specialty Foods Memo, linked below, has some good information on Whole Foods Express for reference:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/
Although I’ve been away for many years, my thoughts remain fond ones for Davis. I love the Bay Area but may return someday soon. Enjoy your blog–and look forward to keeping up with the goings on in Davis even more so in the coming months.
The Co-op seems to do quite well because clearly there is a set of people that like to shop there, it’s convenient for downtown residents and it carries some items others do not (like a good selection of loose tea).
But Nugget, frankly, is a GREAT grocery store, and it’s locally owned, and they treat appear to treat their employees well. How much of the produce is local? Some, it appears; but even the Co-op doesn’t get its bananas locally. So I have no qualms at all about shopping at Nugget.
I remember shopping at the Davis Manor Ralph’s before it closed and thought it dark, scruffy and uninviting. The University Mall story (now Cost Plus) had good sandwiches but was otherwise unexceptional.
As for the West Davis grocery stores, the good people of West Davis had ample opportunity to patronize those stores and they did not do so, so they closed. Holding out for another grocery there is silly; given that the previous tenants failed to make a go of it, how is a new one going to? Unless the Safeway on Covell Blvd is forced to close down.
The Co-op seems to do quite well because clearly there is a set of people that like to shop there, it’s convenient for downtown residents and it carries some items others do not (like a good selection of loose tea).
But Nugget, frankly, is a GREAT grocery store, and it’s locally owned, and they treat appear to treat their employees well. How much of the produce is local? Some, it appears; but even the Co-op doesn’t get its bananas locally. So I have no qualms at all about shopping at Nugget.
I remember shopping at the Davis Manor Ralph’s before it closed and thought it dark, scruffy and uninviting. The University Mall story (now Cost Plus) had good sandwiches but was otherwise unexceptional.
As for the West Davis grocery stores, the good people of West Davis had ample opportunity to patronize those stores and they did not do so, so they closed. Holding out for another grocery there is silly; given that the previous tenants failed to make a go of it, how is a new one going to? Unless the Safeway on Covell Blvd is forced to close down.
The Co-op seems to do quite well because clearly there is a set of people that like to shop there, it’s convenient for downtown residents and it carries some items others do not (like a good selection of loose tea).
But Nugget, frankly, is a GREAT grocery store, and it’s locally owned, and they treat appear to treat their employees well. How much of the produce is local? Some, it appears; but even the Co-op doesn’t get its bananas locally. So I have no qualms at all about shopping at Nugget.
I remember shopping at the Davis Manor Ralph’s before it closed and thought it dark, scruffy and uninviting. The University Mall story (now Cost Plus) had good sandwiches but was otherwise unexceptional.
As for the West Davis grocery stores, the good people of West Davis had ample opportunity to patronize those stores and they did not do so, so they closed. Holding out for another grocery there is silly; given that the previous tenants failed to make a go of it, how is a new one going to? Unless the Safeway on Covell Blvd is forced to close down.
The Co-op seems to do quite well because clearly there is a set of people that like to shop there, it’s convenient for downtown residents and it carries some items others do not (like a good selection of loose tea).
But Nugget, frankly, is a GREAT grocery store, and it’s locally owned, and they treat appear to treat their employees well. How much of the produce is local? Some, it appears; but even the Co-op doesn’t get its bananas locally. So I have no qualms at all about shopping at Nugget.
I remember shopping at the Davis Manor Ralph’s before it closed and thought it dark, scruffy and uninviting. The University Mall story (now Cost Plus) had good sandwiches but was otherwise unexceptional.
As for the West Davis grocery stores, the good people of West Davis had ample opportunity to patronize those stores and they did not do so, so they closed. Holding out for another grocery there is silly; given that the previous tenants failed to make a go of it, how is a new one going to? Unless the Safeway on Covell Blvd is forced to close down.
Following up on the comment above about Tesco Fresh n’ Easy etc, Tesco did make a success of this type of urban store (“Tesco Metro”) in the UK. But we are talking about stores in London neighborhoods with far higher density than even Davis has. And it would take the financial muscle of a Tesco or (gasp) Wal-Mart to get them off the ground.
So which do you prefer, a locally owned 40,000 ft store like Nugget, or a 20,000 ft Wal-Mart offshoot?
Following up on the comment above about Tesco Fresh n’ Easy etc, Tesco did make a success of this type of urban store (“Tesco Metro”) in the UK. But we are talking about stores in London neighborhoods with far higher density than even Davis has. And it would take the financial muscle of a Tesco or (gasp) Wal-Mart to get them off the ground.
So which do you prefer, a locally owned 40,000 ft store like Nugget, or a 20,000 ft Wal-Mart offshoot?
Following up on the comment above about Tesco Fresh n’ Easy etc, Tesco did make a success of this type of urban store (“Tesco Metro”) in the UK. But we are talking about stores in London neighborhoods with far higher density than even Davis has. And it would take the financial muscle of a Tesco or (gasp) Wal-Mart to get them off the ground.
So which do you prefer, a locally owned 40,000 ft store like Nugget, or a 20,000 ft Wal-Mart offshoot?
Following up on the comment above about Tesco Fresh n’ Easy etc, Tesco did make a success of this type of urban store (“Tesco Metro”) in the UK. But we are talking about stores in London neighborhoods with far higher density than even Davis has. And it would take the financial muscle of a Tesco or (gasp) Wal-Mart to get them off the ground.
So which do you prefer, a locally owned 40,000 ft store like Nugget, or a 20,000 ft Wal-Mart offshoot?
The Fresh & Easy format stores are a bit different than the Tesco Express format, just as a point in fact.
Thus far in the USA, the Fresh & Easy stores are being located all over–urban inner-city, suburbs, smaller towns in the Southern California desert region, ect.
It’s a far different strategy than the chain is using with the Tesco Express stores in the UK.
Tesco believes–right or wrong–that there are what they call “food deserts” in the USA. These are areas/regions traditionally underserved by grocery stores, especially those that offer fresh foods.
This is true, and there is plenty of sociological research to bear it out. Most of these “food deserts” are in inner-city neighborhoods. Others though are in rural towns. Some are even in medium-sized cities where there is a lack of neighborhood grocery stores…Thus people drive for miles to the big box stores, carbon footprint left in the wake.
A Fresh & Easy store is going in Bayview-Hunters Point in San Francisco, by the way. For 20 years a group of community-based coaltions has been working to get a store in the particular location. Tesco was the last one talked to–and they agreed. All others said no. Should be interesting.
One of the major problems with “local-based” grocery stores is there just are so few left. Even those like Nugget are financed by their Wholesalers, in Nuggets case by Los Angeles-based Certified Grocers of California. This is where most of their money comes from to open new stores.
