Best City in the Bay Area to open a small shop (Walnut Creek vs San Mateo vs Freemont vs Palo alto etc.) (Pleasanton: incomes, living)

[peninsular]

This may be too obvious, but you might want to take into account existing travel agents in San Francisco and their locations. West Portal, for example, has several of them.

[rkwalton]

I just scanned the first page, but Walnut Creek sounds like the spot. Palo Alto is smack in tech central and folks there not only use the sites but probably created or funded them.

[tetka_grunya]

Downtown of San Mateo is very busy at the middle of of the day as at night. People are coming here for lunch and to run some errands from many business parks around. Banks, upscale grocery Dragers, infamous sushi place, boutique stores, movie theater, central park, upscale condominiums, large upscale senior citizen condominiums - all of this in 5 X 5 blocks around here. Park is always full with familes there. It may fit your business better than Geary or Clement area in SF that is much cheaper and dirtier... IMHO

[Ceece]

I'm surprised there is much of a market for this kind of business. Last time I used a pro to help set up my travel plans I had to basically tell them what I wanted, when, how, where, etc and even then they coulnd't find a certain flight in their system so I booked it myself. Since then I'm a do-it-yourselfer. I will say that group travel is something I would definitely go to a professional source for, especially if it was speciality travel (women only, special interest, etc). I'd want an experienced tour group/guide to deal with everything so I wouldn't have to. But just booking flights/hotels/cars or event tickets? No way. I'm too much of a control freak .

[kingsitaliano]

peninsular: thank you! I will take a deep look at West Portal

rkwalton:thank you for the suggestion!

tetka_grunya: thank you very much!

Ceece: Thank you for your contribution I really depends by the quality and knowledge of the person inside that could save you a TON of time in research for the best value for your vacation at your specific price range. Thanks


Thank you everyone! I am now evaluating the pro and cons of opening in one of the areas of San Francisco as most of you said compared to San Mateo and Walnut Creek. As all of you guys suggested and understood, I need to find the location that will offer me a lot of traffic that will help me create a relationship with the customer while still having this community feeling.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by kingsitaliano

peninsular: thank you! I will take a deep look at West Portal

rkwalton:thank you for the suggestion!

tetka_grunya: thank you very much!

Ceece: Thank you for your contribution I really depends by the quality and knowledge of the person inside that could save you a TON of time in research for the best value for your vacation at your specific price range. Thanks


Thank you everyone! I am now evaluating the pro and cons of opening in one of the areas of San Francisco as most of you said compared to San Mateo and Walnut Creek. As all of you guys suggested and understood, I need to find the location that will offer me a lot of traffic that will help me create a relationship with the customer while still having this community feeling.

Sorry OP, I haven't been paying much attention for the past couple days. I remember you asked me which neighborhood I think would be good and my answer is Marina District.

You have A LOT of wealthy women of all age groups that love walking around Union Street, Lombard Street and Chestnut Street. Chestnut Street would be the best choice, followed by Union Street and then Lombard Street.

[kingsitaliano]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Sorry OP, I haven't been paying much attention for the past couple days. I remember you asked me which neighborhood I think would be good and my answer is Marina District.

You have A LOT of wealthy women of all age groups that love walking around Union Street, Lombard Street and Chestnut Street. Chestnut Street would be the best choice, followed by Union Street and then Lombard Street.

Thank you!!
Isn't very touristy, correct?

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by kingsitaliano

Thank you!!
Isn't very touristy, correct?

You're welcome!
Marina District isn't touristy because most tourists don't know how to get there with public transportation. It's a very thriving community among residents. Many residents don't even want to explore other districts. Tourists ride their bikes through Crissy Field to get to Golden Gate Bridge and that's about it.

[kingsitaliano]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

You're welcome!
Marina District isn't touristy because most tourists don't know how to get there with public transportation. It's a very thriving community among residents. Many residents don't even want to explore other districts. Tourists ride their bikes through Crissy Field to get to Golden Gate Bridge and that's about it.

Great!
Really appreciate your input!

[topaz47]

Originally Posted by jade408

WC has affluent feeders in Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk. Upper middle class feeder areas from San Ramon, Pleasanton (and parts of Dublin). Downtown WC's "mall" is much higher end than San Mateo, and keeps moving upmarket. And even a little bit from the central valley.

Over the past couple of years, Neiman Marcus, Burberry, Lacoste have opened up. Joining Tiffany and Nordstorm's. Over the past 10 years, downtown WC has been purging midrange stores. Ann Taylor Loft, Aerosoles have all left. I don't think Gap is actually in the "Broadway Plaza" mall anymore, one of the adjacent shopping centers. Ann Taylor is also in one of the adjacents as well.

I'd imagine that San Mateo isn't actually pulling in the shoppers from Atherton, San Carlos, Burlingame, and Hillsborough although they are in close proximity. They must be headed to Palo Alto or SF.

It might not be all that cheap anymore either. The older downtown buildings perhaps, but not the newer ones next to the art center or Nordies and Neimans. It keeps getting more and more posh.

San Mateo is overrated, congested and not high end but livable. I've lived here for over 10 years and the downtown is a hodgepodge of restaurants and businesses without cohesion. Lots of medical offices. There are several nice resaurants, and Draegers, an upscale food market with a location in Danville as well. Hillsdale Mall is awful. Housing is deplorable unless you are a millionaire and I'm not kidding!

WC, Danville, San Ramon, Pleasanton etc. are much nicer areas in my opinion.