Retail in Detroit (Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Westland: how much, Home Depot, neighborhood)

[Geo-Aggie]

Originally Posted by mgkeith

That's kinda cute. I didn't realize that you had babies. Yes, I used to get things second hand for a while when my kids were very tiny, too. They don't stay as tiny after a while, and sometimes they will want something new. As you will see...a reasonably priced department store can sure come in handy. Kohl's is good for that.

Haha, not all of us millennials are childless! Lots of us 30+ ones are starting to have families and mortgages and stuff. We're regular people with biological drives to reproduce too, you know? We just like expensive coffee and mobile phones more than our older siblings and parents do

I know they'll get more expensive, just today my wife bought the older one some new shoes and he insisted on the Lightning McQueen ones with lights.. sigh.. and yes, I bought them at a chain. As much as I like to limit my visits to chain box stores, they do indeed happen on occasion. That being said, I certainly don't want one down the street from me and I still don't think they're needed in the rebuilding of Detroit. A few here and there are fine, but the idea of a Somerset Collection at Livernois and McNichols not only seems absurd, but I don't like it either. It would ruin the aesthetic of the area.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Geo-Aggie

We just like expensive coffee and mobile phones more than our older siblings and parents do

.

You forgot silly beards and fake glasses.

[craig11152]

Originally Posted by Geo-Aggie

.....yes, I bought them at a chain. As much as I like to limit my visits to chain box stores, they do indeed happen on occasion. That being said, I certainly don't want one down the street from me and I still don't think they're needed in the rebuilding of Detroit. A few here and there are fine, but the idea of a Somerset Collection at Livernois and McNichols not only seems absurd, but I don't like it either. It would ruin the aesthetic of the area.

A couple thoughts.
Not all chain stores are "box stores" in my opinion.
Somerset Collection is a Mall not a chain store.

As I mentioned earlier the Miracle Mile area of Chicago has plenty of chain stores. I imagine plenty of busy New York neighborhoods are the same.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by bgibs

quality retail

TJ Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, Old Navy...Walmart

Does not compute.

Large stores = large parking structures. Doesn't work for most downtowns without a quality public transport system.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by craig11152

As I mentioned earlier the Miracle Mile area of Chicago has plenty of chain stores. I imagine plenty of busy New York neighborhoods are the same.

What is Chicago's Downtown (loosely defined) area and population density compared to Detroit's? I would suspect both those numbers are higher, to say nothing of New York's.

I do think a Target and maybe a Kohl's may be a good fit, but I sincerely doubt Downtown needs what are essentially outlet stores in Marshalls and TJ Maxx, assuming the area is going for a more "upscale" look. Chicago and Manhattan have enough going for them to offset the potentially negative image associated with those stores, plus, the items they tend to get there are from more high-end stores. Apart from the Orchard Lake locations, most Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores in Metro D are stocked with rather low-quality stuff.

[mgkeith]

Originally Posted by Geo-Aggie

Haha, not all of us millennials are childless! Lots of us 30+ ones are starting to have families and mortgages and stuff. We're regular people with biological drives to reproduce too, you know? We just like expensive coffee and mobile phones more than our older siblings and parents do

I know they'll get more expensive, just today my wife bought the older one some new shoes and he insisted on the Lightning McQueen ones with lights.. sigh.. and yes, I bought them at a chain. As much as I like to limit my visits to chain box stores, they do indeed happen on occasion. That being said, I certainly don't want one down the street from me and I still don't think they're needed in the rebuilding of Detroit. A few here and there are fine, but the idea of a Somerset Collection at Livernois and McNichols not only seems absurd, but I don't like it either. It would ruin the aesthetic of the area.

I didn't think you were childless. Just thought your kids were a bit older.

But yes, Kohl's would be handy for the residents of Detroit, and the deals can be fantastic there with coupons mailed to your home (if you have their credit card) and especially when paired with the clearance rack! You or your wife should check it out. Target would be great for Detroiters too. Why not? There is a whole lot to be said for convenience, and everyone has to do some shopping. Meijers can cost a lot more for clothing and items for the house.