I really have often wondered why Raley’s (local-guy) hasn’t built a store in Davis–either a Raley’s or smaller-sized Nob Hill or Bel-Air? It’s just so logical for them to be in Davis.
The Fresh & Easy format stores are a bit different than the Tesco Express format, just as a point in fact.
Thus far in the USA, the Fresh & Easy stores are being located all over–urban inner-city, suburbs, smaller towns in the Southern California desert region, ect.
It’s a far different strategy than the chain is using with the Tesco Express stores in the UK.
Tesco believes–right or wrong–that there are what they call “food deserts” in the USA. These are areas/regions traditionally underserved by grocery stores, especially those that offer fresh foods.
This is true, and there is plenty of sociological research to bear it out. Most of these “food deserts” are in inner-city neighborhoods. Others though are in rural towns. Some are even in medium-sized cities where there is a lack of neighborhood grocery stores…Thus people drive for miles to the big box stores, carbon footprint left in the wake.
A Fresh & Easy store is going in Bayview-Hunters Point in San Francisco, by the way. For 20 years a group of community-based coaltions has been working to get a store in the particular location. Tesco was the last one talked to–and they agreed. All others said no. Should be interesting.
One of the major problems with “local-based” grocery stores is there just are so few left. Even those like Nugget are financed by their Wholesalers, in Nuggets case by Los Angeles-based Certified Grocers of California. This is where most of their money comes from to open new stores.
I really have often wondered why Raley’s (local-guy) hasn’t built a store in Davis–either a Raley’s or smaller-sized Nob Hill or Bel-Air? It’s just so logical for them to be in Davis.
The Fresh & Easy format stores are a bit different than the Tesco Express format, just as a point in fact.
Thus far in the USA, the Fresh & Easy stores are being located all over–urban inner-city, suburbs, smaller towns in the Southern California desert region, ect.
It’s a far different strategy than the chain is using with the Tesco Express stores in the UK.
Tesco believes–right or wrong–that there are what they call “food deserts” in the USA. These are areas/regions traditionally underserved by grocery stores, especially those that offer fresh foods.
This is true, and there is plenty of sociological research to bear it out. Most of these “food deserts” are in inner-city neighborhoods. Others though are in rural towns. Some are even in medium-sized cities where there is a lack of neighborhood grocery stores…Thus people drive for miles to the big box stores, carbon footprint left in the wake.
A Fresh & Easy store is going in Bayview-Hunters Point in San Francisco, by the way. For 20 years a group of community-based coaltions has been working to get a store in the particular location. Tesco was the last one talked to–and they agreed. All others said no. Should be interesting.
One of the major problems with “local-based” grocery stores is there just are so few left. Even those like Nugget are financed by their Wholesalers, in Nuggets case by Los Angeles-based Certified Grocers of California. This is where most of their money comes from to open new stores.
I really have often wondered why Raley’s (local-guy) hasn’t built a store in Davis–either a Raley’s or smaller-sized Nob Hill or Bel-Air? It’s just so logical for them to be in Davis.
The Fresh & Easy format stores are a bit different than the Tesco Express format, just as a point in fact.
Thus far in the USA, the Fresh & Easy stores are being located all over–urban inner-city, suburbs, smaller towns in the Southern California desert region, ect.
It’s a far different strategy than the chain is using with the Tesco Express stores in the UK.
Tesco believes–right or wrong–that there are what they call “food deserts” in the USA. These are areas/regions traditionally underserved by grocery stores, especially those that offer fresh foods.
This is true, and there is plenty of sociological research to bear it out. Most of these “food deserts” are in inner-city neighborhoods. Others though are in rural towns. Some are even in medium-sized cities where there is a lack of neighborhood grocery stores…Thus people drive for miles to the big box stores, carbon footprint left in the wake.
A Fresh & Easy store is going in Bayview-Hunters Point in San Francisco, by the way. For 20 years a group of community-based coaltions has been working to get a store in the particular location. Tesco was the last one talked to–and they agreed. All others said no. Should be interesting.
One of the major problems with “local-based” grocery stores is there just are so few left. Even those like Nugget are financed by their Wholesalers, in Nuggets case by Los Angeles-based Certified Grocers of California. This is where most of their money comes from to open new stores.
I really have often wondered why Raley’s (local-guy) hasn’t built a store in Davis–either a Raley’s or smaller-sized Nob Hill or Bel-Air? It’s just so logical for them to be in Davis.
“But Nugget, frankly, is a GREAT grocery store, and it’s locally owned, and they treat appear to treat their employees well.”
Nugget is great if you don’t care about prices.
“But Nugget, frankly, is a GREAT grocery store, and it’s locally owned, and they treat appear to treat their employees well.”
Nugget is great if you don’t care about prices.
“But Nugget, frankly, is a GREAT grocery store, and it’s locally owned, and they treat appear to treat their employees well.”
Nugget is great if you don’t care about prices.
“But Nugget, frankly, is a GREAT grocery store, and it’s locally owned, and they treat appear to treat their employees well.”
Nugget is great if you don’t care about prices.
I would like to thank DPD for writing about the issue of the value of neighborhood grocery stores. Kevin Wolf and I fought for a couple of years to ensure that a grocery store remained to serve the downtown population by pushing for a requirement there be a grocery store component in what would be the old Safeway on G Street. That policy gave the city one of its proudest outcomes -a thriving grocery store in a valley downtown. While grocery stores were closing down in the downtowns of Woodland, Vacaville and elsewhere city policy brought about a grocery store in downtown Davis. Although that store failed the Co-op was able to take up the lease and make a go of it. Today, no one would disagree that there is a lot of value to the Co-op being at that location.
Many of us working as part of the West Davis Neighborhood Market Association believe strongly that West Davis will be a better and greener neighborhood by having a moderate sized neighborhood store. As we face gas at $5 dollars a gallon and all the continued emphasis on global warming we need to look at encouraging neighborhood grocery stores. I would like the Co-op to consider a store in West Davis but that may not be on the cards. From the point of good planning I do think it important to look at how we can get a grocer store into the Westlake Shopping Center.
The landlord’s intent is to turn the former supermarket site into mainly offices. With the other offices in that center the die would be cast for the entire Shopping Center to become over time an office center and not a shopping center. If everything around there is offices, one by one the other shops will close for lack of foot traffic. At some time in the future Westlake will; be all offices with a coffee shop and a restaurant still there but every other shop gone.
There are about 10,000 people who live west of 113. There are many others who travel between Winters and Davis and there are many parents who daily go to Emerson Junior High School from the east of 113. There is the traffic to support a mid sized store.
