Hello folks!
My wife and I, along with some silent partners, purchased the commercial buildings on the NE corner of Edgewood and Post. The majority investors are in Miami but as the primary decision makers, my wife and I would really like to have this building meet the needs of the community. We also favor local establishments and would be willing to work with anyone who can add some vibrancy to this block.
So in ronchamblin fashion I'm coming to MJ members to seek ideas and/or potential tenants for the building on Edgewood Ave across from Murray Hill Theatre. The Curry Thomas Hardware Store closed down this weekend and vacated over 4000 sq ft. of space. We will have a brand new roof up there imminently with other improvements planned and/or negotiable. There is also an ~1k sq ft vacant space in the building facing the Dreamette. Everything is zoned CCG-1.
We've discussed the possibility of redevelopment into mixed use at some point in the future (With our very own Lakelander leading the design and implementation if we go that route) but right now it looks like that would be down the road a bit if it happens.
Please don't hesitate to reach out. We were thrilled to acquire these buildings because we are big fans of Murray Hill and believe this property is ideally positioned to serve residents in the area. Let us know what you think and come forward if you are interested in a space.
TIA!
Congratulations! I ran into one of the owner-operators of the old Kent Theatres at Sunray recently. He told me how much fun it would be to turn Tony's place, the Murray Hill Theatre, back into a theatre and start showing pictures again. Sunray was able to take the front area of their space and create a 2nd theatre, with help from local builders. If MHT wants to stay with its current path, fine, but a small indie theatre would be awesome, in the old Curry Thomas space.
Besides options going in the buildings, figure out what the neighborhood needs, is lacking and find someone who can make it work. Pet store, cigar shop, another Edge City come to mind. Perhaps Steve Williams could give some insight into his plans for the old Peterson building and what he may suggest in the space in MH.
Thanks to you both. Stephen, message me to set up lunch.
Mtrain, I am anxious to see how Steve Williams' project turns out. I haven't heard any updates in awhile, but I'm very interested in doing a similar concept in another part of town if his is well-received. And of course, trying to figure out what MH needs is exactly what we're trying to do.
Hmmm a health food store, nice bars, a speacilty beer store and places open later than two. Moon river and occasionally maple street are the only late night food options.
Congrats
Congratulations Max. That is a very important commercial block for the neighborhood and could be a real catalyst for development. Best of luck.
I suggest a motorcycle service shop.........
Congrats, Max.
I hear these guys are looking to expand, might be some competition for Dreamette
https://www.facebook.com/ThreeFxIcecreamwaffles
Sad to see Curry Thomas leave we have had a business account with them for years. Any chance of another hardware store? Doubtful I guess given the proximity of Lowes.
Quote from: JeffreyS on August 03, 2015, 10:11:53 AM
Sad to see Curry Thomas leave we have had a business account with them for years. Any chance of another hardware store? Doubtful I guess given the proximity of Lowes.
Speaking of "curry" I think the area would do well with an Indian restaurant. That's one thing Riverside, etc lacks and would likely support. Jax doesn't have very many Indian restaurants and the ones it does have aren't all that great.
Of course, unless you have a penchant for cooking Indian food, I doubt there's much you could do with this sage "advice".
Congrats on getting the buildings! I look forward to seeing what you do.
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on August 03, 2015, 10:49:51 AM
Peterson's will be the new home of Hoptingers (a beach bro's bong rip that has come to life and serves food and beer). Because what 5 Points needs now for further success is more beer.
What would you like to see go into 5 points?
Quote from: camarocane on August 03, 2015, 10:08:29 AM
I hear these guys are looking to expand, might be some competition for Dreamette
https://www.facebook.com/ThreeFxIcecreamwaffles
+10000000000000000000000
They're the best!
Congrats on the new space! Although I have an idea what you could do with that old space, since I'm no longer in town and I dare not speak for my friends that live in MH, I would hope you and your wife and all parties involved use due diligence on what would be the best use, and tennant fit for that space.
With all the investment in the area from people like yourselves, the possibilities for the neighborhood are endless. GL!
Thanks, John/Capt/Josh/Adam!
Quote from: benfranklinbof on August 03, 2015, 09:18:59 AM
Hmmm a health food store, nice bars, a speacilty beer store and places open later than two. Moon river and occasionally maple street are the only late night food options.
