Pharmacy hinted for new VyStar parking garage Downtown

thelakelander · February 21, 2022, 08:05:23 AM

Quote"There are some people who we know in this room that are talking about bringing a CVS or a Walgreens in," panelist Laura Phillips Edgecombe said at a discussion after the Feb. 11 Jacksonville Women's Network tour.

Full article: https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/pharmacy-hinted-for-new-vystar-parking-garage-downtown

heights unknown · February 21, 2022, 07:24:26 PM

Wow.

Ken_FSU · February 21, 2022, 10:17:08 PM

Would be a great get for downtown.

That said, 7,000 square feet would be a super small footprint for a Walgreens or CVS, which typically more than double that.

If it happens, I'd guess it would probably be more of a small drugstore focused on medicine (Walgreens has been piloting small pharmacy centric stores) than a traditional Walgreens/CVS store.

thelakelander · February 21, 2022, 11:07:59 PM

^They've been experimenting with smaller formats. I've seen a Walgreens as small as 3,000 square feet, although most tend to be somewhere between 8,000 and 14,500 square feet like you mentioned.

jaxjaguar · February 22, 2022, 11:39:14 AM

We have one right at 7k Square foot here in Orlando. It's in College Park and been there since at least 2008 (that's as far back as I can go in google street view). I feel like it's the perfect size for an urban location. They still have all of the basic items you'd need, just less variety and more condensed compared to a larger store.

MusicMan · February 22, 2022, 09:10:45 PM

Maybe we can brand Starbucks as a high quality purveyor of the stimulant caffeine and get one in DT Jax too.

jaxjaguar · February 23, 2022, 10:32:41 AM

Quote from: MusicMan on February 22, 2022, 09:10:45 PM
Maybe we can brand Starbucks as a high quality purveyor of the stimulant caffeine and get one in DT Jax too.

I don't think there'll be a Starbucks in the CBD anytime soon. Not enough consistent foot traffic / residents to support them. The one in the Landing closed a little over 10 years ago. Until people see downtown as a place to live, play and work there just won't be enough people to support some of the larger brands.

thelakelander · February 23, 2022, 11:00:55 AM

I could see something in Brooklyn. Follow the corridors with the higher AADTs.

Ken_FSU · February 23, 2022, 02:11:48 PM

After several years of delays, parking garage has gone vertical!

fieldafm · February 23, 2022, 03:28:05 PM

Quote from: thelakelander on February 23, 2022, 11:00:55 AM
I could see something in Brooklyn. Follow the corridors with the higher AADTs.

Who gives a sh!t about Starbucks?!?

Brooklyn is getting something much better anyway.

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-hub-infill-development-proposed-for-brooklyn/

Captain Zissou · February 23, 2022, 03:59:00 PM

Quote from: fieldafm on February 23, 2022, 03:28:05 PM
Brooklyn is getting something much better anyway.

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-hub-infill-development-proposed-for-brooklyn/

Has work started on this? I don't get over to that area very often, but that article is almost 2 years old at this point.

MusicMan · February 23, 2022, 05:09:03 PM

"Who gives a sh!t about Starbucks?!?"

A lot of people not name Mike Field evidently. Every time we mention a peer city we want to be like, you can bet it's got a Starbucks (or two). It's sort of a base line bellwether for pretty much every city of worth in USA. Not Jax of course, which pretty much says something, whether you understand or not. Last time I check, two of the hottest areas surrounding DT, San Marco and Riverside, had them in critical anchor positions. Imagine that?

fieldafm · February 23, 2022, 05:22:13 PM

I'm far from an apologist, but a Starbucks isn't going to make or break Downtown Jacksonville. If you are drinking Starbucks, you are drinking terrible coffee anyway.

Ground Level Coffee and Back to the Grind Coffee have opened up since the pandemic started.

On weekends, Bread and Board, Chamblins, and Urban Grind are all open. In the evenings and into the late night, Headroom Coffee is open.

I'm much more concerned with the amount of unique things to do in DT Jax, that aren't available in Anywhere/Anyneighborhood USA.... and clustering those uses together in a walkable, compact setting. Starbucks goes INTO high traffic areas, they don't bring traffic to an area. Get that cluster of uses together, and naturally national credit tenants will be interested.

If the Ash family gave Starbucks free rent so they opened tomorrow in the Truist Building.... BFD.

fieldafm · February 23, 2022, 05:26:26 PM

Quote from: Captain Zissou on February 23, 2022, 03:59:00 PM
Quote from: fieldafm on February 23, 2022, 03:28:05 PM
Brooklyn is getting something much better anyway.

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-hub-infill-development-proposed-for-brooklyn/

Has work started on this? I don't get over to that area very often, but that article is almost 2 years old at this point.

No. My understanding is that the hierarchy was Avondale (opened 4Q2020); Jax Beach (under construction now, the second floor/rooftop lounge is being built on the structure as we speak); St Augustine (work hasn't started, but is next on list), and then Brooklyn.

Hell, the Forrest Street/Riverside Avenue intersection is still undergoing construction.

thelakelander · February 23, 2022, 06:26:02 PM

Quote from: MusicMan on February 23, 2022, 05:09:03 PM
"Who gives a sh!t about Starbucks?!?"

A lot of people not name Mike Field evidently. Every time we mention a peer city we want to be like, you can bet it's got a Starbucks (or two). It's sort of a base line bellwether for pretty much every city of worth in USA. Not Jax of course, which pretty much says something, whether you understand or not. Last time I check, two of the hottest areas surrounding DT, San Marco and Riverside, had them in critical anchor positions. Imagine that?

I forgot. There is a Starbucks in the Baptist medical complex. Does that location count?