I just returned from the Durham/Chapel Hill area yesterday. Here is my report from that visit.
The second store of Weaver Street Market (a co-op in Carrboro, NC) is in Southern Village a suburb of Chapel Hill. The Southern Village store is 3.2 miles from the main store. The Stonegate store is 3.32 miles from the Davis Main Store. (both Mapquest) So almost identical in distance! There are about 3,000 people living in Southern Village. They have recently arranged their second store due to volume. This will add an additional 1100 square feet to bring them to a total of 8,200 sq feet with 5,500 being the projected retail size.
The expansion of the Southern Village store (on the drawing boards in 2006) has now taken place quite successfully. Volume at the expanded store is now between $85,000 and $100,000 a week. They previously did $3.5 a year in the smaller store and are now doing close to $5 million in the newly expanded store. The customer count last week was 5,641 (an average of 805 per day). What a boon for the other shops. They have a good lunch time as here are a number of offices nearby. Would be interesting to find out how much office personnel there is at Stonegate.
Their third store will open in nearby Hillsborough about May. The building is almost complete and I saw the exterior this Sunday when I was in Durham for a co-op meeting. That store is still planned to be 8,000 square feet retail and 3,000 square feet storage and office for a total of 11,000 sq ft. Hillsborough is a town of 5,400 people which is about 13 miles from the Weaver Street Market store Carrboro.
A number of people have commented on the trend towards smaller store formats by a number of retailers. WalMart executives have often said the biggest factor affecting their sales is the price of gas. That is because everyone has to drive so far to get to their stores. The reverse is also true.
If you look at Westlake and think about it having a moderate sized store there (co-op or not) you see a customer count of let us say 7,000 people per week. That 7,000 patronize the other stores at Westlake, they eat at the restaurants and the new bakery, they buy at the other stores, they go to the Pizza parlor. That 7,000 foot traffic keeps the shopping element alive. If there is no grocery store at Westlake all those people drive to get food and they no longer go to the other shops and soon there is not a retail shop in West Davis except the two gas stations and one Starbucks.
Not a great track record for a city with an intent to restore its green activism and to take on global warming. Ten thousand people needing to drive everywhere is not a “green” or great outcome.
The West Davis Neighborhood Market Association is looking at solutions to stop the destruction of the neighborhood and return “local” to rebuilding the shopping center. We hope people visiting this blog will join with us to oppose any change in the requirement there be a grocery store in West Davis.
I would like to thank DPD for writing about the issue of the value of neighborhood grocery stores. Kevin Wolf and I fought for a couple of years to ensure that a grocery store remained to serve the downtown population by pushing for a requirement there be a grocery store component in what would be the old Safeway on G Street. That policy gave the city one of its proudest outcomes -a thriving grocery store in a valley downtown. While grocery stores were closing down in the downtowns of Woodland, Vacaville and elsewhere city policy brought about a grocery store in downtown Davis. Although that store failed the Co-op was able to take up the lease and make a go of it. Today, no one would disagree that there is a lot of value to the Co-op being at that location.
Many of us working as part of the West Davis Neighborhood Market Association believe strongly that West Davis will be a better and greener neighborhood by having a moderate sized neighborhood store. As we face gas at $5 dollars a gallon and all the continued emphasis on global warming we need to look at encouraging neighborhood grocery stores. I would like the Co-op to consider a store in West Davis but that may not be on the cards. From the point of good planning I do think it important to look at how we can get a grocer store into the Westlake Shopping Center.
The landlord’s intent is to turn the former supermarket site into mainly offices. With the other offices in that center the die would be cast for the entire Shopping Center to become over time an office center and not a shopping center. If everything around there is offices, one by one the other shops will close for lack of foot traffic. At some time in the future Westlake will; be all offices with a coffee shop and a restaurant still there but every other shop gone.
There are about 10,000 people who live west of 113. There are many others who travel between Winters and Davis and there are many parents who daily go to Emerson Junior High School from the east of 113. There is the traffic to support a mid sized store.
I just returned from the Durham/Chapel Hill area yesterday. Here is my report from that visit.
The second store of Weaver Street Market (a co-op in Carrboro, NC) is in Southern Village a suburb of Chapel Hill. The Southern Village store is 3.2 miles from the main store. The Stonegate store is 3.32 miles from the Davis Main Store. (both Mapquest) So almost identical in distance! There are about 3,000 people living in Southern Village. They have recently arranged their second store due to volume. This will add an additional 1100 square feet to bring them to a total of 8,200 sq feet with 5,500 being the projected retail size.
The expansion of the Southern Village store (on the drawing boards in 2006) has now taken place quite successfully. Volume at the expanded store is now between $85,000 and $100,000 a week. They previously did $3.5 a year in the smaller store and are now doing close to $5 million in the newly expanded store. The customer count last week was 5,641 (an average of 805 per day). What a boon for the other shops. They have a good lunch time as here are a number of offices nearby. Would be interesting to find out how much office personnel there is at Stonegate.
Their third store will open in nearby Hillsborough about May. The building is almost complete and I saw the exterior this Sunday when I was in Durham for a co-op meeting. That store is still planned to be 8,000 square feet retail and 3,000 square feet storage and office for a total of 11,000 sq ft. Hillsborough is a town of 5,400 people which is about 13 miles from the Weaver Street Market store Carrboro.
A number of people have commented on the trend towards smaller store formats by a number of retailers. WalMart executives have often said the biggest factor affecting their sales is the price of gas. That is because everyone has to drive so far to get to their stores. The reverse is also true.
If you look at Westlake and think about it having a moderate sized store there (co-op or not) you see a customer count of let us say 7,000 people per week. That 7,000 patronize the other stores at Westlake, they eat at the restaurants and the new bakery, they buy at the other stores, they go to the Pizza parlor. That 7,000 foot traffic keeps the shopping element alive. If there is no grocery store at Westlake all those people drive to get food and they no longer go to the other shops and soon there is not a retail shop in West Davis except the two gas stations and one Starbucks.
Not a great track record for a city with an intent to restore its green activism and to take on global warming. Ten thousand people needing to drive everywhere is not a “green” or great outcome.
The West Davis Neighborhood Market Association is looking at solutions to stop the destruction of the neighborhood and return “local” to rebuilding the shopping center. We hope people visiting this blog will join with us to oppose any change in the requirement there be a grocery store in West Davis.
I would like to thank DPD for writing about the issue of the value of neighborhood grocery stores. Kevin Wolf and I fought for a couple of years to ensure that a grocery store remained to serve the downtown population by pushing for a requirement there be a grocery store component in what would be the old Safeway on G Street. That policy gave the city one of its proudest outcomes -a thriving grocery store in a valley downtown. While grocery stores were closing down in the downtowns of Woodland, Vacaville and elsewhere city policy brought about a grocery store in downtown Davis. Although that store failed the Co-op was able to take up the lease and make a go of it. Today, no one would disagree that there is a lot of value to the Co-op being at that location.