How late would you want something open? 3am? 24 hours?
It looks like Moon River is only open til 10p?
We have been working on a late night food concept that we might try at this location...
Quote from: camarocane on August 03, 2015, 10:08:29 AM
I hear these guys are looking to expand, might be some competition for Dreamette
https://www.facebook.com/ThreeFxIcecreamwaffles
Haha, I have been talking to them for several months. I think they would be a perfect fit...this would be Jax's ice cream corner. Right now their Jax franchises are going in Mandarin-area and around UNF, iirc. But we'll see.
Quote from: JeffreyS on August 03, 2015, 10:11:53 AM
Sad to see Curry Thomas leave we have had a business account with them for years. Any chance of another hardware store? Doubtful I guess given the proximity of Lowes.
This took us by total surprise. It was a 0-day notice. Would have been nice to know ahead of time but I think they had a very poor relationship with the previous owners so oh well. If another Hardware Store is a good fit and can be successful then I'll fight to make it happen, but it's doubtful. Curry Thomas' rents were literally about 30% of market rate...and they couldn't make it work.
Quote from: Adam White on August 03, 2015, 11:00:07 AM
Speaking of "curry" I think the area would do well with an Indian restaurant. That's one thing Riverside, etc lacks and would likely support. Jax doesn't have very many Indian restaurants and the ones it does have aren't all that great.
Of course, unless you have a penchant for cooking Indian food, I doubt there's much you could do with this sage "advice".
Congrats on getting the buildings! I look forward to seeing what you do.
I am no Indian food expert but I do love it and we have a large Indian population in town. I always enjoy most of the establishments along Baymeadows (aka Bombaymeadows). I think last time I counted was 7 restaurants and 3 Indian grocers. For personal bias I'd love to have an Indian restaurant there...we'll see.
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on August 03, 2015, 11:18:31 AM
Congrats on the new space! Although I have an idea what you could do with that old space, since I'm no longer in town and I dare not speak for my friends that live in MH, I would hope you and your wife and all parties involved use due diligence on what would be the best use, and tennant fit for that space.
With all the investment in the area from people like yourselves, the possibilities for the neighborhood are endless. GL!
Please share! Dont worry about steering us wrong, we will do diligence! It's just about collecting ideas for now and moving forward.
Quote from: benfranklinbof on August 03, 2015, 11:12:54 AM
Quote from: camarocane on August 03, 2015, 10:08:29 AM
I hear these guys are looking to expand, might be some competition for Dreamette
https://www.facebook.com/ThreeFxIcecreamwaffles
+10000000000000000000000
They're the best!
Yeah, they kill it. Before we even got the MH buildings I had been trying to get them to open in the core cause this is a spot we'd often bring visitors to and it's quite a hike from us just for dessert.
Quote from: Josh on August 03, 2015, 09:58:45 AM
I suggest a motorcycle service shop.........
Congrats, Max.
Josh, I assume this is a joke about that broken down bike I found. Well coincidentally we already have a bike shop on the premises lol. I'm not sure if they're open for business yet, but they've been building out their space for a few months. The garage fronting Post St at this corner.
My $0.02:
A butcher shop
A garden shop/hardware shop (think ACE Hardware)
An outdoor retail - kayak / canoe / paddle board / ammo / camping - Obviously nothing too large, but could be tied in with another larger retailer
Find the old owners of the Mexican restaurant that is now Gina's and beg them to re-open
Golf / tennis pro-shop
Bike shop - sales/service - think ZenCog, not Open Road
High-End(ish) Consignment shop - (Plato's closet)
Some sort of tech-store - home security / networking / PI type stuff
+10000 on the Indian food and 3FX. Have to drive to baymeadows for both and many people do.
Quote from: Adam White on August 03, 2015, 11:00:07 AM
Speaking of "curry" I think the area would do well with an Indian restaurant. That's one thing Riverside, etc lacks and would likely support. Jax doesn't have very many Indian restaurants and the ones it does have aren't all that great.
This too,
I think this area needs more culture. Aromas boba tea would fit in well I think. We certainly do not need another BBQ joint, gastropub, or burger place.
Very exciting, Maximus, this is awesome news and it's only Monday!
