Trader Joes

[jcjohnpaint]

yeah I was going to exclude him- because he is quite a Jags promoter and doing a hell of a job of it

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

yeah I was going to exclude him- because he is quite a Jags promoter and doing a hell of a job of it

If you read into his message, you'll see that he's really pushing the city as much as the Jags.  The statement's been repeated over and over with this new foray into London for 4 years, but he's really doing the city a great service by exposing us to a greater audience.

[Tacachale]

^Khan has been doing a terrific job in promoting the city. Unfortunately, our current crop of leaders are doing little to help him, and in some cases openly antagonize him.

I really don't buy that extreme conservatism or "uncoolness" is really the cause of our troubles. The city was just as conservative and uncool, if not more so, in previous times when we had strong leaders and positive growth was rolling along. The difference between then and now is the leadership. For instance, the failure of the HRO is the result of the cowardice and incompetence of some members of the City Council and Mayor Brown.

[CityLife]

I really don't buy that extreme conservatism or "uncoolness" is really the cause of our troubles. The city was just as conservative and uncool, if not more so, in previous times when we had strong leaders and positive growth was rolling along.

Times have changed in a big way and the "cool" factor is a big driver of growth amongst younger generations. Many of whom can work from home (i.e they can live wherever they want). With our economy becoming more information based and with technological increases, will working from home be an even more common occurrence in the future? If so the cool factor like concerts, arts, sporting events, parks, Trader Joes/IKEA/Etc will be more and more a driving factor for the younger generations.

[jcjohnpaint]

I am not really trying to diagnose the city with a sickness, just trying to understand how we are being looked at from the outside by companies and retails such as TJs.  We are not winning in perception battle.  Our political leaders are making considerable missteps that is causing Jacksonville to be labeled (behind the times) and undesirable for fresh companies or retailers to like TJs to consider.  Now that our population is starting to drastically slow, maybe our leaders will start to listen.  I don't know. 

[dougskiles]

I think the first TJ will open at the beach.

For the reasons that Fieldafm stated, San Marco would be a bad choice for the first TJ in the market.  Publix is going to open at the Square sooner than later (I'm guessing construction starts in late 2013).  By 2016, when the I-95 interchange is complete at Atlantic and we have several hundred more residents from the new multifamily projects, San Marco should be in a great position for a Trader Joes (or whatever is the rage in 4 years).

As far as WF in Mandarin goes, the #1 problem is the access.  The reason Publix moved across the street was the access.  Having them at an easier location directly opposite from WF makes the access situation even worse.

[Tacachale]

I really don't buy that extreme conservatism or "uncoolness" is really the cause of our troubles. The city was just as conservative and uncool, if not more so, in previous times when we had strong leaders and positive growth was rolling along.

Times have changed in a big way and the "cool" factor is a big driver of growth amongst younger generations. Many of whom can work from home (i.e they can live wherever they want). With our economy becoming more information based and with technological increases, will working from home be an even more common occurrence in the future? If so the cool factor like concerts, arts, sporting events, parks, Trader Joes/IKEA/Etc will be more and more a driving factor for the younger generations.

Perhaps, but our deeper issues underlie any perception issue. Simply getting some ostensibly desirable chain retailer to open up here isn't going to fix anything.

[fieldafm]

There is certainly a better site in Jax for a first TJ.

I think the first TJ will open at the beach.

[I-10east]

Ok sorry to piss off all the Jaguars fans, but this is more about the city and how it is perceived elsewhere.  You can run my family down and call them illiterate, but I hear weird crap like this from friends from NY LA whatever.

I'm not calling anyone illiterate, or anything like that, I'm just curious as to how that conversation will go, Aren't the Jags in Orlando, when the team is named the Jacksonville Jaguars? I don't hear anyone else sharing similar stories like that. Recently I have been road travelling alot, out West, and up in the Midwest; I have a Jags license plate, and the people are familiar with the team, so to say MOST people think that we play in Orlando is totally offbase.  Another overrated thing is everyone supposedly gonna know exactly where a city is located, like Jax is where I-10 meets I-95. Right off the bat if someone where Austin TX is, I'll say shit I dunno, somewhere in the middle of Texas? If I had a map, I surely can locate it easily, but not to know where the coordinates are right off the bat. That's an example of a classic inferiority complex. Paint me as the sunshiny homer or whatever, I'm just telling it like it is.

[JUGrad]

I am not really trying to diagnose the city with a sickness, just trying to understand how we are being looked at from the outside by companies and retails such as TJs.  We are not winning in perception battle.  Our political leaders are making considerable missteps that is causing Jacksonville to be labeled (behind the times) and undesirable for fresh companies or retailers to like TJs to consider.  Now that our population is starting to drastically slow, maybe our leaders will start to listen.  I don't know.

I don't necessarily think we're looked at in a poor light (not that you said we were...)...  We are afterall getting the "IKEA" of fashion....  H&M is opening next week at the Avenues...lol.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Paint me as the sunshiny homer or whatever, I'm just telling it like it is.

Can I go with Pollyanna?   

[CityLife]

I really don't buy that extreme conservatism or "uncoolness" is really the cause of our troubles. The city was just as conservative and uncool, if not more so, in previous times when we had strong leaders and positive growth was rolling along.

Times have changed in a big way and the "cool" factor is a big driver of growth amongst younger generations. Many of whom can work from home (i.e they can live wherever they want). With our economy becoming more information based and with technological increases, will working from home be an even more common occurrence in the future? If so the cool factor like concerts, arts, sporting events, parks, Trader Joes/IKEA/Etc will be more and more a driving factor for the younger generations.

Perhaps, but our deeper issues underlie any perception issue. Simply getting some ostensibly desirable chain retailer to open up here isn't going to fix anything.

Perception and reality are interrelated. A city with perception issues isn't going to be able to overcome its obstacles as easily as one without them.

I never said Trader Joes or Ikea are the magic bullet to our woes...but the cool factor is definitely at play in economic development/growth.  Businesses like Trader Joe's, IKEA, H&M, etc are positives that help a cities livability and desirability, especially for the younger generations. Which can certainly help solve Jax's deeper issues.

[coredumped]

But Gainesville???
You think Gainesville has a more "cool" factor than Jacksonville?

It's depressing when chains choose a town like Gainesville of us.

[fieldafm]

But Gainesville???
You think Gainesville has a more "cool" factor than Jacksonville?

It's depressing when chains choose a town like Gainesville of us.

Gainesville is a hop, skip and a jump of a truck drive to the distribution center. 

[I-10east]

It's depressing when chains choose a town like Gainesville of us.

It's depressing to have a pity party because a store isn't located here in Jax. We (well not me) will have this Trader Joes/IKEA for a couple of days, only to find some other old negative news to gripe about. Hypothetically we got the Trader's Joes in the SJTC, then 60% of MJ would cry & moan about it not being in an urban setting, so it's a no win situation either way you look at it. I really feel for some of you sometimes, I hope that life is going okay. 2 million population is 2 million and we don't have it here, so why have a pity party? Can we atleast reserve the Jax doom & gloom scenarios for NEW information?