Many of us working as part of the West Davis Neighborhood Market Association believe strongly that West Davis will be a better and greener neighborhood by having a moderate sized neighborhood store. As we face gas at $5 dollars a gallon and all the continued emphasis on global warming we need to look at encouraging neighborhood grocery stores. I would like the Co-op to consider a store in West Davis but that may not be on the cards. From the point of good planning I do think it important to look at how we can get a grocer store into the Westlake Shopping Center.
The landlord’s intent is to turn the former supermarket site into mainly offices. With the other offices in that center the die would be cast for the entire Shopping Center to become over time an office center and not a shopping center. If everything around there is offices, one by one the other shops will close for lack of foot traffic. At some time in the future Westlake will; be all offices with a coffee shop and a restaurant still there but every other shop gone.
There are about 10,000 people who live west of 113. There are many others who travel between Winters and Davis and there are many parents who daily go to Emerson Junior High School from the east of 113. There is the traffic to support a mid sized store.
I just returned from the Durham/Chapel Hill area yesterday. Here is my report from that visit.
The second store of Weaver Street Market (a co-op in Carrboro, NC) is in Southern Village a suburb of Chapel Hill. The Southern Village store is 3.2 miles from the main store. The Stonegate store is 3.32 miles from the Davis Main Store. (both Mapquest) So almost identical in distance! There are about 3,000 people living in Southern Village. They have recently arranged their second store due to volume. This will add an additional 1100 square feet to bring them to a total of 8,200 sq feet with 5,500 being the projected retail size.
The expansion of the Southern Village store (on the drawing boards in 2006) has now taken place quite successfully. Volume at the expanded store is now between $85,000 and $100,000 a week. They previously did $3.5 a year in the smaller store and are now doing close to $5 million in the newly expanded store. The customer count last week was 5,641 (an average of 805 per day). What a boon for the other shops. They have a good lunch time as here are a number of offices nearby. Would be interesting to find out how much office personnel there is at Stonegate.
Their third store will open in nearby Hillsborough about May. The building is almost complete and I saw the exterior this Sunday when I was in Durham for a co-op meeting. That store is still planned to be 8,000 square feet retail and 3,000 square feet storage and office for a total of 11,000 sq ft. Hillsborough is a town of 5,400 people which is about 13 miles from the Weaver Street Market store Carrboro.
A number of people have commented on the trend towards smaller store formats by a number of retailers. WalMart executives have often said the biggest factor affecting their sales is the price of gas. That is because everyone has to drive so far to get to their stores. The reverse is also true.
If you look at Westlake and think about it having a moderate sized store there (co-op or not) you see a customer count of let us say 7,000 people per week. That 7,000 patronize the other stores at Westlake, they eat at the restaurants and the new bakery, they buy at the other stores, they go to the Pizza parlor. That 7,000 foot traffic keeps the shopping element alive. If there is no grocery store at Westlake all those people drive to get food and they no longer go to the other shops and soon there is not a retail shop in West Davis except the two gas stations and one Starbucks.
Not a great track record for a city with an intent to restore its green activism and to take on global warming. Ten thousand people needing to drive everywhere is not a “green” or great outcome.
The West Davis Neighborhood Market Association is looking at solutions to stop the destruction of the neighborhood and return “local” to rebuilding the shopping center. We hope people visiting this blog will join with us to oppose any change in the requirement there be a grocery store in West Davis.
I would like to thank DPD for writing about the issue of the value of neighborhood grocery stores. Kevin Wolf and I fought for a couple of years to ensure that a grocery store remained to serve the downtown population by pushing for a requirement there be a grocery store component in what would be the old Safeway on G Street. That policy gave the city one of its proudest outcomes -a thriving grocery store in a valley downtown. While grocery stores were closing down in the downtowns of Woodland, Vacaville and elsewhere city policy brought about a grocery store in downtown Davis. Although that store failed the Co-op was able to take up the lease and make a go of it. Today, no one would disagree that there is a lot of value to the Co-op being at that location.
Many of us working as part of the West Davis Neighborhood Market Association believe strongly that West Davis will be a better and greener neighborhood by having a moderate sized neighborhood store. As we face gas at $5 dollars a gallon and all the continued emphasis on global warming we need to look at encouraging neighborhood grocery stores. I would like the Co-op to consider a store in West Davis but that may not be on the cards. From the point of good planning I do think it important to look at how we can get a grocer store into the Westlake Shopping Center.
The landlord’s intent is to turn the former supermarket site into mainly offices. With the other offices in that center the die would be cast for the entire Shopping Center to become over time an office center and not a shopping center. If everything around there is offices, one by one the other shops will close for lack of foot traffic. At some time in the future Westlake will; be all offices with a coffee shop and a restaurant still there but every other shop gone.
There are about 10,000 people who live west of 113. There are many others who travel between Winters and Davis and there are many parents who daily go to Emerson Junior High School from the east of 113. There is the traffic to support a mid sized store.
I just returned from the Durham/Chapel Hill area yesterday. Here is my report from that visit.
The second store of Weaver Street Market (a co-op in Carrboro, NC) is in Southern Village a suburb of Chapel Hill. The Southern Village store is 3.2 miles from the main store. The Stonegate store is 3.32 miles from the Davis Main Store. (both Mapquest) So almost identical in distance! There are about 3,000 people living in Southern Village. They have recently arranged their second store due to volume. This will add an additional 1100 square feet to bring them to a total of 8,200 sq feet with 5,500 being the projected retail size.
The expansion of the Southern Village store (on the drawing boards in 2006) has now taken place quite successfully. Volume at the expanded store is now between $85,000 and $100,000 a week. They previously did $3.5 a year in the smaller store and are now doing close to $5 million in the newly expanded store. The customer count last week was 5,641 (an average of 805 per day). What a boon for the other shops. They have a good lunch time as here are a number of offices nearby. Would be interesting to find out how much office personnel there is at Stonegate.
Their third store will open in nearby Hillsborough about May. The building is almost complete and I saw the exterior this Sunday when I was in Durham for a co-op meeting. That store is still planned to be 8,000 square feet retail and 3,000 square feet storage and office for a total of 11,000 sq ft. Hillsborough is a town of 5,400 people which is about 13 miles from the Weaver Street Market store Carrboro.
A number of people have commented on the trend towards smaller store formats by a number of retailers. WalMart executives have often said the biggest factor affecting their sales is the price of gas. That is because everyone has to drive so far to get to their stores. The reverse is also true.