Quote from: camarocane on August 03, 2015, 10:08:29 AM
I hear these guys are looking to expand, might be some competition for Dreamette
https://www.facebook.com/ThreeFxIcecreamwaffles
If that's true, that could be an interesting option. That place is always packed, including at night, and it's in Baymeadows. Doubt they'd need 4000sf though.
For that space, I'd try to think of things we don't have in the urban core (that preferably could earn their keep for y'all as well).
For example, as someone with Filipinos in the family, I've never understood why there aren't any truly great Filipino restaurants in town (ok, I do understand why; it's because they mainly cook their awesome food at home). An Indian restaurant could also be a big hit, I think.
Going outside the box for that kind of space, I might suggest looking at an urban bowling alley. These places have been big in a lot of cities, and I think it's only a matter of time before one hits Jax. Splitsville (http://www.splitsvillelanes.com/) out of Tampa has been successful with kind of a scaled-down, urban model of what Latitute 360 does, with bowling plus good food and drinks; there are others in Miami and Downtown Disney and perhaps elsewhere. They may be a bit too gimmicky to work in urban Jax, though, but I went to this place (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saccos-Bowl-Haven/116704485021010) in Boston. Sacco's is a combination candlepin bowling alley (a type of bowling only found in New England) plus a really good flatbread pizzeria and craft beer bar. A similar place minus the food and with regular bowling is The Gutter (http://www.thegutterbrooklyn.com/) in Brooklyn. Plus, there's a custom bowling alley company (http://www.fusionbowling.com/) in Downtown Jax.
I really like the urban bowling alley(plus maybe small bar) and Indian restaurant ideas. My sister lives in Brooklyn and this place is her favorite indian spot http://www.panna2.com/index.html (http://www.panna2.com/index.html). It is a ton of fun all packed into a small space and would be a great concept to work off of. Just divide up the 4000 sq/ft and have multiple uses!
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on August 03, 2015, 12:08:36 PM
My $0.02:
A butcher shop
A garden shop/hardware shop (think ACE Hardware)
An outdoor retail - kayak / canoe / paddle board / ammo / camping - Obviously nothing too large, but could be tied in with another larger retailer
Find the old owners of the Mexican restaurant that is now Gina's and beg them to re-open
Golf / tennis pro-shop
Bike shop - sales/service - think ZenCog, not Open Road
High-End(ish) Consignment shop - (Plato's closet)
Some sort of tech-store - home security / networking / PI type stuff
I think a bike shop sells Brompton folding bikes would do well - those will catch on eventually. Apparently they are popular in NYC these days and they (unfortunately) appear to be in the process of becoming the next "fixed wheel/fixed gear bike".
https://www.brompton.com (https://www.brompton.com)
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 03, 2015, 11:21:25 AM
Thanks, John/Capt/Josh/Adam!
Quote from: benfranklinbof on August 03, 2015, 09:18:59 AM
Hmmm a health food store, nice bars, a speacilty beer store and places open later than two. Moon river and occasionally maple street are the only late night food options.
How late would you want something open? 3am? 24 hours?
It looks like Moon River is only open til 10p?
We have been working on a late night food concept that we might try at this location...
Quote from: camarocane on August 03, 2015, 10:08:29 AM
I hear these guys are looking to expand, might be some competition for Dreamette
https://www.facebook.com/ThreeFxIcecreamwaffles
Haha, I have been talking to them for several months. I think they would be a perfect fit...this would be Jax's ice cream corner. Right now their Jax franchises are going in Mandarin-area and around UNF, iirc. But we'll see.
Quote from: JeffreyS on August 03, 2015, 10:11:53 AM
Sad to see Curry Thomas leave we have had a business account with them for years. Any chance of another hardware store? Doubtful I guess given the proximity of Lowes.
This took us by total surprise. It was a 0-day notice. Would have been nice to know ahead of time but I think they had a very poor relationship with the previous owners so oh well. If another Hardware Store is a good fit and can be successful then I'll fight to make it happen, but it's doubtful. Curry Thomas' rents were literally about 30% of market rate...and they couldn't make it work.
Quote from: Adam White on August 03, 2015, 11:00:07 AM
Speaking of "curry" I think the area would do well with an Indian restaurant. That's one thing Riverside, etc lacks and would likely support. Jax doesn't have very many Indian restaurants and the ones it does have aren't all that great.
Of course, unless you have a penchant for cooking Indian food, I doubt there's much you could do with this sage "advice".
