Retail coming to Philadelphia (Chester, West Chester: crowded, future, love)

[PHLondoner]

Originally Posted by kyb01

RTM is jammed every single day, a block away, in essentially the same " weird location". lol

RTM is a lunchtime spot for the area and also a significant tourist destination. Trader Joes will be none of these things (no prepared food at TJs).

If I have to explain why a super market located right in the middle of our Convention Center area bordered to the north by a sparsely populated hood (callowhill), Chinatown (whose residents won't use TJs), to the South by Market East, and to the West an office district - and not in, say, Society Hill (as initially rumored), Queen Village (as also rumored), or Old City - wealthy, dense, residential areas - is an odd choice...then I don't know what to tell you. lol

I doubt it will affect foot traffic or popularity simply b/c of how beloved TJs is.

[rowhomecity]

Yes my initial reaction was odd location as well.

I was really hoping they would shoot for somewhere around 3rd and Spring Garden. Lots of opportunity up there on the East side of Broad and right by the Market - Frankford Line for easy access for Old City and Fishtown residents.

My thinking is MSC sold them on the garage as taking the cake for the location and I am sure their lease term includes at least a level of the garage for parking. It definitely will ignite this portion of Arch St. And with the residential conversion down the street on Broad and Arch, this project is 100% a catalyst for street activity on North Broad St.

I probably will rarely go to this location as I live West of Broad. But I am sure many will frequent.

[kidphilly]

but is their other location really all that different, esp when it was built


The attached parking is key in their model I would think


I walk to their other location and the RTM now, this another block from the RTM and closer for me then their other location, its not a hinderance


I think they got a sweet deal with attached parking and lets be realistic here this is what a block and a half from Dilworth plaza not some island

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Yes my initial reaction was odd location as well.

I was really hoping they would shoot for somewhere around 3rd and Spring Garden. Lots of opportunity up there on the East side of Broad and right by the Market - Frankford Line for easy access for Old City and Fishtown residents.

My thinking is MSC sold them on the garage as taking the cake for the location and I am sure their lease term includes at least a level of the garage for parking. It definitely will ignite this portion of Arch St. And with the residential conversion down the street on Broad and Arch, this project is 100% a catalyst for street activity on North Broad St.

I probably will rarely go to this location as I live West of Broad. But I am sure many will frequent.

Agree, that stretch of Arch is on the dreary side compared to a few blocks south, TJ's will most definitely create heavy foot traffic from 8am-10pm (or whatever their hours are). It might even spark some additional retail or residential development in the area. People love to live near Trader Joes (similar to Whole Foods).

[selhars]

I've been to Trader Joes in 4 states and DC. This is the closest to each other that I've seen them have two stores.

Not that Society Hill/Queen Village -- or Northern Liberties -- would have been "better" locations -- I just think two locations that close together is not really going to pull in that many completely new shoppers. But what do I know?.....

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PHLondoner

RTM is a lunchtime spot for the area and also a significant tourist destination. Trader Joes will be none of these things (no prepared food at TJs).

If I have to explain why a super market located right in the middle of our Convention Center area bordered to the north by a sparsely populated hood (callowhill), Chinatown (whose residents won't use TJs), to the South by Market East, and to the West an office district - and not in, say, Society Hill (as initially rumored), Queen Village (as also rumored), or Old City - wealthy, dense, residential areas - is an odd choice...then I don't know what to tell you. lol

I doubt it will affect foot traffic or popularity simply b/c of how beloved TJs is.

I have no interest in arguing with you. lol.

However there are people who live right near there one/two blocks away. A little further away two brand spanking new residences. One of those is 40 stories high. Pretty sure folks living in them would like a market nearby.

[chessimprov]

If I knew how to run a super market, I'd have wanted to start a Trader Joe's in Northern Liberties much sooner as I've seen how bad the current one in the city gets. Since the current one gets so bad that you can regularly save time sometimes by driving to one in the suburbs and save time getting your food and going back and forth constantly rather than the one in the city, you know a second location (or expansion if possible) would be needed.

[selhars]

(no prepared food at TJs).

No hot prepared foods.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by chessimprov

If I knew how to run a super market, I'd have wanted to start a Trader Joe's in Northern Liberties much sooner as I've seen how bad the current one in the city gets. Since the current one gets so bad that you can regularly save time sometimes by driving to one in the suburbs and save time getting your food and going back and forth constantly rather than the one in the city, you know a second location (or expansion if possible) would be needed.

Trader Joes could fully support 4 Trader Joes in the city. The current one, Fishtown area, Queen Village area and Eastern Market St.

But Trader Joes as of recent only cared about expanding in the New York market. Hopefully the new competition from other grocers has woken them up.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Trader Joes could fully support 4 Trader Joes in the city. The current one, Fishtown area, Queen Village area and Eastern Market St.

But Trader Joes as of recent only cared about expanding in the New York market. Hopefully the new competition from other grocers has woken them up.

As I've said in the grocery thread, it all comes down to Lidl. It doesn't hurt that Aldi is going into that apartment building on North Broad.