If you look at Westlake and think about it having a moderate sized store there (co-op or not) you see a customer count of let us say 7,000 people per week. That 7,000 patronize the other stores at Westlake, they eat at the restaurants and the new bakery, they buy at the other stores, they go to the Pizza parlor. That 7,000 foot traffic keeps the shopping element alive. If there is no grocery store at Westlake all those people drive to get food and they no longer go to the other shops and soon there is not a retail shop in West Davis except the two gas stations and one Starbucks.
Not a great track record for a city with an intent to restore its green activism and to take on global warming. Ten thousand people needing to drive everywhere is not a “green” or great outcome.
The West Davis Neighborhood Market Association is looking at solutions to stop the destruction of the neighborhood and return “local” to rebuilding the shopping center. We hope people visiting this blog will join with us to oppose any change in the requirement there be a grocery store in West Davis.
Interesting and important topic for Davis.
Full service grocery stores have abandoned small store formats, except in the most densely populated areas – eg major urban cities (Davis doesn’t qualify). One reason is that the small store format doesn’t allow the choice that most consumers want, and the other is that they simply cannot drive enough sales/sq ft of floor space to pay the fixed costs of operating a store (unless they provide unique or different products for which they can charge a higher price – perhaps Tesco has found such a mix). The grocer’s ability to generate enough revenue is limited by competition and consumer mobility — and consumers have demonstrated their willingness to drive to get what they want at the price that they want. In my view, the citizens of West Davis have demonstrated that they are unwilling to accept a small grocery store (at least as previously presented), and the fact that the space has been empty for so long is a pretty good indication that the grocery store operators do not see a profitable location at Westlake. As Want Walkable Community stated at 8:49am,”If a community, such as Davis, is dedicated to having neighborhood grocery stores that are within walking and biking distance then they will make it a priority” – this means that Davis citizens will need to subsidize the business (no taxes or someother incentive) so that some grocer can be enticed to locate in what appears to be non-viable location.
DPD’s commentary suggests that staying local is advantageous to the community, and there are certainly circumstances in which that is the right choice. However, time and the world at large has proved that concept is clearly suboptimal. The economic concept in question is comparative advantage, which holds (generally) that societies and economies are better off to allow those that are the best, most efficient providers of each product to produce what they do best (on a relative basis) – so that all consumers are allowed to purchase the highest quality at the lowest price. If it comes from local producers, that is great, but if not, then the theory holds that local producers should shift production to what they do best, thereby providing value to consumers, not taking excess resources or producing inferior products. Interestingly, perhaps the most unlikely example in Davis is the Davis Food Coop. They shopped locally for capital to support their business, but found that local providers apparently had a much higher cost of capital than bigger, more global lenders. And in order to make their business competitive and give them the best chance of succeeding, they chose a global supplier from Japan.
Business leaders are capable of making choices that maximize their chances of success. Customers respond positively to valued products and services. No one or even a group can force customers to purchase or make do with something that they do not want. Davis can choose to subsidize certain types of businesses or locations to promote concepts or provide vision – but the Davis taxpayers will have to bear the cost. Davis cannot force a grocery store into the Westlake Center until one is ready to go there. Davis may not rezone the property or allow non-grocers into the space, but that doesn’t mean that Westlake becomes a viable center.
Interesting and important topic for Davis.
Full service grocery stores have abandoned small store formats, except in the most densely populated areas – eg major urban cities (Davis doesn’t qualify). One reason is that the small store format doesn’t allow the choice that most consumers want, and the other is that they simply cannot drive enough sales/sq ft of floor space to pay the fixed costs of operating a store (unless they provide unique or different products for which they can charge a higher price – perhaps Tesco has found such a mix). The grocer’s ability to generate enough revenue is limited by competition and consumer mobility — and consumers have demonstrated their willingness to drive to get what they want at the price that they want. In my view, the citizens of West Davis have demonstrated that they are unwilling to accept a small grocery store (at least as previously presented), and the fact that the space has been empty for so long is a pretty good indication that the grocery store operators do not see a profitable location at Westlake. As Want Walkable Community stated at 8:49am,”If a community, such as Davis, is dedicated to having neighborhood grocery stores that are within walking and biking distance then they will make it a priority” – this means that Davis citizens will need to subsidize the business (no taxes or someother incentive) so that some grocer can be enticed to locate in what appears to be non-viable location.
DPD’s commentary suggests that staying local is advantageous to the community, and there are certainly circumstances in which that is the right choice. However, time and the world at large has proved that concept is clearly suboptimal. The economic concept in question is comparative advantage, which holds (generally) that societies and economies are better off to allow those that are the best, most efficient providers of each product to produce what they do best (on a relative basis) – so that all consumers are allowed to purchase the highest quality at the lowest price. If it comes from local producers, that is great, but if not, then the theory holds that local producers should shift production to what they do best, thereby providing value to consumers, not taking excess resources or producing inferior products. Interestingly, perhaps the most unlikely example in Davis is the Davis Food Coop. They shopped locally for capital to support their business, but found that local providers apparently had a much higher cost of capital than bigger, more global lenders. And in order to make their business competitive and give them the best chance of succeeding, they chose a global supplier from Japan.
Business leaders are capable of making choices that maximize their chances of success. Customers respond positively to valued products and services. No one or even a group can force customers to purchase or make do with something that they do not want. Davis can choose to subsidize certain types of businesses or locations to promote concepts or provide vision – but the Davis taxpayers will have to bear the cost. Davis cannot force a grocery store into the Westlake Center until one is ready to go there. Davis may not rezone the property or allow non-grocers into the space, but that doesn’t mean that Westlake becomes a viable center.
Interesting and important topic for Davis.
Full service grocery stores have abandoned small store formats, except in the most densely populated areas – eg major urban cities (Davis doesn’t qualify). One reason is that the small store format doesn’t allow the choice that most consumers want, and the other is that they simply cannot drive enough sales/sq ft of floor space to pay the fixed costs of operating a store (unless they provide unique or different products for which they can charge a higher price – perhaps Tesco has found such a mix). The grocer’s ability to generate enough revenue is limited by competition and consumer mobility — and consumers have demonstrated their willingness to drive to get what they want at the price that they want. In my view, the citizens of West Davis have demonstrated that they are unwilling to accept a small grocery store (at least as previously presented), and the fact that the space has been empty for so long is a pretty good indication that the grocery store operators do not see a profitable location at Westlake. As Want Walkable Community stated at 8:49am,”If a community, such as Davis, is dedicated to having neighborhood grocery stores that are within walking and biking distance then they will make it a priority” – this means that Davis citizens will need to subsidize the business (no taxes or someother incentive) so that some grocer can be enticed to locate in what appears to be non-viable location.