Congrats on getting the buildings! I look forward to seeing what you do.
I am no Indian food expert but I do love it and we have a large Indian population in town. I always enjoy most of the establishments along Baymeadows (aka Bombaymeadows). I think last time I counted was 7 restaurants and 3 Indian grocers. For personal bias I'd love to have an Indian restaurant there...we'll see.
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on August 03, 2015, 11:18:31 AM
Congrats on the new space! Although I have an idea what you could do with that old space, since I'm no longer in town and I dare not speak for my friends that live in MH, I would hope you and your wife and all parties involved use due diligence on what would be the best use, and tennant fit for that space.
With all the investment in the area from people like yourselves, the possibilities for the neighborhood are endless. GL!
Please share! Dont worry about steering us wrong, we will do diligence! It's just about collecting ideas for now and moving forward.
I believe Moon River closes way too early. I've been in there during closing time and people were still eating and there were also people still trying to sneak in. A late night place could definitely survive in the area.
A lot places close around 2 in Murray hill which is a bummer for people like me who works a 6-2pm job. I'm a young millennial who wants something that's open later than two. I have to leave my hood so I can satisfy my food cravings.
So, say goodbye to Tradewinds and A Tavern??
Quote from: UNFurbanist on August 03, 2015, 02:07:49 PM
I really like the urban bowling alley(plus maybe small bar) and Indian restaurant ideas. My sister lives in Brooklyn and this place is her favorite indian spot http://www.panna2.com/index.html (http://www.panna2.com/index.html). It is a ton of fun all packed into a small space and would be a great concept to work off of. Just divide up the 4000 sq/ft and have multiple uses!
Yeah, I think spacewise this is almost exactly the same as Sacco's including the restaurant, kitchen and (really good) bar. The place was busy enough midweek that we had to wait several hours for a lane and there weren't even seats in the bar.
Quote from: benfranklinbof on August 03, 2015, 02:36:11 PM
I believe Moon River closes way too early. I've been in there during closing time and people were still eating and there were also people still trying to sneak in. A late night place could definitely survive in the area.
A lot places close around 2 in Murray hill which is a bummer for people like me who works a 6-2pm job. I'm a young millennial who wants something that's open later than two. I have to leave my hood so I can satisfy my food cravings.
Ohhhh, this makes sense now. I thought you were saying 2am (you know, typical closing time for most establishments in this city). Gotcha...yes, I'm with you on wanting a hangout late into the evening. Maybe Vagabond will have later hours?
Quote from: Live_Oak on August 03, 2015, 02:54:40 PM
So, say goodbye to Tradewinds and A Tavern??
They seem to be doing alright. At least they're paying on time and although still below market rate, their rent is well above what Curry Thomas was paying.
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 02, 2015, 10:10:46 PM
Hello folks!
My wife and I, along with some silent partners, purchased the commercial buildings on the NE corner of Edgewood and Post. The majority investors are in Miami but as the primary decision makers, my wife and I would really like to have this building meet the needs of the community. We also favor local establishments and would be willing to work with anyone who can add some vibrancy to this block.
So in ronchamblin fashion I'm coming to MJ members to seek ideas and/or potential tenants for the building on Edgewood Ave across from Murray Hill Theatre. The Curry Thomas Hardware Store closed down this weekend and vacated over 4000 sq ft. of space. We will have a brand new roof up there imminently with other improvements planned and/or negotiable. There is also an ~1k sq ft vacant space in the building facing the Dreamette. Everything is zoned CCG-1.
We've discussed the possibility of redevelopment into mixed use at some point in the future (With our very own Lakelander leading the design and implementation if we go that route) but right now it looks like that would be down the road a bit if it happens.
Please don't hesitate to reach out. We were thrilled to acquire these buildings because we are big fans of Murray Hill and believe this property is ideally positioned to serve residents in the area. Let us know what you think and come forward if you are interested in a space.
TIA!
Congrats. I know you two have been working on this for quite a while. I'm glad to see some progress made and I wish for the best!
^Thanks, Lake.
I like the bowling alley idea, and I'm really enticed by the Indian restaurant for selfish reasons. Anybody want to do it?
