Whatever happened to the proposed North Side grocery store on Elm Street near Wick Park that Dominic Marchionda was supposed to put in? He was supposed to gut out the old R&S (I think that was the name) store but this never happened. Does anyone know why? Is it still a possibility that this can happen. Strong neighborhoods need grocery stores as anchors.
Strong grocery stores need strong patronage in order to remain profitable and
stay in business. Mr. Marchionda may have determined that a grocery store
was not a viable venture at the old R & S site.
It is true that the near north side/Wick Park neighborhood would benefit from
a real, honest-to-goodness grocery store - it will probably happen some day when
the neighborhood population has gone up some more and there enough patrons
to sustain one.
I stop at the North Side Farmers' Market frequently. Most of those who shop there are not from the Wick Park area of the north side.
Are you posted there from the time it opens till the time it closes ? Did it ever occure to you that people in the area either have productive real world jobs or are students at YSU that have more important things to do than ram to the North Side Market every little whipstitch? It's not like that it's a full service market. Give us a break we don't need a west sider telling us when and where to shop. Does the west side have a farmers market? You seem to think that the west side is superior to the other sides of town so it should have it's own farmers market with the finest food items that money can buy ... far superior to what's sold at the North Side Farmer's Market, and in greater quanity.
The building needs a lot more work than originally thought. (I've even heard some people say that the building will need to be demolished and replaced, but you know how rumors are.) Also, the deal between Mr. Marchionda and Mr. Adi (owner of Downtown Circle) who was going to operate the store, similar to his downtown store, fell through. Maybe the deal fell through because Mr. Marchionda's time frame didn't fit with Mr. Adi's? But now that there isn't a tenant lined up, it seems like Mr. Marchionda is in no rush to fix the building. Some neighbors (I'm a northsider now) are speculating that the downtown grocery store will follow the same path as the north side store that never happened.
Towntalk, why are you so convinced that Jay has some kind of west side superiority complex, or something? Is it just that he posts about west side events more often? (being from the west side, wouldn't he know about more of those?)
It's not his postings of west side events, it's his judgemental posts about folks not supporting such things as the North Side Farmers Market.
We here on the North Side had someone who kept up to date posting North Side event, but was driven off mahoningvalley.info by her critics, and I try to post some of the events, but since I'm homebound, I don't have the luxury of getting around to learn of more, and see little need to post every new business that opens on the North Side, and yes, I thank Jay for his Norh Side events posts.
Jay has done a lot of good, especially in the downtown area and made it possable for members to get to know each other better, and I applaud him, and perhaps one day he might organize a get together on a Sunday afternoon for monthly get-togathers for members at a downtown location where we can discuss ways to benefit the city as a whole as a group. Sunday would be ideal since more of us could attend, especially in the afternoon.
We are blessed with many great folks here, and could do a lot of good for our community, and Jay would make a great organizer.
My point was that not enough Wick Park area residents support this market. Will the same residents support a market at the R&S location? I don't think they will.
We should all support our own side of town and also support other things happening anywhere in the city.
FYI
The North Side Farmers' Market will be closed next Saturday because of the holiday weekend.
I agree that whenever possable that we should support local businesses, but does that mean that we should go to the NSFM every saturday even though there is nothing there that we really need? I buy for the month, and don't need to go to the store in between times for staples, and I don't eat a lot of cookies, so that the NSFM has precious little that I need. As far as bread and milk are concerned if I should need them, there is a store across the street from me that I can get them at. As to fresh produce is concerned, the only fresh vegetables I get are lettuce, tomatoes and white and sweet onions for making salads, and occassionally when I'm hungry for them green tomatoes.
I certainly applaud your efforts to buy locally, but at least in my case, I'm homebound and my friend who takes me shopping works on Saturdays, so for me at least, that's out.
As to supporting the market, if it is a full service store, and the prices are reasonable, I see no reason why it wouldn't be supported, but let me ask this question, Number 7 Fire Station will be building a new fire station in that area, and I thought it would be located near where that grocery store is suppose to be located.
Another thing to take into consideration is the college kids....the ones who are living in
the dorms will not, most likely, be buying much in the way of regular groceries ( ie:
foods that you and I would prepare at home).
