Sparkle Market

[jay]

I stongly support "Neutral Money"

(Quotes below from the Shout Youngstown website)

"Neutral money" comes from businesses that circulate revenues within an economy. (You buy haircuts from me, and I buy ice cream from you.)

I strive to support "Good Money"

"Good money" comes from businesses that trade outside your region. They generate wealth. (Turning Technologies, other YBI companies, and numerous local exporters fall under this category)

[Youngstownshrimp]

Secondly, The Village Pantry is one of the few stores in Poland Village that has not closed its doors because it does compete with Marcs, Giant Eagle,etc.  Again, unsubsidized business people compete by being innovative and hard working.  The Village Pantry competes by going back to the old ways, they repack bulkfood into smaller packages which the large stores cannot do.  The Amish suppliers have developed a large distribution company which now has manufacturers supplying product that one may not find at standard grocery stores.  White house farms and The Dutch Cupboard are a part of this independent supplier and they too are expanding.  One may get educated by checking out Dutchvalleyfoods.com.  Who knows, some entrepreneur may come forth and open up a bulkfood store in the City and if done right, will be successful.

[Youngstownshrimp]

It will only end when Ytown's entitlement majority no longer can be subsidized by a bankrupt government and become innovative and productive again.  It will only end when free enterprise becomes what made America great once.  It will only end when us Americans return to the teachings of all our faiths that "from the sweat of thy brow, thou shall eat", when we all work and not live off the dole of others.

[Why?Town]

I doubt political borders have much to do with where people spend their money .

Northside Sparkle is closing because it's competition does a better job of meeting the needs/wants of it's 13,000 potential customers. Read Shar's post, I'm sure she's not alone.

People decide where to shop based on many factors. Some factors are based mainly in facts: prices, business hours, proximity to customer (home, work, commute, leisure), etc. Some factors are based mainly on perceptions: value, cleanliness, safety, etc. Many factors fall into both groups and the groups probably differ from indivdual to individual.

[jay]

Prior to the Sparkle closing there were approximately 80,000 city residents/customers for the six major grocery stores.   That's over 13,000 potential customers per store if equally divided.   Too many residents of Youngstown prefer to send their money (and our jobs and tax dollars) to the suburbs.

When will it end?

[DefendYoungstown]

"...and then there were five.":

http://shoutyoungstown.blogspot.com/2010/07/and-then-there-were-five.html

[Shar]

Hopefully someone will move into that location.  The plaza stays pretty busy and I would hate to see the remaining business in the plaza suffer because of the loss of traffic from Sparkle. 

[iwasthere]

jay williams and his administration will not help a store that is an union shop. williams would be elated if a nonunion grocery store would reopen in its place low wages and tax abatements that makes Mayor "J" heart leap with joy.

[Towntalk]

Now that's an idea worth considering seriously.

[Why?Town]

Maybe Save-a-Lot will move to the old Sparkle location.

[Towntalk]

My food dollars went further at Sparkle than Giant Eagle even using the Advantage Card, especially where meat is concerned, but still, I have to agree with Shar to an extent, that in this day in age when family budgets are tight, we have to shop where we can get the biggest bang for our bucks, so I guess that I'll be doing a lot of my shopping at Save-A-Lot as well as Giant Eagle. But I wonder just how much longer the Save-A-Lot store on Belmont Avenue will stay in business since it is in the same plaza as WalMart.

[Shar]

I don't think you can blame Walmart entirely for this.  I live on the north side and have tried on various occasions to shop in that Sparkle store.  I found it to not be very clean at times (strange odors), they don't carry a lot of brands of items that I like to purchase.  I prefer to buy my milk in a paper carton, Sparkle didn't carry any milk in paper, all plastic.  I finally gave up, kind of sad that you can't stop a a store for bread and milk and find something that you are happy with.  I shop at Giant Eagle for these reasons, I haven't shopped at Walmart although I did go look around and it appears to have a good selection and was very clean.  I can't be "loyal" to a store just because it is in the city when they don't do their part to satisfy the customers. 

[jay]

Youngstown just lost another business.  A storefront will be empty.  The city will no longer receive the employees' income tax.

This is what happens when the residents of Youngstown are not loyal to the city and its businesses.

[Towntalk]

Union Square Sparkle will be closing soon ... what a crime. This store, its management and its employees are wonderful people.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Cafaro Co. announced minutes ago that the owner of the Sparkle Supermarket in its Union Square Plaza at Belmont Avenue and Gypsy Lane plans to close his grocery store July 31. Employees were
"reluctantly notified" this morning of the closing, according to The Cafaro Co.


Union Square Sparkle Closing After 40 Years

http://www.wkbn.com/content/news/local/story/Union-Square-Sparkle-Closing-After-40-Years/DC71onLOxESqetKtGVyU_A.cspx

Will Giant Eagle be next?

When WalMart came in they said thei presence would stimulate business growth.  WHAT BALD FACED LIARS THEY ARE. 

[Towntalk]

I do 98% of my shopping at the Union Square Sparkle and they always seem busy. As to Giant Eagle I also shop there 2% of the time, especially when they have sales on.

Both stores have been there for years and years, but Sparkle's personal are what keeps me coming back, as well as their deals on meat.