Quote from: UNFurbanist on August 03, 2015, 02:07:49 PM
I really like the urban bowling alley(plus maybe small bar) and Indian restaurant ideas. My sister lives in Brooklyn and this place is her favorite indian spot http://www.panna2.com/index.html (http://www.panna2.com/index.html). It is a ton of fun all packed into a small space and would be a great concept to work off of. Just divide up the 4000 sq/ft and have multiple uses!
Noticed panna is owned by a "Mr. Khan"
I live in Murray Hill and am extremely excited about all the new prospects for our hood!
Any chance we can meet up to discuss some of these awesome ideas that everyone has shared, as well as some of my own? :-X
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 03, 2015, 03:36:35 PM
^Thanks, Lake.
I like the bowling alley idea, and I'm really enticed by the Indian restaurant for selfish reasons. Anybody want to do it?
Quote from: UNFurbanist on August 03, 2015, 02:07:49 PM
I really like the urban bowling alley(plus maybe small bar) and Indian restaurant ideas. My sister lives in Brooklyn and this place is her favorite indian spot http://www.panna2.com/index.html (http://www.panna2.com/index.html). It is a ton of fun all packed into a small space and would be a great concept to work off of. Just divide up the 4000 sq/ft and have multiple uses!
Noticed panna is owned by a "Mr. Khan"
I've made a point of suggesting at every Indian place I go to that if they got to Riverside-Avondale (Murry Hill should be close enough) first, they'd kill it. The usual response is that so much of their business is from the community that's based in the older Southside area that they don't want to get too far from it (it's not called "Bombaymeadows" for nothing). I really think it would work if they just brought that quality of food and made sure the atmosphere was cool. You might talk to the owners of Mint for advice.
On urban bowling, there are a few in Florida, but the ones I've seen are kind of, well, yuppyish. Doing it... differently would definitely be a chance to do something that would stand out in the region (not knocking "yuppyish", btw, in their contexts many of them are very successful).
And if you want something more true to the spirit of Florida, there's always shuffleboard (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/fashion/Brooklyn-Royal-Palms-Shuffleboard-Club.html?_r=0), which has also now been Brooklynized.
Quote from: johnnyliar on August 03, 2015, 04:09:32 PM
I live in Murray Hill and am extremely excited about all the new prospects for our hood!
Any chance we can meet up to discuss some of these awesome ideas that everyone has shared, as well as some of my own? :-X
Are you suggesting a Murray Hill charette?
Sure!
sounds like fun!
How about at the next MJ meetup? And does anyone know any of the local Indian restauranteurs?
Indian lunch buffet :D
cozy tea on Pahk St serves indian food on certain occasions
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 03, 2015, 11:56:38 PM
Quote from: johnnyliar on August 03, 2015, 04:09:32 PM
I live in Murray Hill and am extremely excited about all the new prospects for our hood!
Any chance we can meet up to discuss some of these awesome ideas that everyone has shared, as well as some of my own? :-X
Are you suggesting a Murray Hill charette?
Hmmm... I want to join :) I have some ideas of my own.
I vote Pho restaurant (they need to make sure boba tea, banh xeo, and banh mi on their menu)!!! and Indian restaurant, heck, why not both?
Congrats to you both, M & K :) I've been excited about this since day 1!
Quote from: camarocane on August 03, 2015, 10:08:29 AM
I hear these guys are looking to expand, might be some competition for Dreamette
https://www.facebook.com/ThreeFxIcecreamwaffles
Just to let everyone know that in the State of Florida that Dreamette was nominated as the NUMBER ONE ice cream place in Florida. Which means they out did everyone else.
No competition at all for Dreamette.
I haven't read the entire thread but I know that Tacolu was looking into expanding into the MH area at one point. If they are still weighing options, this might be a good opportunity for them.
Quote from: benfranklinbof on August 04, 2015, 11:47:02 PM
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 03, 2015, 11:56:38 PM
Quote from: johnnyliar on August 03, 2015, 04:09:32 PM
I live in Murray Hill and am extremely excited about all the new prospects for our hood!
Any chance we can meet up to discuss some of these awesome ideas that everyone has shared, as well as some of my own? :-X
Are you suggesting a Murray Hill charette?
Hmmm... I want to join :) I have some ideas of my own.
Ok. Stay tuned. I will update. :)
Quote from: lisavietnamesa on August 07, 2015, 05:03:58 PM
I vote Pho restaurant (they need to make sure boba tea, banh xeo, and banh mi on their menu)!!! and Indian restaurant, heck, why not both?