A grocery store with ready to eat sandwiches, a deli, bakery, etc might have a good
chance at being a success if close to the University and downtown. Prices would need
to be very competitive with the other nearby stores.
The YSU students who live in the Lyden and Cafaro Dorms all have meal tickets for campus eateries. Most eat at the Christman Dining Hall right next to the dorms.
I have been told by friends who have children living off campus at other universities in the state that there are small grocery stores set up in areas where there are students. These areas also have a good size of local residents as well who can shop during summer months when students head home after spring semester.
Eventually' there are going to be more student apartments developed
on Michigan and Ohio Avenues south of Wick Park. I know someone who
bought several vacant lots in the neighborhood after the arsons a couple
years ago ( and the demolitions that resulted from same ) and the plan to build
several more apartment buildings there, when the time is right.
The population near Wick Park IS growing....it's just going to be a while before
it reaches the critical mass needed to support a large grocery store in that
area.
Quote from: jay on November 26, 2013, 10:10:26 AM
My point was that not enough Wick Park area residents support this market. Will the same residents support a market at the R&S location? I don't think they will.
We should all support our own side of town and also support other things happening anywhere in the city.
FYI
The North Side Farmers' Market will be closed next Saturday because of the holiday weekend.
There is plenty of support for a grocery store on the north side. I live here and hear people talk about it all the time. It does not have to be a large one. We don't need a Giant Eagle-sized store, for sure. But we needs something more than a Farmers Market or a convenience store (like Downtown Circle).
You can't possibly compare a Farmers Market to a full service grocery store. Can you purchase Milk, toilet paper, a loaf of Schwebel's bread, Cheerios, etc at the FM?
So yes, absolutely a grocery store is needed on the north side. Otherwise we have to continue driving to Liberty and Hubbard for our grocery needs.
There's one right across the street from me, but they do not have a regular meat counter but they do sell deli products.
What store is that TT?
Elm Street Red and White at the corner of Elm and Thornton ... it use to be Sturgens United untill they sold it to the current owner and they are open weekdays from 8:00 AM til 9:00 PM and Sunday's from 8:00 AM till 7:00 PM ... also don't count on produce, they have a very limited produce section. But it is good for in between regular shopping trips and as far as the city goes I do a lot of regular shopping at Union Plaza Save-A-Lot, but my main store is as you said Giant Eagle.
ah yes, I've been in there. I don't particularly like it. The manager is rude.
I consider that a convenience store, not a grocery store.
I usually go to Bottom Dollar Foods out on the west side or down on Midlothian, or to Walmart.
I can't afford Giant Eagle, even with coupons and sales.
sturgeons were grt business people. they had top quality produce, meats and other staples. i would buy from them time to to time when i was stomppng thru the ns. i went to this place recently and i was not impress. ed and bill sturgeonsi are rolling over in thier graves to see what thier grocery store looks like today.
My mom buys a pack or two of cigs there once in a while (when she's desperate). I took her over there a week or so ago, and the owner, Jack, was talking with someone. She went up to the counter and stood there for half a minute, til he finally stopped talking, practically threw them at her, collected her money, turned his back and went back to talking to the other person. I guess he was irritated that a customer interrupted his conversation.
Like I said - rude. >:(
I agree with both of you, that's why I go to Save-A-Lot during the month, and only use the Red and White for emergencies. Save-A-Lot's deals on meat saves me a lot --- 5 packages for $20.00. I go through at least $30.00 worth of ground beef a month and sometimes $40.00 worth so the 5 for 20 is a real savings.
As for Giant Eagle, I've gotten to know a lot of the folks that work a the Belmont Giant Eagle and enjoy going there. They carry a lot of the items I consider pantry staples and end up spending at least $150 a month there.
Oh, and as a side ... at their in-store hot foods section I usually get their meatloaf, chicken, and stuffed peppers, and they are wonderful.
I also love cheese and their variety of cheeses can't be beaten, and they carry made in Ohio brands that are very good.
I will admit that for a family Giant Eagle can get pricy, but there's just me, so my $150 a month goes a long way each month, because I go for the specials and usually come home with a trunk load of groceries.
