The Growing Appeal of Specialty Food Stores

[Artichoke]

The New York Times had an interesting article yesterday about how managers of both commercial and rental buildings are increasingly receptive to renting or selling retail space to specialty food stores as opposed to ordinary supermarkets or delis.

I think it is a great trend that we all stand to benifit from.

(registration req.)

Growing Appeal of Specialty Food Stores

[cakewalk]

"Stephen Klym, managing director of Warburg Realty Partnership, a residential brokerage, said, "Gourmet is the key word ? it has to be like shopping on Park Avenue." While grocery stores in general are not considered highly desirable, he said, the upscale Whole Foods stores in the basement of the Time-Warner Center at Columbus Circle and in the Chelsea Mercantile building on Seventh Avenue at 24th Street, part of an international chain featuring natural food, are considered desirable amenities, rather then problems."

I have mixed feelings about this whole trend, just as I have mixed feelings about the gentrification of many New York neighborhoods (of which this, I believe, is a part). I like specialty shops. Once in a while I can even afford to buy things in them. But while it's nice to see them around, it is part of the changing face of the city's neighborhoods. These stores have a particular clientele, and that clientele has to be within a certain wage earning capacity. It's not as if having more of these types of stores actually introduces more people to specialty foods and diversified ways of cooking and eating. Or does it? That would be nice, but I suspect it limits and even omits more people than it introduces to its products. It bothers me that Manhattan continues the trend of being a city for the wealthy.

[Daniel]

I have mixed feelings about this whole trend, just as I have mixed feelings about the gentrification of many New York neighborhoods (of which this, I believe, is a part). I like specialty shops. Once in a while I can even afford to buy things in them. But while it's nice to see them around, it is part of the changing face of the city's neighborhoods. These stores have a particular clientele, and that clientele has to be within a certain wage earning capacity. It's not as if having more of these types of stores actually introduces more people to specialty foods and diversified ways of cooking and eating. Or does it? That would be nice, but I suspect it limits and even omits more people than it introduces to its products. It bothers me that Manhattan continues the trend of being a city for the wealthy.

If there wasnt a demand, these places would quickly shut down.

[Mulcahy]

But while it's nice to see them around, it is part of the changing face of the city's neighborhoods.

I think, or rather hope, that we may be seeing a return to the neighborhood market with the advent of these stores. In other words, the "I'll go to the fishmonger, or butcher, or cheese store rather than the large supermarket." I hope so, anyway.

Also, the large New York supermarkets are terrible tenants. I say this from the perspective of an attorney who does a large amount of landlord-tenant work. The supermarkets awaken building residents at very early hours, cause noxious (i.e. cooking) smells to permeate the building, leave huge quantities of trash on the sidewalk, etc. etc. If I had a valuable investment in a co-op apartment, I wouldn't want these folks as commercial tenants (even if I was just a renter in a building I still wouldn't want them as tenants). And the restrictive lease clauses mentioned in the article (delivery restrictions etc.) are notoriously hard to enforce and routinely broken. The smaller gourmet food store is less of a problem because many of the supermarket problems caused by size are avoided. As an aside, I don't think there is anyway that Whole Foods wouldn't be a problem in a residential building, simply because of its size. They might be sleeker than Gristede's but they have many of the same issues regarding deliveries and the like.

[cakewalk]

But while it's nice to see them around, it is part of the changing face of the city's neighborhoods.

I think, or rather hope, that we may be seeing a return to the neighborhood market with the advent of these stores. In other words, the "I'll go to the fishmonger, or butcher, or cheese store rather than the large supermarket." I hope so, anyway.

I agree, that would be very nice. But it all comes down to money (of course). The fishmonger, the butcher, etc. weren't considered "specialty" stores back in the day, and if their prices weren't reasonable you went to the guy up the block or across the street. And since each shopkeeper knew that there *was* a guy up the block or across the street, they were careful about what they charged. And the shopkeepers' rents weren't astronomical, so they could charge prices that average people could afford. And on and on. I guess as long as they're considered "specialty stores" instead of just plain old food shops, it will always have come down to a matter of economics. Thems the times we lives in.

[bloviatrix]

Are you all aware that the Times ran almost an identical article back in may with the same byline? (if you're willing to search, you'll find a thread) They're running out of story ideas.

[cakewalk]

Are you all aware that the Times ran almost an identical article back in may with the same byline? (if you're willing to search, you'll find a thread) They're running out of story ideas.

Hmmmm. So are we.

[Daniel]

The New York Times had an interesting article yesterday about how managers of both commercial and rental buildings are increasingly receptive to renting or selling retail space to specialty food stores as opposed to ordinary supermarkets or delis.

I think it is a great trend that we all stand to benifit from.

(registration req.)

Growing Appeal of Specialty Food Stores

This thread was a result of that times article as artichoke had stated.

[Artichoke]

Are you all aware that the Times ran almost an identical article back in may with the same byline? (if you're willing to search, you'll find a thread) They're running out of story ideas.

I just found the article you are referring to

Food Stores: A Broader Menu

[bloviatrix]

Also, the large New York supermarkets are terrible tenants. I say this from the perspective of an attorney who does a large amount of landlord-tenant work. The supermarkets awaken building residents at very early hours, cause noxious (i.e. cooking) smells to permeate the building, leave huge quantities of trash on the sidewalk, etc. etc. If I had a valuable investment in a co-op apartment, I wouldn't want these folks as commercial tenants (even if I was just a renter in a building I still wouldn't want them as tenants).

A good friend of my lived in a co-op right above a Food Emporium. She was on the third floor and several times a week she would be awoken to the sound of truck engines idling while they were unloading deliveries. After months of frustratingly early wake-ups she approached the manager of the store and inquired as to whether the trucks could turn their motors off. The manager said he would see what he could do and sure enough the street became reasonably quiet in the early hours of the morning.

[alacarte]

as a tenant, I prefer not to live in a building that also houses a grocery store or even a specialty food store, because of the high "critter factor." Yes, fancy food stores can be infested too.

[cakewalk]

Also, the large New York supermarkets are terrible tenants.  I say this from the perspective of an attorney who does a large amount of landlord-tenant work.  The supermarkets awaken building residents at very early hours, cause noxious (i.e. cooking) smells to permeate the building, leave huge quantities of trash on the sidewalk, etc. etc.  If I had a valuable investment in a co-op apartment, I wouldn't want these folks as commercial tenants (even if I was just a renter in a building I still wouldn't want them as tenants).

A good friend of my lived in a co-op right above a Food Emporium. She was on the third floor and several times a week she would be awoken to the sound of truck engines idling while they were unloading deliveries. After months of frustratingly early wake-ups she approached the manager of the store and inquired as to whether the trucks could turn their motors off. The manager said he would see what he could do and sure enough the street became reasonably quiet in the early hours of the morning.

I like that. No lawsuits, no fights, no threats, no yelling, no arguments. A simple request, and the willingness to comply.

[Mulcahy]

I like that. No lawsuits, no fights, no threats, no yelling, no arguments. A simple request, and the willingness to comply. 

Me too. I swear that half the disputes that get to me could have been solved that way much earlier. Sigh.

as a tenant, I prefer not to live in a building that also houses a grocery store or even a specialty food store, because of the high "critter factor." Yes, fancy food stores can be infested too.

Yes, they most certainly can. Ick.