Congrats to you both, M & K :) I've been excited about this since day 1!
Lisa!!! Hilarious screen name! Thanks :)
Quote from: ONESTOP THRIFTSHOP on August 07, 2015, 05:29:59 PM
Quote from: camarocane on August 03, 2015, 10:08:29 AM
I hear these guys are looking to expand, might be some competition for Dreamette
https://www.facebook.com/ThreeFxIcecreamwaffles
Just to let everyone know that in the State of Florida that Dreamette was nominated as the NUMBER ONE ice cream place in Florida. Which means they out did everyone else.
No competition at all for Dreamette.
Lol. Well I think the more the merrier. This could be Jax's Ice Cream Corner. 5fx does insanely well at their original location. I was there once on a Friday evening for about 20 minutes and overall saw about 60 people. In fact we timed five minutes exactly and counted out 11 new customers. At that rate they had 132 per hour...
Quote from: ANGLOMAX on August 07, 2015, 05:48:37 PM
I haven't read the entire thread but I know that Tacolu was looking into expanding into the MH area at one point. If they are still weighing options, this might be a good opportunity for them.
That's true. I'll reach out to them again.
Chipotle.
Would love to see a Murray Hill version of Springfield's Three Layer Cakes. Would be nice to have a place to go for a sandwich, cake and some wine or been while hanging around in comfortable chairs with creative people.
How about a good Mexican restaurant?
Murray Hill really needs an art gallery to showcase work from local artists.
There are so many artists in Murray Hill but no real center to rally around and bounce ideas off of each other.
My family and I live on Trask St about two blocks from Edgewood.
One of the most annoying things in my opinion is getting in my car to drive to a grocery store. Publix in Riverside is horrible, parking is a nightmare and the store has a crazy layout. Publix on Roosevelt also suffers from parking problems. This is a very walkable neighborhood and there are how many residents in the Florida Christian Apts? That is why I think the building would be perfect for a smallish neighborhood grocery store. Carry the staples but also some specialty stuff, resell bread from Knead and Community Loaves to expose others to their products. This neighborhood has the population density to support such a store, especially with all the folks in the apartments. Gourmet whatever and boutique shmoutiques are a silly idea because they are not what everyone needs. Everyone needs a grocery store within walking distance it ties a neighborhood together. When I lived in The Bronx our corner store made some serious money off neighborhood people that WALKED or BIKED to the store, and it was a huge convenience. If there was an affordable neighborhood grocery store I would spend the majority of grocery budget for 5 people there.
Or this... Replace Park Slope with Murray Hill--voila!
http://www.foodcoop.com/go.php?id=32
About the Coop
The Park Slope Food Coop, located in the heart of the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York, was founded in 1973 by a small group of committed neighbors who wanted to make healthy, affordable food available to everyone who wanted it. PSFC has more than 15,500 members, most of whom work once every four weeks in exchange for a 20-40% savings on groceries. Only members may shop at the PSFC, and membership is open to all.
The Coop carries a wide variety of products, including local, organic and conventionally grown produce; pasture-raised and grass-fed meat; free-range, organic and kosher poultry; fair-traded chocolate and coffee; wild and sustainably farmed fish; supplements and vitamins; imported and artisan cheese; freshly baked bread; bulk grains and spices; environmentally safe cleaning supplies, and much more. All of this, plus a large selection of standard supermarket items, makes the Coop a one-stop shopping destination. Sales are brisk at the PSFC and our inventory is replenished more than once every week, ensuring that the products we sell are as fresh as possible.
As a member of the Coop you share ownership of the Coop with 16,000+ fellow Coop members. You have a voice in the decision-making process and can participate in planning and discussions of the organization's future. Work, shop, learn, participate—be a part of a unique and rewarding community here in Brooklyn.
Would you like to know where your fruits and vegetables come from and how they are grown?
Would you like to buy nutritious food for much less than you're spending now?
Would you like access to foods from all over the world?
How would you like cooking classes where you can learn how to prepare these foods?
Would you like to learn about and participate in the growth and direction of this dynamic organization?
As a member of the Park Slope Food Coop, you'll be able to do all this and more.
A few other cool ideas for a neighborhood grocery would be..