DPD’s commentary suggests that staying local is advantageous to the community, and there are certainly circumstances in which that is the right choice. However, time and the world at large has proved that concept is clearly suboptimal. The economic concept in question is comparative advantage, which holds (generally) that societies and economies are better off to allow those that are the best, most efficient providers of each product to produce what they do best (on a relative basis) – so that all consumers are allowed to purchase the highest quality at the lowest price. If it comes from local producers, that is great, but if not, then the theory holds that local producers should shift production to what they do best, thereby providing value to consumers, not taking excess resources or producing inferior products. Interestingly, perhaps the most unlikely example in Davis is the Davis Food Coop. They shopped locally for capital to support their business, but found that local providers apparently had a much higher cost of capital than bigger, more global lenders. And in order to make their business competitive and give them the best chance of succeeding, they chose a global supplier from Japan.
Business leaders are capable of making choices that maximize their chances of success. Customers respond positively to valued products and services. No one or even a group can force customers to purchase or make do with something that they do not want. Davis can choose to subsidize certain types of businesses or locations to promote concepts or provide vision – but the Davis taxpayers will have to bear the cost. Davis cannot force a grocery store into the Westlake Center until one is ready to go there. Davis may not rezone the property or allow non-grocers into the space, but that doesn’t mean that Westlake becomes a viable center.
Interesting and important topic for Davis.
Full service grocery stores have abandoned small store formats, except in the most densely populated areas – eg major urban cities (Davis doesn’t qualify). One reason is that the small store format doesn’t allow the choice that most consumers want, and the other is that they simply cannot drive enough sales/sq ft of floor space to pay the fixed costs of operating a store (unless they provide unique or different products for which they can charge a higher price – perhaps Tesco has found such a mix). The grocer’s ability to generate enough revenue is limited by competition and consumer mobility — and consumers have demonstrated their willingness to drive to get what they want at the price that they want. In my view, the citizens of West Davis have demonstrated that they are unwilling to accept a small grocery store (at least as previously presented), and the fact that the space has been empty for so long is a pretty good indication that the grocery store operators do not see a profitable location at Westlake. As Want Walkable Community stated at 8:49am,”If a community, such as Davis, is dedicated to having neighborhood grocery stores that are within walking and biking distance then they will make it a priority” – this means that Davis citizens will need to subsidize the business (no taxes or someother incentive) so that some grocer can be enticed to locate in what appears to be non-viable location.
DPD’s commentary suggests that staying local is advantageous to the community, and there are certainly circumstances in which that is the right choice. However, time and the world at large has proved that concept is clearly suboptimal. The economic concept in question is comparative advantage, which holds (generally) that societies and economies are better off to allow those that are the best, most efficient providers of each product to produce what they do best (on a relative basis) – so that all consumers are allowed to purchase the highest quality at the lowest price. If it comes from local producers, that is great, but if not, then the theory holds that local producers should shift production to what they do best, thereby providing value to consumers, not taking excess resources or producing inferior products. Interestingly, perhaps the most unlikely example in Davis is the Davis Food Coop. They shopped locally for capital to support their business, but found that local providers apparently had a much higher cost of capital than bigger, more global lenders. And in order to make their business competitive and give them the best chance of succeeding, they chose a global supplier from Japan.
Business leaders are capable of making choices that maximize their chances of success. Customers respond positively to valued products and services. No one or even a group can force customers to purchase or make do with something that they do not want. Davis can choose to subsidize certain types of businesses or locations to promote concepts or provide vision – but the Davis taxpayers will have to bear the cost. Davis cannot force a grocery store into the Westlake Center until one is ready to go there. Davis may not rezone the property or allow non-grocers into the space, but that doesn’t mean that Westlake becomes a viable center.
A regular reader of our blog e-mailed us about your discussion. We are familiar with Davis, and find the debate and discussion very interesting.
We posted a piece about your blog and the discussion on our blog, Natural~Specialty Foods Memo.
We have thousands of readers internationally, so the discussion should get some widespread attention, although we know that’s not your concern. However, similar discussions are going on in cities throughout the country, so the more information the better.
The piece in our blog about your discussion is linked below:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/search?q=small-format+
In terms of small-format, neighborhood grocery stores, it is a growing trend in the U.S., among both chains and independents. It’s not an inner-city trend either. In fact, it’s more suburban.
A regular reader of our blog e-mailed us about your discussion. We are familiar with Davis, and find the debate and discussion very interesting.
We posted a piece about your blog and the discussion on our blog, Natural~Specialty Foods Memo.
We have thousands of readers internationally, so the discussion should get some widespread attention, although we know that’s not your concern. However, similar discussions are going on in cities throughout the country, so the more information the better.
The piece in our blog about your discussion is linked below:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/search?q=small-format+
In terms of small-format, neighborhood grocery stores, it is a growing trend in the U.S., among both chains and independents. It’s not an inner-city trend either. In fact, it’s more suburban.
A regular reader of our blog e-mailed us about your discussion. We are familiar with Davis, and find the debate and discussion very interesting.
We posted a piece about your blog and the discussion on our blog, Natural~Specialty Foods Memo.
We have thousands of readers internationally, so the discussion should get some widespread attention, although we know that’s not your concern. However, similar discussions are going on in cities throughout the country, so the more information the better.
The piece in our blog about your discussion is linked below:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/search?q=small-format+
In terms of small-format, neighborhood grocery stores, it is a growing trend in the U.S., among both chains and independents. It’s not an inner-city trend either. In fact, it’s more suburban.
A regular reader of our blog e-mailed us about your discussion. We are familiar with Davis, and find the debate and discussion very interesting.
We posted a piece about your blog and the discussion on our blog, Natural~Specialty Foods Memo.
We have thousands of readers internationally, so the discussion should get some widespread attention, although we know that’s not your concern. However, similar discussions are going on in cities throughout the country, so the more information the better.