Normally, I try to keep my grocery shopping down to once a month since my Bob has a very bust work schedule where he works and combing as many other tasks as possable in one day, usually on a Monday, so that during the rest of the month all I really need is items like bread or milk, so the store across the street would do for that.
If it's produce or other items that I might run out of Bob takes me up to Save-A-Lot on his way home from work during the rest of the month from time to time, or on a Sunday.
Oh, and by the way Peggy, what kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
Ask iwasthere about my library.
TT I listen to mostly contemporary Christian music, with some country, soft pop, jazz and oldies thrown in. ;D
Now that I'm living on another side of town, I'm gonna have to start lookin' for a new place to do my grocery shopping in between my main shopping run at the beginning of each month. Fortunately there's a Bottom Dollar store within walking distence from where I now live so I'll try that out ...at least it's clean and full service so I'll know that the food there is safe to eat. I'll still shop though at the Belmont Giant Eagle for my main grocery shopping. Also where I'm at now I have the choice of four different supermarkets ... Giant Eagle ... Sparkle ... Save-A-Lot and Bottom Dollar.
Tt you will love your new neighborhood and its assets.
Besides Giant Eagle, I do have a check cashing card for the Sparkle Market on South Avenue so they will gert most of my business.
For the next couple of months I'll be living on Banquet Dinners and Ramen Noodles while I build my checking account back up and adjust to my new budget, along with tossed salids, so I'll not be doing grocery shopping like I did in the old place, and hopefully by fall, I'll be able to get back to the kind of meals that I was accustom to, if not better.
I see they want to paint a mural on the closed market on Elm Street. To me this is a waste of time and money, it's hard to understand why a grocery store can't succeed in this spot. A grocery store would be such a cornerstone to building a solid community. I believe if a grocery store is built other things will come, as the North Side is prime for a small central business district, with small shops/bistros/cafes. It's hard for me to believe that the city can't entice a grocery store chain to come here?.
I agree. While there a a handfull of convience stores on the North Side, as others have pointed out the only full service supermarket is the Union Square Save-A-Lot.
Here where I live now, we have four full service Supermarkets to choose from within a short distence from my apartment, and two other stores that have grocery sections, again within a short distence of my apartment.
Quote from: penguinnick on July 17, 2014, 09:36:01 AM
I see they want to paint a mural on the closed market on Elm Street. To me this is a waste of time and money, it's hard to understand why a grocery store can't succeed in this spot. A grocery store would be such a cornerstone to building a solid community. I believe if a grocery store is built other things will come, as the North Side is prime for a small central business district, with small shops/bistros/cafes. It's hard for me to believe that the city can't entice a grocery store chain to come here?.
This former store building was purchased by developer Dominic Marchionda a few years ago, and try as we might, the Wick Park Neighborhood Association has not been able to convince Mr Marchionda to renovate the building and re-open a grocery store. You are right, it IS a prime location, and would get the business of both the YSU students living in our neighborhood AND the full time residents, of course. At one time, I believe, Mr Marchionda was in talks with a grocer to lease the building for a grocery store, however the grocer would have to do all of the renovations. Of course, this was not acceptable to the grocer, as there is a LOT of work to be done on and in that building. So he backed out.
I do not like the idea of a mural on the building, but it's not my building, NOR is it the city's building.
Speaking of the mural, this is a project of one of the north side residents, with cooperation from Mr. Marchionda, I believe.
I'm confused, isn't the new No. 7 Fire Station supposed to be built there?
I'm not sure about the fire station but I do know that this is a perfect spot for a full-service grocery store. Citizens of the North Side should be protesting/demanding/making their voices heard LOUDLY that a full service grocery store should be built on this spot (doesn't have to be a huge grocery store). If people demand a grocery store I believe one will eventually come.
Quote from: penguinnick on July 17, 2014, 10:51:14 AM
I'm not sure about the fire station but I do know that this is a perfect spot for a full-service grocery store. Citizens of the North Side should be protesting/demanding/making their voices heard LOUDLY that a full service grocery store should be built on this spot (doesn't have to be a huge grocery store). If people demand a grocery store I believe one will eventually come.
We have asked, begged and pleaded. Neighborhood association leaders have met with the owner. All to no avail.
When it comes right down to it, the R & S building is his to do with as he wishes. Or not.