This is a Minneapolis-centric post...but good news for those of us in the Whittier neighborhood, at least in my opinion.
This is good news if it actually happens. Yes, Trader Joe's will provide stiff competition for The Wedge and for Hum's Liquors. But, it will also provide competition for the Uptown Rainbow Foods and Lunds. But, I also think it could complement the existing stores in this part of town. Seems to me that enough people will shop at all of these stores for different things.
The other reason I like this is that it's a vote of confidence in my neigborhood. This is a good area of Minneapolis, with an interesting mix of people. This is exactly the sort of neighborhood that would support a Trader Joe's. If this development happens (a big if in this economy), I think it will be good for this part of Minneapolis.
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I remember you saying you thought Trader Joe's would be good for your neighborhood! I really like Trader Joe's... good, interesting, food and good prices. And apparently very good to their employees, which is a big bonus in my book. Happy shopping Mikey!
There are some similarities between where I live and where the Madison Trader Joe's is located, as you know. Some younger people, and some people with a lot of money not too far away. I think it would work really well here.
According to the city zoning/site plan review document BZZ-2273 dated June 27, 2005, the building constructed at 2309 Lyndale Ave S. was recommended by Whittier Alliance with a no national chain tenants condition:
"The applicant has indicated he believes the Whittier Alliance voted to approve
the Le Parisien application on April 11, 2005, subject to no use of EIFS (External Insulation Finish
Systems), no national-chain tenants, no changes in number of units or exterior color, and notification of
any substantial changes to the project. On May 16, 2005, staff received a letter from the Whittier
Alliance that indicated support for the project with conditions, with the exception of the parking
variance which was denied."
Lyndale Avenue remains one of the last "un-chained" business districts in the city. Local business will be displaced by the current plans, and this neighborhood stands to lose much of its characteristic independent flavor. Not only will the Trader Joe's hurt the Wedge and its effort to support local food producers, but the development threatens the business of Susan Shehata - Sacred Rearrangements, another business with a strong focus on community and building the local economy.
I am definitely for competition, especially if it influences Lund's and Kowalski's to lower their prices any. TJ shopping is more specialized, though, so it shouldn't be the kind of competition that actually forces others out of business. I don't think.(Incidentally - the produce at L's & K's is highly superior to that of TJ and the Uptown Rainbow.) TJ has some organic, but a lot of their food is quite unhealthy, once you start reading the labels. (That's me standing for an hour in front of the "natural peanut butter" section, reading ingredients.) As it is, I already go to the SLP TJ for specific things that I wouldn't buy anywhere else. And in general, I think of them as the ultimate snack/hors d'oeuvre store.
I'm quite surprised, however, that they're not moving southward faster. We've got the SLP TJ - why not build a TJ in Burnsville? For example. Also, the traffic on Lyndale from Lake to 94 is already often a nightmare...I'm seriously concerned about what a TJ would do the congestion. (Honestly, have you been to that SLP TK parking lot? It's unspeakable. SLP TJ in only tolerable b/c of the FREE parking garage down the block.)
I dunno -- I work in Burnsville and it doesn't seem like the place for something like Trader Joe's. County Road 42 is about as antiseptic a strip of suburbia as you can find and I'd be hard pressed to see how it work with the demographics down there. Having said that, there are a number of vacant storefronts in the strip malls west of Burnsville Center, so there's certainly space.
I'd actually think that Richfield or maybe PWB would be a better bet. I know this much -- we'll probably never have one up here in New Brighton.
ILC - Thanks for reading, but I have to disagree in part with your assertion. I have never understood the sentiment that chains are inherently bad. There are neighborhoods in big cities all over the country that have, in co-existence, local stores and national chains. All up and down Wisconsin Avenue (Georgetown) in DC, there were chains and local stores. Why should Lyndale be any different? I doubt this will lead to a Wal-Mart Supercenter.
The other thing is that this would not have even been proposed if the plan review recommended by the Whittier Alliance in 2005 was iron-clad. As I am sure you know, neighborhood associations wield a lot of clout in this city (I think too much), so if this is being proposed, I would have to think some members would be behind it.
But, I could be wrong. I also don't really know anything about Sacred Rearrangements. Would it be displaced?
Mostly I meant that there's no TJ's in the South Suburbs. And I think that's odd.
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