[keraT]

Whole food needs to start selling essential clothes and that will take care of retail problem. But I also love the pop up shops concept from chain store. That is perfect. But for serious retail shopping most people drive to suburb and for now I think everyone is ok with that.

I grew up in Hamtramck and know many recently immigrated families who don't have a car. They carpool to work, pay for daily rides. They walk to groceries for shopping. There are few mom and pop shop that allows them to do clothe shopping but big shopping like holiday or back to school is done at the mall. They ask family friend or neighbor to give them ride to the mall. It seems to work


Along with popup shops, maybe Sephora or VS for females who fly thru makeup very fast would be nice to have downtown.

[Coldjensens]

The stores we have right now that i can think of are primarily what I consider to be upscale (aka overpriced) specialty chains. Nike, Moosejaw, Detroit Store, I am forgetting a few others. There are some (either one or two) what appear to be cheap suit stores (I have not been in them, but they look like cheap suits from outside). they should make a list of retail stores in walking distance form Downtown (say the Book Cadillac or Ren Cen. There is a small concentration of them on Woodward, the rest seem scattered. Other than Kings books, I cannot think of anyplace downtown I would be likely to shop.

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

I do not think people go into a city for chain retail stores. Why would I drive past Home Depot that is 10 miles form my house to go to one in Detroit? How wold having the same stores I have now draw me to live in Detroit. Chains make a city boring. What makes them special is a concentration of unique places you cannot find elsewhere. Sure, you can mix in the chain junk once you have a healthy mix of unique retail, but I do not see that drawing people. Places like King Books give people a particular reason to want to visit or live in the city. If I can live in a nicer, cleaner, quieter, cheaper place and have the same amenities, why move to the city?

Look at the Cooler cities. What makes them cool? Lots of unique businesses. The chain junk around the outskirts may be fine for convenience purposes once you have drawn the people in, but no a three acre target site is not going to get people to come walk around and shop in Detroit, or live there.

Eventually the outlying neighborhoods may want those places, but we do not want them in the re-developing areas (downtown, mid-town, Corktown, IV, etc.

What makes Chicago or Nashville or Austin an attractive place to visit or live? I can guarantee you it is not a K-mart.

I am assuming the original poster was more focused on retail in the outer neighborhoods than the denser, hip districts surrounding downtown.

There are still around 600,000 living in Detroit. They need a place to shop to. All you are thinking about is suburbanites coming into Detroit, but what about the people who have been here?

A mixture of independent and chain stores downtown and in the neighborhoods is optimal. Downtown already has its share of chain restaurants like Shake Shack, Wahlburgers, and Five Guys, but it is still a hip, desirable district. Like Mr. Craig said, the Miracle/Magnificent Mile or whatever it's called in Chicago is full of chains...and full of people.

[craig11152]

Originally Posted by highlanderfil

Chicago and Manhattan have enough going for them to offset the potentially negative image associated with those stores,

The difference between us here seems to me that you assume Chicago and Manhattan can thrive despite the presence of chain stores whereas I think the presence of chain stores is part of their thriving. You have to have a mix of the so called "mom and pop" places and so called "chain stores" who can stock inventory and pay the rent. I don't see a negative image associated with chain stores.
I think part of Detroit's ultimate comeback will require the presence of a certain number of chain stores in the downtown area. I've never been to New York City but google mapping it I am surprised at the number of chain stores within walking distance of Madison Square Garden. I'm going to guess the K Mart, Old Navy, Urban Outfitters and DSW Shoes have considerably smaller floor space in Manhattan than they do in here in Ann Arbor but they are still chain stores with name recognition. I think these kind of stores in a big city downtown have a much smaller footprint than in a suburb so they are not consuming entire city blocks. But they are a legitimate positive part of a vibrant downtown landscape in my opinion.

I realize there is a chicken and egg thing wherein the chain stores may not come till its a little more viable but they will come or Detroit will stall out. Detroit simply cannot rise from the ashes without retail Corporate America being a part of it.