The piece in our blog about your discussion is linked below:
http://naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com/search?q=small-format+
In terms of small-format, neighborhood grocery stores, it is a growing trend in the U.S., among both chains and independents. It’s not an inner-city trend either. In fact, it’s more suburban.
again, tyhe three groeries in the farmtown/westlake center folded because they ran terrible businesses. farmtown had decent traffic, but the guy who ran it was a lousy businessman and regularly ran out of key supplies. then the spot stayed vacant for a bit, until rays’ food place moved in, which ran an even worse store. understaffed, terrible produce, poorly maintained. then after ray’s went under, it stayed vacant a while longer, and the food fair managed to match ray’s in terms of mediocrity.
if it were run in anything resembling a competent manner, with items targeted to the student and affluent homeowner population west of 113, it would not turn out this way. but no matter how nice the location, if a business does a terrible job of running their business, they’re not going to get the traffic.
any new grocery setting up shop in that spot really should make a big deal about a grand opening, and stuff mailboxes in the neighborhood with mailers announcing it.
again, tyhe three groeries in the farmtown/westlake center folded because they ran terrible businesses. farmtown had decent traffic, but the guy who ran it was a lousy businessman and regularly ran out of key supplies. then the spot stayed vacant for a bit, until rays’ food place moved in, which ran an even worse store. understaffed, terrible produce, poorly maintained. then after ray’s went under, it stayed vacant a while longer, and the food fair managed to match ray’s in terms of mediocrity.
if it were run in anything resembling a competent manner, with items targeted to the student and affluent homeowner population west of 113, it would not turn out this way. but no matter how nice the location, if a business does a terrible job of running their business, they’re not going to get the traffic.
any new grocery setting up shop in that spot really should make a big deal about a grand opening, and stuff mailboxes in the neighborhood with mailers announcing it.
again, tyhe three groeries in the farmtown/westlake center folded because they ran terrible businesses. farmtown had decent traffic, but the guy who ran it was a lousy businessman and regularly ran out of key supplies. then the spot stayed vacant for a bit, until rays’ food place moved in, which ran an even worse store. understaffed, terrible produce, poorly maintained. then after ray’s went under, it stayed vacant a while longer, and the food fair managed to match ray’s in terms of mediocrity.
if it were run in anything resembling a competent manner, with items targeted to the student and affluent homeowner population west of 113, it would not turn out this way. but no matter how nice the location, if a business does a terrible job of running their business, they’re not going to get the traffic.
any new grocery setting up shop in that spot really should make a big deal about a grand opening, and stuff mailboxes in the neighborhood with mailers announcing it.
again, tyhe three groeries in the farmtown/westlake center folded because they ran terrible businesses. farmtown had decent traffic, but the guy who ran it was a lousy businessman and regularly ran out of key supplies. then the spot stayed vacant for a bit, until rays’ food place moved in, which ran an even worse store. understaffed, terrible produce, poorly maintained. then after ray’s went under, it stayed vacant a while longer, and the food fair managed to match ray’s in terms of mediocrity.
if it were run in anything resembling a competent manner, with items targeted to the student and affluent homeowner population west of 113, it would not turn out this way. but no matter how nice the location, if a business does a terrible job of running their business, they’re not going to get the traffic.
any new grocery setting up shop in that spot really should make a big deal about a grand opening, and stuff mailboxes in the neighborhood with mailers announcing it.
Is Davis ready for a Whole Foods’ Market store?
There was an article in an East Bay Area business paper a couple months ago. In it,the President of Whole Foods’ Northern California operations, who the article actually said was leaving to go to work for Safeway, said Whole Foods is going to build at least 20 new stores in Northern California in the next 4 or 5 years.
Most of these stores the article said will be in the Bay Area. However, Davis was mentioned as a location outside of the Bay Area for one of the new Whole Foods markets.
The Whole Foods guy said the number one criteria the company uses to decide about putting a Whole Foods in a city is that city’s percentage of college educated residents. The city also has to be big enough. Cities smaller than Davis, and with less college educated percentages, have WHole Foods stores though. They just opened a new Whole Foods in Napa. Sonoma has one too. And of course Sac has one.
If Whole Foods does come to Davis it is going to be super-popular, no matter what anybody says.
I wonder how it will affect the town if it does come? Will it be welcomed by most of us?
Is Davis ready for a Whole Foods’ Market store?
There was an article in an East Bay Area business paper a couple months ago. In it,the President of Whole Foods’ Northern California operations, who the article actually said was leaving to go to work for Safeway, said Whole Foods is going to build at least 20 new stores in Northern California in the next 4 or 5 years.
Most of these stores the article said will be in the Bay Area. However, Davis was mentioned as a location outside of the Bay Area for one of the new Whole Foods markets.
The Whole Foods guy said the number one criteria the company uses to decide about putting a Whole Foods in a city is that city’s percentage of college educated residents. The city also has to be big enough. Cities smaller than Davis, and with less college educated percentages, have WHole Foods stores though. They just opened a new Whole Foods in Napa. Sonoma has one too. And of course Sac has one.
If Whole Foods does come to Davis it is going to be super-popular, no matter what anybody says.
I wonder how it will affect the town if it does come? Will it be welcomed by most of us?
Is Davis ready for a Whole Foods’ Market store?
There was an article in an East Bay Area business paper a couple months ago. In it,the President of Whole Foods’ Northern California operations, who the article actually said was leaving to go to work for Safeway, said Whole Foods is going to build at least 20 new stores in Northern California in the next 4 or 5 years.
Most of these stores the article said will be in the Bay Area. However, Davis was mentioned as a location outside of the Bay Area for one of the new Whole Foods markets.
The Whole Foods guy said the number one criteria the company uses to decide about putting a Whole Foods in a city is that city’s percentage of college educated residents. The city also has to be big enough. Cities smaller than Davis, and with less college educated percentages, have WHole Foods stores though. They just opened a new Whole Foods in Napa. Sonoma has one too. And of course Sac has one.
If Whole Foods does come to Davis it is going to be super-popular, no matter what anybody says.
I wonder how it will affect the town if it does come? Will it be welcomed by most of us?
Is Davis ready for a Whole Foods’ Market store?
There was an article in an East Bay Area business paper a couple months ago. In it,the President of Whole Foods’ Northern California operations, who the article actually said was leaving to go to work for Safeway, said Whole Foods is going to build at least 20 new stores in Northern California in the next 4 or 5 years.
Most of these stores the article said will be in the Bay Area. However, Davis was mentioned as a location outside of the Bay Area for one of the new Whole Foods markets.
The Whole Foods guy said the number one criteria the company uses to decide about putting a Whole Foods in a city is that city’s percentage of college educated residents. The city also has to be big enough. Cities smaller than Davis, and with less college educated percentages, have WHole Foods stores though. They just opened a new Whole Foods in Napa. Sonoma has one too. And of course Sac has one.
If Whole Foods does come to Davis it is going to be super-popular, no matter what anybody says.
I wonder how it will affect the town if it does come? Will it be welcomed by most of us?
??? said…
“God bless Target. Bless the
yes on K campaign and Jay Zeigler and Associates for blessing Davis with decent shopping options.”
