A vanishing indie grocer (2015, rent, home)

[Clarallel]

This is what we're losing to Starbucks, etc.



John Cortese wiped his hands on his white apron and paused over the purchase of a half-dozen zucchinis... He has been working there since his father opened the place in 1939.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/ny...ype=collection

[BBMW]

Not Starbucks. More like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Fresh Direct. Also, include the countless hordes of casual restaurants, especially those that deliver (which is approximately all of them.) A big percentage of people in the city just don't cook any more. And if the do, it's throwing a prepared meal into a microwave.

This is not just rent This is a business that's caught against a huge paradigm shift

[Kefir King]

This says it all:

The customer shopping for zucchinis consulted one square
— 69 cents a pound — and Mr. Cortese tallied her bill by hand in a loose-leaf
notebook.


“When it gets too complicated, I use the adding machine,”
he said, ripping the page out for her receipt.

"Let's see, 2 pounds of zucchini at $.69/pound. THat's an even $42 Mrs. Kalabash."

If they tried that crap at Starbucks, they would close too.

[D. Scott]

Originally Posted by BBMW

Not Starbucks. More like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Fresh Direct. Also, include the countless hordes of casual restaurants, especially those that deliver (which is approximately all of them.) A big percentage of people in the city just don't cook any more. And if the do, it's throwing a prepared meal into a microwave.

This is not just rent This is a business that's caught against a huge paradigm shift

I agree. Or using apps like Seamless and or others. My wife and I fell into this and only as of late have been preparing things at home more. Many work long hours, Are on the go almost constantly and the era of fast, cheap and effective is commonplace. From meals to exercise to many other things. Many don't stop to admire the small, nice things and moments in life anymore.

[Kefir King]

My wife and I fell into this and only as of late have been preparing things
at home more

Ordering food by phone is an easy trap to fall into.
My variant as a retired person is to do late lunch deals that double for 2 meals...let THEM cook and do the dishes. Once a week became twice a week and threatens to become more frequent.

It's a pity because I am/was a good cook.

Contributing is the ever increasing inflation at the grocery story.