A Kick Starter: The owners of Community Loaves had a very successful Kick Starter campaign to replace their oven. My family participated. The smart thing they did was to sell bread and other services. This could also work for a grocery store, sell a grocery budget and give those individuals a discount and maybe a grand opening party.
An inventory app: Have an app that has an up to date inventory of the stores stock. Include a grocery list utility with that inventory so we can plan our shopping and know what's there. The app could organize your items by aisle and guide you while shopping.
Delivery: Have a small delivery radius so people can order last minute items for a convenience fee. The radius would be small so the deliveries would be made by bicycle.
DO NOT DO SELF CHECKOUT: Employ only people from the neighborhood who can walk or bike to work. There are a bunch of teenagers who live in the neighborhood that would love to have a job close to home bagging groceries or checking customers out.
Partner with RAM vendors: They could have an appropriately sized section to sell their items throughout the week.
Neighborhood discount or membership and discount with verified address.
JC, I really love your thoughts and insight!! You have no idea how much I've hoped for an urban grocery for Murray Hill and Springfield/Downtown. I even thought about trying to do it in San Marco and to hell with the Publix project that's taking so long.
But ultimately all my research led me to decide it was beyond my ability/expertise. The grocery game seems to be played with razor-thin margins and an amateur could lose big time lol. Urban groceries often seem to need subsidies even for the experienced players.
If someone else is interested in doing this though, I'd love to hear more!!! Coops are an option as you said, as are CSAs. Have you heard of Farmigo? Or city sprout?
http://fortune.com/2014/08/04/can-this-startup-kill-off-the-supermarket/
http://wellandgood.com/2012/08/13/a-tech-start-up-brings-farm-fresh-produce-to-your-block/
I've tried to track down Julie from the "Julie's Urban Grocery" concept and I've attempted to reach out to a bunch of the smaller footprint grocery chains sweeping the country, but so far to no avail.
Quote from: MurrayHillResident on August 08, 2015, 10:52:19 PM
Chipotle.
We're on board. Dont get your hopes up but we'll see if they have any interest. 8)
Thanks for sharing, boldboy. I really hope all of those concepts come to reality in MH, and I hope we can add to some of that vision.
Quote from: JC on August 09, 2015, 11:05:34 AM
My family and I live on Trask St about two blocks from Edgewood.
One of the most annoying things in my opinion is getting in my car to drive to a grocery store. Publix in Riverside is horrible, parking is a nightmare and the store has a crazy layout. Publix on Roosevelt also suffers from parking problems. This is a very walkable neighborhood and there are how many residents in the Florida Christian Apts? That is why I think the building would be perfect for a smallish neighborhood grocery store. Carry the staples but also some specialty stuff, resell bread from Knead and Community Loaves to expose others to their products. This neighborhood has the population density to support such a store, especially with all the folks in the apartments. Gourmet whatever and boutique shmoutiques are a silly idea because they are not what everyone needs. Everyone needs a grocery store within walking distance it ties a neighborhood together. When I lived in The Bronx our corner store made some serious money off neighborhood people that WALKED or BIKED to the store, and it was a huge convenience. If there was an affordable neighborhood grocery store I would spend the majority of grocery budget for 5 people there.
I would love for this side of town to have a Trader Joe's. Bring one to Murray Hill.
So I was in Chattanooga recently and I went to this bar that I thought was freaking awesome! It's called Southside Social and I think with the space you have here maybe you could bring something like this to the area? Or maybe it would be better suited for an area of downtown/Brooklyn but someone needs to do something like this in Jax!
http://thesouthsidesocial.com (http://thesouthsidesocial.com)
I'm going to that bar next week, I can't wait!
Quote from: UNFurbanist on September 30, 2015, 01:30:15 PM
So I was in Chattanooga recently and I went to this bar that I thought was freaking awesome! It's called Southside Social and I think with the space you have here maybe you could bring something like this to the area? Or maybe it would be better suited for an area of downtown/Brooklyn but someone needs to do something like this in Jax!
http://thesouthsidesocial.com (http://thesouthsidesocial.com)
That looks great. Well, we need someone to do it and we'll work with them. I can't actually do it myself. Been trying, reaching out to a lot of folks who might have the means and interest. It's definitely harder than I thought it would be.
No doubt it's not easy. But nothing worth doing is right? Keep up the good work and just get creative with it! :)