Honey, I hate to break it to you, but “God” had nothing to do with it. God doesn’t care if Target comes to Davis and Target doesn’t care about Davis. Measure K wasn’t about “Davis.” They wanted freeway visibility and access. The Target will succeed in that spot mostly for commuters driving the I-80 corridor. Target never gave a crap about Davis and the city leaders that supported it, greedily wanted the sales tax dollars from out of towners. They were never interested in the “Good of Davis” but for the $$ signs.
That said, Measure K also passed (by 690 votes) purely because Yes on K campaign got students to vote on it …ironically students that won’t even be living in Davis when the Target eventually gets built.
Westlake suffers from people shopping for their groceries at Wal-Mart and the Marketplace shopping center. Once Marketplace got built, Westlake started falling off the map.
What I love are people like Claire Black Sutton and other real estate agents who live in West Davis upset because they are proposing doing something other than putting in a grocery store at Westlake Shopping Center. She was quoted in the Aggie saying, “When we moved here, there was a grocery store and now we have that expectation of it being there.”
That’s nice Claire. When I moved to Mace Ranch there wasn’t a Target and I didn’t expect there to be one either. Where were you when No on K needed support?
Personally I’m happy to see problems in other parts of town (Valley Oak, B Street “Visioning Process,” Westlake, Trader Joe’s/UMall/RAS, Covell Village, etc…). Makes me feel better / normal to know that everyone’s got something to complain about and you’re bound to get screwed no matter where you live in this town. Wanna avoid getting screwed? Make sure you live next to a city council member as they’re always looking out for themselves.
??? said…
“God bless Target. Bless the
yes on K campaign and Jay Zeigler and Associates for blessing Davis with decent shopping options.”
Honey, I hate to break it to you, but “God” had nothing to do with it. God doesn’t care if Target comes to Davis and Target doesn’t care about Davis. Measure K wasn’t about “Davis.” They wanted freeway visibility and access. The Target will succeed in that spot mostly for commuters driving the I-80 corridor. Target never gave a crap about Davis and the city leaders that supported it, greedily wanted the sales tax dollars from out of towners. They were never interested in the “Good of Davis” but for the $$ signs.
That said, Measure K also passed (by 690 votes) purely because Yes on K campaign got students to vote on it …ironically students that won’t even be living in Davis when the Target eventually gets built.
Westlake suffers from people shopping for their groceries at Wal-Mart and the Marketplace shopping center. Once Marketplace got built, Westlake started falling off the map.
What I love are people like Claire Black Sutton and other real estate agents who live in West Davis upset because they are proposing doing something other than putting in a grocery store at Westlake Shopping Center. She was quoted in the Aggie saying, “When we moved here, there was a grocery store and now we have that expectation of it being there.”
That’s nice Claire. When I moved to Mace Ranch there wasn’t a Target and I didn’t expect there to be one either. Where were you when No on K needed support?
Personally I’m happy to see problems in other parts of town (Valley Oak, B Street “Visioning Process,” Westlake, Trader Joe’s/UMall/RAS, Covell Village, etc…). Makes me feel better / normal to know that everyone’s got something to complain about and you’re bound to get screwed no matter where you live in this town. Wanna avoid getting screwed? Make sure you live next to a city council member as they’re always looking out for themselves.
??? said…
“God bless Target. Bless the
yes on K campaign and Jay Zeigler and Associates for blessing Davis with decent shopping options.”
Honey, I hate to break it to you, but “God” had nothing to do with it. God doesn’t care if Target comes to Davis and Target doesn’t care about Davis. Measure K wasn’t about “Davis.” They wanted freeway visibility and access. The Target will succeed in that spot mostly for commuters driving the I-80 corridor. Target never gave a crap about Davis and the city leaders that supported it, greedily wanted the sales tax dollars from out of towners. They were never interested in the “Good of Davis” but for the $$ signs.
That said, Measure K also passed (by 690 votes) purely because Yes on K campaign got students to vote on it …ironically students that won’t even be living in Davis when the Target eventually gets built.
Westlake suffers from people shopping for their groceries at Wal-Mart and the Marketplace shopping center. Once Marketplace got built, Westlake started falling off the map.
What I love are people like Claire Black Sutton and other real estate agents who live in West Davis upset because they are proposing doing something other than putting in a grocery store at Westlake Shopping Center. She was quoted in the Aggie saying, “When we moved here, there was a grocery store and now we have that expectation of it being there.”
That’s nice Claire. When I moved to Mace Ranch there wasn’t a Target and I didn’t expect there to be one either. Where were you when No on K needed support?
Personally I’m happy to see problems in other parts of town (Valley Oak, B Street “Visioning Process,” Westlake, Trader Joe’s/UMall/RAS, Covell Village, etc…). Makes me feel better / normal to know that everyone’s got something to complain about and you’re bound to get screwed no matter where you live in this town. Wanna avoid getting screwed? Make sure you live next to a city council member as they’re always looking out for themselves.
??? said…
“God bless Target. Bless the
yes on K campaign and Jay Zeigler and Associates for blessing Davis with decent shopping options.”
Honey, I hate to break it to you, but “God” had nothing to do with it. God doesn’t care if Target comes to Davis and Target doesn’t care about Davis. Measure K wasn’t about “Davis.” They wanted freeway visibility and access. The Target will succeed in that spot mostly for commuters driving the I-80 corridor. Target never gave a crap about Davis and the city leaders that supported it, greedily wanted the sales tax dollars from out of towners. They were never interested in the “Good of Davis” but for the $$ signs.
That said, Measure K also passed (by 690 votes) purely because Yes on K campaign got students to vote on it …ironically students that won’t even be living in Davis when the Target eventually gets built.
Westlake suffers from people shopping for their groceries at Wal-Mart and the Marketplace shopping center. Once Marketplace got built, Westlake started falling off the map.
What I love are people like Claire Black Sutton and other real estate agents who live in West Davis upset because they are proposing doing something other than putting in a grocery store at Westlake Shopping Center. She was quoted in the Aggie saying, “When we moved here, there was a grocery store and now we have that expectation of it being there.”
That’s nice Claire. When I moved to Mace Ranch there wasn’t a Target and I didn’t expect there to be one either. Where were you when No on K needed support?
Personally I’m happy to see problems in other parts of town (Valley Oak, B Street “Visioning Process,” Westlake, Trader Joe’s/UMall/RAS, Covell Village, etc…). Makes me feel better / normal to know that everyone’s got something to complain about and you’re bound to get screwed no matter where you live in this town. Wanna avoid getting screwed? Make sure you live next to a city council member as they’re always looking out for themselves.
which brings us back to the desirability of district elections for city council.
which brings us back to the desirability of district elections for city council.
which brings us back to the desirability of district elections for city council.
which brings us back to the desirability of district elections for city council.